UK voters warm to new leader Sunak, but not to his party

Story by By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press • Friday

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LONDON (AP) — Rishi Sunak has been Britain’s prime minister for a month. In the tumultuous world of U.K. politics in 2022, that’s an achievement.

FILE – New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, centre, poses for the media as the pulpit is moved after his speech at Downing Street in London, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, after returning from Buckingham Palace where he was formally appointed to the post by Britain’s King Charles III. In his first month as Britain’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak has stabilized the economy, reassured allies from Washington to Kyiv and even soothed the European Union after years of sparring between Britain and the bloc. But Sunak’s challenges are just beginning. He is facing a stagnating economy, a cost-of-living crisis – and a Conservative Party that is fractious and increasingly unpopular after 12 years in power. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)© Provided by The Associated Press

Sunak, who took office a month ago Friday on Oct. 25, has steadied the nation after the brief term of predecessor Liz Truss. Britain’s first prime minister of color, Sunak has stabilized the economy, reassured allies from Washington to Kyiv and even soothed the European Union after years of sparring between Britain and the bloc.

But Sunak’s challenges are just beginning. He is facing a slowing economy, a cost-of-living crisis — and a governing Conservative Party that is fractious and increasingly unpopular after 12 years in power.

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Opinion polls have good news and bad news for Sunak. The public quite likes the 42-year-old former investment banker, but his party is another matter.

FILE – Rishi Sunak, centre, gestures as conservative MPs greet him after arriving at the Conservative Party leadership contest at the Conservative party Headquarters in London, Oct. 24, 2022. In his first month as Britain’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak has stabilized the economy, reassured allies from Washington to Kyiv and even soothed the European Union after years of sparring between Britain and the bloc. But Sunak’s challenges are just beginning. He is facing a stagnating economy, a cost-of-living crisis – and a Conservative Party that is fractious and increasingly unpopular after 12 years in power. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)© Provided by The Associated Press

In a survey by pollster Ipsos, 47% of respondents said they liked the prime minister, while 41% disliked him.

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“That’s definitely better than Boris Johnson was getting earlier this year,” said Gideon Skinner, Ipsos’ head of political research. But he said Sunak’s popularity “is not showing signs of rubbing off onto the Conservative Party brand.”

In the same survey the Conservative Party was liked by just 26%, and disliked by 62% — the worst figures for the party in 15 years. The Ipsos phone survey of 1,004 adults is considered accurate to within plus or minus four percentage points.