Rishi Sunak’s popularity slumps as he tries to draw line under Zahawi tax scandal

Keir Starmer overtakes Tory leader as most capable PM, as Sunak vows to restore ‘integrity’

Rishi Sunak popularity with the public has slumped, a new polling has found as he tries to draw a line under the Nadhim Zahawi tax scandal and accusations his government is “drowning in sleaze”.

The prime minister insisted on Monday that he had acted “pretty decisively” by sacking the Tory chairman for breaching the ministerial code over his tax affairs, as he vowed to restore “integrity” to politics.

But a new Ipsos survey found that only one in three voters (32 per cent) believe he has what it takes to be a good prime minister – down ten points since November.