“He’s got two years now to try to turn it around, to be reasonable, to be civil, which I think can be done.” Benn, a working-class voter from West Yorkshire, said he wanted Mr Sunack to “restore stability” and “reduce the tax burden”. But if it fails, both are willing to leave the Tories in search of a better offer. “The Conservatives have done a poor job, so give Labor a go, is my opinion,” Ben said. “It’s the only other option…but I don’t think they’ll be great to be honest.” Steve added: “If after two years, it’s in a better place and it’s working, I’ll vote Conservative. But if it’s not, I’m not sure what I’ll do.”
Rishi Sunak Considered ‘Rich’ and ‘Irrelevant’
Nationally, the poll shows that many voters are unwilling to give Mr. Sunak two years to convince them. As opposition parties clamor for early elections, 65 percent said they favor a vote earlier than 2024, including 40 percent who want an immediate one. Of those who want an early election, the most popular reason is that the Tories have made mistakes on the economy. For Mr Sunak, the key to rebuilding his party’s credibility may lie in transforming his personal image from a “smart guy” – according to Natasha, a teacher from The Telegraph’s focus group – to a compassionate one . Asked what words and phrases people associate with him, one of the top three responses was “capable,” but by far the most popular word to describe him was “rich,” followed by “out of touch.” “The fact that he hid away from the money that he and his wife had – there’s this big issue of trust,” said Tracey, a housing officer from the West Midlands. “I feel like he’s a genuine person, but I just don’t get the feeling that he’s for the workers. “He doesn’t live a day in our shoes, he doesn’t know what we have to go through, he doesn’t have to fight.” Kerrie, a school reception worker from Greater Manchester, added: “I don’t think for a second that she needs to worry about whether Aldi brand products have gone up.” Concerns about Mr Sunak’s private wealth have a worrying effect for the Tories on how voters expect him to deal with the financial crisis. While leading Sir Keir on macroeconomic questions about who would best manage the “economy” and reduce the deficit, the Prime Minister follows four real-world tests of which man is best placed to deliver more jobs, cut costs of life, reduce the number of people in poverty and increase wages and salaries.
“The Conservative Brand Has Been Destroyed”
James Frain, a political strategist who conducted this week’s survey, said Mr. Sunak needs to translate his lead on abstract economics into more tangible evidence that he will make voters feel better. “The public don’t love Rishi Sunak, but they think he’s more competent than Keir Starmer, who is responsible for the Conservative lead on macroeconomic stability,” he said. “But the Conservative brand has been so damaged in recent months that Labor is way ahead on the ‘real economy’ – wages, poverty, jobs and growth. “It’s a fair bet this trend will be even clearer after the budget. Given that the ‘real economy’ cares more about people, it’s also a fair bet that Labour’s lead will stabilize and consolidate.” Mr Sunak’s refrain that he will remain committed to helping “those who need it most” while slashing government budgets may improve voters’ perception of him as a Whitehall lover with no first-hand experience. All participants in The Telegraph’s focus group had noticed and were grateful for the £66 discount on the government’s bill last month. But they all also had different concerns about their household spending, and met the autumn statement with more than just a sense of trepidation. Tracey has put a load of clothes in her bathroom because she can’t afford to fix her dryer. She was told to put her plans to buy her council house on hold. “We’ve changed some of the light fixtures and things like that, so we’re using less bulbs or more efficient bulbs just to try to keep costs down as much as we can,” Kerrie said. Natasha said she is using her credit card for the first time in four years to ‘stay alive’, while Ben has noticed the cost of a meal is rising by around £40. “I know something horrible is coming – I think it’s November 17, isn’t it?” Steve said. “I can survive it. My children? I’m not sure.”
