Sunak popular as PM in just four seats across UK, rival Starmer ahead in 390 seats: Poll

In what comes as a major electoral shock for UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a recent poll has found that he is preferred by voters as the PM only in four seats across the country.

The poll also revealed that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was the most popularin 390 seats, including in PM Sunak’s own Richmond seat.

The four seats that put Sunak ahead of Starmer are: Braintree, Castle Point, Clacton and North Bedfordshire. In Richmond, Sunak bagged the third place with just 24 per cent support. While 32 per cent said they were unsure and 27 per cent voted in favour for Starmer.

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Early elections in UK?

The seat-by-seat analysis by the Focaldata agency, which took into account the views of 10,000 voters, also revealed that the support for an early election is widespread.

It said that 61 per cent of voters want an early general election by at least May, with only 17 per cent hoping the PM waits until autumn to call the vote.

Watch:UK: Keir Starmer a preferred Prime Minister over Rishi Sunak

Meanwhile, Tory chief Richard Holden has said there is “a one-third” chance that elections could be held earlier than expected in May.

Naomi Smith, chief executive of the internationalist campaign group Best for Britain, was quoted as saying by the Independent: “The message in our polling from voters is clear – they want an election, they think Brexit has hurt them in their pockets, and they’re prepared to vote tactically for change.”

Silver lining for Sunak

The only silver lining for the embattled PM remains the staggering number of undecided voters.

The number of “don’t knows” on the question of preferred PM was ahead in 238 seats.

PM Sunak would want to attract them towards his flank. He already seems to be pulling his socks up. Sunak is said to have asked ex-PM Boris Johnson’s ex-chief aide for advice as he pushed for a “secret deal” with Dominic Cummings to help the Tories win when Britain goes to the polls.

Cummings has advised Sunak to undertake some radical policy changes, including abandoning his cautious economic approach, holding an emergency budget, settling the NHS strikes and doubling the threshold at which people pay the 40p rate of income tax from £50,271 to £100,000.

(With inputs from agencies)