Rishi Sunak’s popularity slumps among Tory members amid cost of living crisis fallout

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s approval ratings among Conservative activists have nose-dived in the wake of the Spring Statement

Rishi Sunak’s popularity among the Tory grassroots has plummeted in the fallout from the recent Spring Statement.

Tory bible ConservativeHome put the Chancellor third from the bottom in its regular Cabinet league table with a net satisfaction rating of just 7.9.

Mr Sunak, who has been tipped to succeed Boris Johnson in No10, has regularly enjoyed positive poll ratings but his popularity has taken a hit among Tory members, who choose the next party leader.

The latest blow comes as pressure mounts on the Government over the spiralling cost of living crisis.

His mini-Budget last month drew criticism for failing to do enough to help Brits facing rocketing energy bills, tax hikes, price increases and rising inflation.

The only senior Tories to fare worse in the ConHome survey are party chairman Ben Elliot on 3.8 and Home Secretary Priti Patel who got a negative score of -13.6 after the botched handling of the Ukrainian refugee scheme.

By comparison, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace topped the chart with an 85.5 net satisfaction rating amid widespread praise for his response to the war in Ukraine.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi was second on 66.4, with Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 64.4 and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on 61.1.

Tory activists put Boris Johnson in 16th place with a net satisfaction rating of 33.1.

Editor Paul Goodman offered some hope to the Chancellor as he pointed to Dominic Raab, who is now in sixth place after plummeting to fourth from the bottom in September after the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He said: “I write this to offer comfort to enthusiasts for Rishi Sunak, who was eleventh last month, but now finds himself plunged to third from bottom, in the wake of a Spring Statement with which the majority of our panel is dissatisfied.

“Having managed the table for a long time, I know that what goes down can come up again – and vice-versa.”

Downing Street insisted the PM and his Chancellor were “in lockstep” amid ongoing reports of tensions over Government spending.

Asked if Mr Johnson was disappointed or pleased to see Mr Sunak’s popularity slump, the PM’s spokesman said: “It is not one I have spoken to him about.

“The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are in lockstep when it comes to the approach taken to support the public through this challenging time as they did when providing furlough the pandemic.

“This is a £22billion package targeted at those who need it most and we will always stand ready to take further steps if needed.”