Revealed: Poll shows 1 in 4 Tory voters says Rayner faces ‘smear campaign’

Rayner twice as popular as Tory counterpart

Those polled had been told that Rayner was accused of giving false information about her main residence in a row about her former house and whether she should have paid any tax on the profits of its sale.

They were also told that Greater Manchester Police was now investigating whether any electoral offences had been committed following a complaint by a Conservative MP.

Meanwhile the poll found more than twice as many voters felt favourable towards the deputy leader than her Tory counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, despite the story.

Some 27% said they felt “strongly” or “somewhat” favourable towards Rayner, versus 12% for Dowden.

On net favourability – the proportion who feel favourable minus those who don’t – Rayner scored -6%, versus -10% for Dowden and -20% for Sunak. Starmer scored highest of the four with a net favourability rating of +1%.

Voters were asked who they’d go for a drink or meal with

Voters were also asked which politicians they would – or would not – go for a drink or meal with.

None of the six politicians included had more voters keen to socialise than not, but Starmer again had the most positive net score on -12%. Rayner and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves (both -18%) scored second and third, followed by Sunak (-29%), Dowden (-36%) and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (-36%).

Some 21% of voters who backed the Conservatives in 2019 said they would go for a meal or drink with Rayner, despite their political leanings.

Overall, two in five voters (40%) said that the story about Rayner “sounds like a smear campaign”, similar to the proportion who said it did not (38%).

The proportion agreeing rose to 54% of those who voted Labour in 2019. Some 26% of Conservative voters also agreed it sounded like a smear campaign.

Labour leader Keir Starmer called Rishi Sunak a “billionaire Prime Minister” and accused him of “smearing a working-class woman” at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday.

Rayner ‘confident’ she has followed the rules

Rayner said over the weekend she was “completely confident” she had followed the rules at all times, and said she would step down if found to have committed a criminal offence.

Tom Belger, editor of LabourList, said: “Labour has attacked right-wing ‘smears’ against Angela Rayner, and this poll suggests a striking number of Tory and Labour voters alike agree there are political reasons this story is getting so much attention.

“Labour has also questioned whether Rayner faces disproportionate criticism as a northern, working-class woman – and it’s notable how many voters seem to think so. She remains a popular politician amon​g​ Labour members and the public alike, connecting with voters in a way many Tory MPs could only dream of. Clearly that has the Conservatives rattled.

“Rayner herself has said the public deserves politicians who know the rules apply to them, and of course the police investigation has to be allowed to run its course. But let’s not pretend it’s happening in a politics-free vacuum.”

Hamish Sandison, Chair of Labour Business, said: “We have supported this poll to help shed some light on what voters really think about the controversy over Angela Rayner’s tax affairs and implications for electoral rules.

“It seemed important to get a view from voters rather than be governed by the Conservative Party and their friends in the media.”

Starmer: ‘Billionaire PM…smearing a working-class woman’

Chris Hopkins, director of politics at Savanta, said: “This story has created a headache for Labour and Rayner, who maintains her innocence, and a significant portion of the public agrees with her that the story is a smear – although this is mainly driven by Labour voters.

“Our research suggests the public ultimately believe the most relevant things to this story are that Rayner is a senior politician in a potential incoming government, who should be seen to be following the law at all times.

“However, there are certain sections of the public who think Rayner’s gender and background are a motivating factor behind the attention the story is receiving.”

Former Conservative MP Nick Boles has called attacks on Rayner “grotesque”, and said her attackers “cannot bear the idea they are about to lose to a woman who pulled herself up by her bootstraps”.

The Times’ columnist Matthew Parris also this week called the criticism “outrageous: brutal, snobbish and completely out of proportion to any mistake she may (or may not) have made”.

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