Election guru: ‘Most PMS would give eye teeth to be as popular as Boris!'

MOST prime ministers would love to have Boris Johnson's popularity ratings at this stage in a parliamentary term, according to Britain's most respected polling expert.

- David Williamson

Sir John Curtice said it is “definitely too early” to talk about a Labour resurgence despite the party's share of the vote going up by 7.4 per cent in last week's Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election.

He said this is “relatively small beer” for an opposition party in a by-election and that Labour will struggle until voters have a sense of what it stands for.

Describing the two parties as "even stevens”, he said: “Yes, the Tories have for all sorts of reasons lost ground [but] most prime ministers two years in would give their eye teeth to be in the position that Boris currently finds himself in.

Sir John's words will be welcomed in Downing Street as Mr Johnson tries to navigate a succession of storms and leave behind the fallout of the Owen Paterson affair.

In recent days it has been reported that French President allegations that Downing Street staff partied during last year's winter lockdown.