Tory Support Hits Record Low As Local Election Defeat Looms

Support for the Conservatives has hit a record low as the party braces itself for defeat in the local elections later this week.

A poll by the More in Common think tank put the Tories on just 24% - the lowest vote share they have ever recorded for Rishi Sunak’s party.

It leaves the Conservatives 19 points behind Labour, who are on 43%. The Lib Dems and Reform UK are neck-and-neck on 11% each.

Worryingly for the prime minister, the poll was carried out after parliament passed his flagship Rwanda bill and Sunak’s pledge to finally get deportation flights off the ground in July.

It is a further blow for the PM, who could face moves to oust him as Tory leader as soon as this week.

Experts predict that the Conservatives are on course to lose up to 500 seats in the local council elections, with both Labour and the Lib Dems set to make substantial gains at their expense.

A lot will hinge on the results of the mayoral elections in Tees Valley and the West Midlands, where Tories Ben Houchen and Andy Street are both seking re-election.

The More in Common poll is further evidence of Sunak’s failure to turn round his party’s fortunes since becoming PM 18 months ago.

Another poll yesterday by Survation for ITV’s Good Morning Britain gave Labour an 18-point lead over the Tories.

The research also showed that two-thirds of voters believe “Britain is broken” and that Keir Starmer is the best candidate to fix it.

Some 23% said they backed Labour leader to solve the nation’s problems, with Boris Johnson second on 11% and Sunak trailing in third place on just 9%.