Majority of Brits think UK is going in the 'wrong direction'

Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote march. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire - Credit: PA

A majority of Britons think the UK is heading “in the wrong direction” for the first time this year, new polling has revealed.

More than half of Britons, 53%, fear their country is going the wrong way – up eight points since August – while less than a quarter, 18%, feel it is.

The Ipsos MORI poll, which canvassed 1,109 British adults between October 2 and 5, also found that amount of people who disapprove of Boris Johnson went up two points to 48%.

Johnson approval rating also slumped by two points to 27%, behind Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

An equal proportion of Britons have favourable attitudes towards Labour and the Conservative Party (26% for each) but more dislike the Tories (47%) than Labour (39%).

The Lib Dem figures are also very stable over time, with 14% favourable towards the party and 41% unfavourable.

Labour is technically ahead of the Tory Party in net favourability ratings for the second month because of an increase of dislike for the Conservative Party this autumn.

Research director Keiran Padley said: “Given the backdrop of rising cases of coronavirus and increased restrictions in different areas of the country, it is not surprising that Britons increasingly think things are heading in the ‘wrong direction’ with our data showing a majority feeling this way for the first time this year.

Padley also spoke about the approval ratings of other senior Tory figures including Matt Hancock and Rishi Sunak.

He said: “The public hold different views on different members of the government. The prime minister and health secretary hold negative net favourability ratings (-21 and -23 respectively).

“In contrast, chancellor Rishi Sunak holds very positive ratings, with a net favourability score of +17, suggesting that the public continue to be reasonably impressed with the job the chancellor is doing.”