Can Rishi Sunak turn dire Tory poll numbers around?

Labour retains a huge lead over the Tories amid economic turmoil. Adam Forrest looks at whether the new PM can shift voters’ perception of the ‘pampered pooch’ at No 10

Voters in Oldham compared Sunak to a snake, a rat and a ‘pampered pooch’ when they were asked to liken senior politicians to animals (PA)

Rishi Sunak has spent his first few days in Downing Street firefighting the row over Suella Braverman’s appointment and crunching the numbers with chancellor Jeremy Hunt in a bid to balance the government’s books.

But as the prime minister settles back into the No 10 flat this weekend, he may finally have time to digest the Tories’ dire poll numbers and the uphill struggle he faces in getting his party in a position to compete at the next general election.

So far, there is little sign of a Sunak bounce. A poll of polls tracker has Labour 29 points ahead. One YouGov poll after his coronation showed a slight swing back to the Tories, putting Keir Starmer’s party on a mere 51 per cent (the lead narrowed to a trifling 28 points).