Voters like 'blokey' Starmer more than Sunak, poll finds

With the election turning into a presidential’ contest, survey suggests the Labour leader will win easily with the electorate

- DAVID MADDOX

If the outcome of the general election is decided by personality and not politics, Sir Keir Starmer has one foot in No 10 already.

That is the clear conclusion of an exclusive survey for The Independent by pollsters Redfield and Wilton.

It came on the day that Sir Keir gave his first keynote speech of the election campaign, focusing very much on his personal story and his family’s struggle with poverty while attempting to quell doubts over what sort of prime minister he would be.

The survey of 1,500 adults showed that if voters are asked who they would rather go to the pub with, lend money to, help put up a shelf, make them laugh, join their quiz team or cry on their shoulder – then Mr Starmer wins hands down every time over Rishi Sunak. The biggest gap is over which they would ask to do a DIY task, with Mr Starmer ahead by 39 per cent to 17 per cent, and the closest on who they would want on a pub quiz team, with the Labour leader ahead 38 per cent to 28 per cent.

Based on the evidence of the Redfield and Wilton poll, the brutal truth for Mr Sunak is that his opponent is seen as more practical, fun, blokey, trustworthy and knowledgeable. There is no avoiding it: they like Sir Keir more than they like Mr Sunak.

The results are less clear cut when voters are asked which wild animal the leaders most resemble. The good news for Mr Sunak is that he is seen as one-half meerkat: a cute and highly alert creature. The bad news is he is also seen as one-half skunk: smelly and sly.