Curtice: Boris Johnson in 'weak position' in the polls
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The latest poll using data from Britain Predicts suggests the Tories are on course to lose their huge majority – with the Prime Minister facing an anxious count on election night in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat. The nightmare scenario for Mr Johnson comes as the Government continues to be marred by allegations of sleaze after it emerged several high profile Tory MPs and some Labour parliamentarians have been raking in huge salaries from second jobs.
Polling data from Britain predicts published on Friday suggest there would be a hung parliament at the next election – set to take place in 2024 – if voting took place now.
It forecasts the Tories would win 308 seats in the House of Commons – down from the 365 won in the landslide victory in 2019.
The Labour Party is forecast to get 254 MPs elected to Parliament – an increase of 52.
The Liberal Democrats are predicted to win nine seats (down two) and the SNP 55 (a gain of seven).
The predicted shift from blue to red is also set to become evident in the Prime Minister’s constituency as his majority is forecast to be slashed.
In the 2019 election, Mr Johnson secured 52.6 percent of the vote in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, gaining a majority of 7,210.
He had a 15 percent lead on his closest rival, Ali Milani, who stood for Labour and won 37.6 percent of the vote.
However, Mr Johnson is set forecast to receive just 45.3 percent of the vote next time around, with Labour hot on his heels on 40.2 percent, according to the New Statesman’s election calculator which uses data from Britain Predicts.
A series of other polls also suggest the public is falling out of favour with the Tory Government.
A survey by Savanta ComRes for the Daily Mail put Labour six points ahead of the Conservatives.
A separate survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies on Wednesday put Labour two points ahead of the Tories.
Meanwhile in a YouGov poll published on Friday, Mr Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party were neck and neck on 35 percent.
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The surveys comes after the Government attempted to rip up the current Commons standards system to delay former Tory cabinet minister Owen Paterson’s suspension for breaking lobbying rules.
It has also emerged former attorney general Sir Geoffrey Cox voted by proxy while carrying out his lucrative second job offering legal services in the Caribbean.
Lord Evans, chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said the public cared about issues such as standards.
He said: “The past week has shown that standards do matter to the public. Ethical standards are important for making democracy work. The public does care about this.”
Speaking on Friday, the Prime Minister acknowledged more needed to be done and highlighted the “vital importance of transparency”.
Mr Johnson said: “I think that all these issues are important, and I do not in any way underestimate the vital importance of transparency of MPs working number one for their constituents, of MPs not engaging in paid advocacy.
“And we’ve got to make sure that the Standards Committee under Chris Bryant is allowed to get on and do its work and that the Commissioner for Standards gets on and does her work.”
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