Truss least popular UK PM in history – poll

UK Prime Minister Liz Truss’ approval rating sank to a new low of -47 in an Observer poll published on Sunday. Her popularity is lower than Boris Johnson’s was at the nadir of his political career, and is the worst ever recorded by the British news outlet.

According to the survey, some 64% of voters disapprove of the job Truss is doing, while only 16% approve, leading to an overall approval rating of -47 when rounded. Equally unpopular among Brexit supporters and opponents, a majority of voters (53%) think Truss should resign, a mere month after taking office.

Truss’ dismal approval rating comes despite the new PM delivering a keynote speech at the Conservative Party’s annual conference in Birmingham last week. Such events usually give leaders a boost in the polls, as they get a chance to explain their political platform to a receptive crowd.

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However, Truss’ appearance in Birmingham came two weeks after Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng unveiled a ‘mini-budget’ that provided for billions of pounds worth of tax cuts that led to the British pound crashing and the International Monetary Fund urging Truss to “re-evaluate” her plan, arguing that it would only increase inflation and inequality.

Truss stuck to her guns, arguing that her economic plan is necessary to “get our economy growing,” and blaming Russia for the UK’s floundering economy and cost-of-living crisis.

The Prime Minister’s approval rating is now lower than Boris Johnson’s was at the height of the ‘Partygate’ scandal, which led to his resignation in July. It is also lower than Theresa May’s was in the weeks before her resignation in 2019, and is the lowest rating for a prime minister ever recorded by the Observer.