ConservativeHome now carries out its shadow cabinet surveys just once every two months. The latest ratings are below with most recent on the right and reflect the votes of 1,587 members. For new readers the percentages equal the number of members who say they are satisfied with the individual minus those dissatisfied.
Some movements of note:
Eric Pickles has moved into second spot after shooting to near the top of the league after Crewe and Nantwich. The Telegraph’s Iain Martin has reported some briefing against Eric Pickles in recent days from key Cameroons. They are trying to paint Eric as some sort of media tart who doesn’t share credit. ConHome spoke to Eric on most days during the Crewe campaign and he constantly paid tribute to the work of others, not least Stephen Gilbert. This nasty briefing should stop.
- Michael Gove actually moves up one percentage point, suggesting no knock from his controversial ‘Zoo’ and ‘Nuts’ remarks.
- Andrew Lansley has now completely restored his standing following the slump that followed his interview to The Times about NHS spending.
- Dominic Grieve – who members most wanted in the shadow cabinet at the turn of the year – earns a first rating of +40%. Perfectly respectable but well down on former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis’ final rating of +87%.
It’s good to see solid improvements in the standings of Owen Paterson and Andrew Mitchell. Members must have noticed Mr Mitchell’s leading role in the hugely successful Rwanda trip and Owen Paterson’s pivotal role in the new alliance with the Ulster Unionists.
- After so long rated poorly, Francis Maude is now scoring +18%. His important preparations-for-government work may be the factor.
- The survey is obviously bad news for Party Chairman Caroline Spelman. More members are now dissatisfied with her than satisfied. From the beginning we have believed in Mrs Spelman’s integrity but only a 100% exoneration from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is now likely to restore her standing.
- William Hague +87% | +89% | +83%
- Eric Pickles +42% | +76% | +82%
- George Osborne +66% | +72% | +75%
- Chris Grayling +62% | +64% | +70%
- Michael Gove +55% | +62% | +63%
- Liam Fox +64% | +71% | +62%
- Alan Duncan +57% | +65% | +58%
- Lord Strathclyde +51% | +55% | +52%
- Andrew Lansley +32% | +42% | +50%
- Nick Herbert +44% | +45% | +49%
- Philip Hammond +35% | +44% | +48%
- Pauline Neville-Jones +38% | +39% | +44%
- Dominic Grieve N/A | N/A | +40%
- Patrick McLoughlin +20% | +33% | +35%
- Jeremy Hunt +26% | +30% | +31%
- Oliver Letwin +20% | +31% | +29%
- Owen Paterson +19% | +21% | +26%
- Andrew Mitchell +18% | +16% | +25%
- David Willetts +22% | +23% | +22%
- Peter Ainsworth +20% | +24% | +21%
- Francis Maude -9% | +15% | +18%
- Sayeeda Warsi +27% | +20% | +16%
- Theresa May +10% | +20% | +15%
- Cheryl Gillan +13% | +16% | +14%
- Theresa Villers +10% | +8% | +10%
- David Mundell -2% | +3% | +1%
- Caroline Spelman +30% | +32% | -7%