Pollster’s backing for Rishi’s 5 pledges

RISHI Sunak’s five pledges to fix Britain could trigger a Tory revival, a leading pollster said yesterday.

The Prime Minister raised eyebrows on Wednesday by failing to include tax cuts among his top five pre-election priorities.

He also drew criticism from some on the Tory Right, with former culture secretary Nadine Dorries warning he had ‘no mandate’ for relegating manifesto vows to fix social care and level up the UK.

But ex-No 10 pollster James Johnson

yesterday said the five pledges were ‘well targeted at voters the Conservatives need to win back’.

The PM made three promises on the economy: halving inflation, restoring economic growth this year and tackling the UK’s debt.

He also pledged to cut NHS waiting times and introduce new laws to ‘stop the boats’ bringing asylum seekers across the Channel illegally.

Mr Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, said the speech ‘showed that the Conservatives understand the public again’. In the Daily Telegraph, he added: ‘Mr Sunak now needs to prove he can deliver. If he does, do not count the Conservatives out yet.’

Mr Johnson said that while the verdict from commentators on Twitter was ‘at its most snooty’, the pledges were well targeted at middle-aged blue collar workers who the Conservatives need to win back.

‘The fight now is not for millennials who stopped voting Tory after Brexit,’ he said. ‘Labour has made more inroads with Leavers since 2019 than Remain voters. It is working-class voters – usually over the age of 40 – who were so crucial to the Conservative majority in 2019.’

Mr Johnson said delivery on the pledges could derail Labour attempts to portray the premier as being out of touch because of his wealth.

‘If there is one trait of the British people, it is fair-mindedness,’ he said.

‘They do not like to judge anyone on their background alone. If Mr Sunak does more of what he did on Wednesday, his wealth will matter less.’