Corbyn races ahead of May in conference season leadership ratings

Jeremy Corbyn’s ratings as a leader have shot up over the last year, according to new research while underlines Theresa May’s decline in the eyes of votes.

More people like Corbyn and like the Labour Party compared to when the same survey was carried out in the run-up to conference season last year.

The Ipsos MORI research also shows that both Labour and its leader and more popular than their Tory counterparts. It will come as a boost for Corbyn at the end of a busy week in which he cemented his control on the party with a series of internal reforms and as he prepares to make his third speech as conference leader.

Today’s study showed Corbyn has improved on most “leadership image traits”:

• Two in five, 40 per cent, say he has sound judgement (up 10 points).
• Half, 52 per cent, say he understands the problems facing Britain (up 8 points)
• Nearly half, 47 per cent, say he has a clear vision for Britain (up 9 points).

Corbyn also emerged ahead of May on character ratings such as:

• Charisma, with 47 per cent saying he has a lot of personality, up 15 points.
• Integrity, with 55 per cent saying he is more honest than most politicians, up three points.
• Humility, with just one in three (32 per cent) say he is out of touch with ordinary people, down 12 points.

May’s ratings have worsened in most key areas including personality, honesty and not being out of touch. She is still ahead of Corbyn on being a capable leader and good in a crisis.

“The public have clearly warmed to Jeremy Corbyn’s style, and cooled on Theresa May, over the last year,” said Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI.

“Since 2007, the Conservatives used to be able to offset being the less-liked party with a more-liked leader, but now they are behind on both. But Theresa May still leads on some competence issues such as capability and handling a crisis – although even these have taken a big hit from her commanding position a year ago.”