Neither major Party Leader Inspires as Voters Would Rather Rishi Deals With Country's Problems

New polling from Kantar highlights the fact that voters have limited faith in both major political leaders. Whilst the public believes Rishi is better placed to deal with more of the country's problems than Keir Starmer, his advantage is hardly resounding. Especially when, in every category bar one, voters believe "neither" is better placed...

Keir Starmer might also take some solace from the few issues he is trusted to deal with. Both managing the NHS and reducing the cost of living are the two most important issues facing the country, according to voters. Starmer's advantages here, albeit small, carry disproportionate weight.

This poll does seem to somewhat contradict other polls on leader trust - which, more often than not, tend to give Starmer the lead. However, this can be explained. Firstly, the question mentions the leaders specifically by name. This benefits Rishi, who avoids associations with his overwhelmingly unpopular party. The provision in the question for both a "neither" and "don't know" response could also skew results. The fact that in no area does either leader get over 30% of responses suggests it's hardly a resounding win for Rishi.