Our first Cabinet League table finding since Theresa May became Prime Minister, published last month, was best read as a sigh of relief by Party members that the EU referendum was over – and a sign of hope for more harmonious times.
There is a slight drift down in most ratings this month, as readers come to terms with the reality of the new Government – but not enough of one to trouble the scorers, with one notable exception.
- Philip Hammond is down a full 20 points from 72 per cent to 52 per cent. That first finding was probably a bit of a best of British luck vote, and the fall is best explained by the Chancellor’s well-reported stress on a Brexit settlement as close to single market membership as can be found. This is not a view that most of our Party members survey respondents share. He was second in the table, and is now seventh.
- Boris Johnson is up to second place, from 62 points last month to 67 points now.
- Priti Patel’s score is up slightly from 50 per cent to 53 per cent, and she rises slightly from eighth place to sixth. Most other Cabinet members are down slightly, but changes either way also margin of error stuff. Supporters of Brexit are not guaranteed healthy ratings. Andrea Leadsom continues to languish in the bottom part of the table.
- And Theresa May continues to dominate the top of the table with a score of 90 per cent. It’s worth noting that Ruth Davidson’s rating is even higher.