Davidson's popularity among Conservative members plummets, poll finds

Ruth Davidson’s popularity among Conservative members has plummeted significantly, according to a new poll.

The survey of party members, conducted and published by the Conservative Home website, shows the Scottish Conservative leader is now the least liked senior politician in the party.

The website said that this put “Davidson in the doldrums” and speculated that her fall in popularity could be because of well publisised disagreements with Boris Johnson over Brexit.

The figures were released as part of the right wing political website’s first “Cabinet League Table” since Johnson formed his new government.

Topping the table with the highest net satisfaction rating was Sajid Javid, with the Prime Minister and Jacob Rees-Mogg coming in a close second and third.

While all the 35 top politicians came out with net positive ratings, Davidson has seen a dramatic plunge from her position in previous polls.

In June, when the last such poll was published, Davidson was the second most popular politician on the table, with a score of +45.7.

Now her rating sits at +14.8 – a reduction of nearly 31 points.

Analysing the results, Conservative Home assistant editor Henry Hill wrote: “The Scottish Conservative leader has previously been relatively shielded from the ups and downs of the Cabinet, often chalking up podium positions as she focused her fire on the SNP.

“She is currently the lowest-ranked politician in the entire table, most likely fallout from her highly-publicised split with the Prime Minister and hostility to No Deal.”

by Alain Tolhurst

Ruth Davidson to oppose Boris Johnson as she confirms she ‘won’t support’ a no-deal Brexit

The SNP has said this poll is a result of Davidson’s “lack of influence over her own MPs and MSPs”.

Commenting, SNP MSP George Adam said: “Ruth Davidson has been utterly shown up by her colleagues in Westminster and the rest of her party, who seem determined to treat Scotland as an afterthought and she has failed to make any impact since returning to Holyrood.

“Yet despite all the bluster from Scottish Tories, we know they will ultimately fall into line behind whatever disaster Boris Johnson drags us into.”