Coronavirus polls: how Brits are feeling about new lockdown rules
Just one in five voters believe Downing Street has a strategy for tackling the pandemic

Most people in the UK believe the government “has no clear plan” for dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a poll conducted following Boris Johnson’s announcement of a new three-tier lockdown system.
Only 20% of voters now think that Downing street has a strategy to tackle coronavirus outbreaks in Britain, while 64% of almost 3,000 adults quizzed by YouGov yesterday believe there is no plan, with the remaining 16% undecided.
The widespread disapproval of the government’s handling of the crisis is split across party lines, with 81% of Labour voters convinced that No. 10 has no strategy, compared with 54% of Tory supporters.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But even among Conservative voters, confidence in the government is low, with fewer than four in ten (37%) telling the pollsters that they do think Johnson and his team have a clear plan.
The new three-tier system for lockdowns has been met with fierce resistance from many political leaders in the North, who say they were left out of key planning discussions. The plan also been savaged by Labour leader Keir Starmer, who yesterday accused Johnson of losing control of the pandemic “long ago”.
And many voters seem to share that view. The latest results from YouGov’s government approval weekly tracker, from 5 October, shows 55% of Brits disapproving of Downing Street, with just 27% approving.
In late March, the government’s approval rating was as high as 52%.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
But fast-forward to last week and Starmer continued to lead Johnson in the latest YouGov/Times “best prime minister” question, with 33% of respondents quizzed on 6 and 7 October backing the Labour leader, compared with 29% who still favour the current PM for the top job.
There is some good polling news for the Conservatives, however. Latest voting intention figures, also from last week, saw the Conservatives retake their lead over Labour, at 41% to 38%.
In the week beginning 28 September, both parties were polling neck-and-neck at 39% each.
Chas Newkey-Burden has been part of The Week Digital team for more than a decade and a journalist for 25 years, starting out on the irreverent football weekly 90 Minutes, before moving to lifestyle magazines Loaded and Attitude. He was a columnist for The Big Issue and landed a world exclusive with David Beckham that became the weekly magazine’s bestselling issue. He now writes regularly for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, FourFourTwo and the i new site. He is also the author of a number of non-fiction books.
-
October 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday's political cartoons include Donald Trump's consolation prize, government workers during shutdown, and more
-
Can Gaza momentum help end the war in Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles hints at ‘warming relations’ between Ukraine and US
-
The Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners being released
The Explainer Triumphant Donald Trump addresses the Israeli parliament as families on both sides of the Gaza war reunite with their loved ones
-
The end of ‘golden ticket’ asylum rights
The Explainer Refugees lose automatic right to bring family over and must ‘earn’ indefinite right to remain
-
Your Party: a Pythonesque shambles
Talking Point Comical disagreements within Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's group highlight their precarious position
-
Behind the ‘Boriswave’: Farage plans to scrap indefinite leave to remain
The Explainer The problem of the post-Brexit immigration surge – and Reform’s radical solution
-
Can the Lib Dems be a party of government again?
Today's Big Question Leader Ed Davey is urged to drop the stunts and present a serious plan for the country
-
What is Donald Trump’s visit worth to the UK economy?
In the Spotlight Centrepiece of the president’s trip, business-wise, is a ‘technology partnership’
-
Is Andy Burnham making a bid to replace Keir Starmer?
Today's Big Question Mayor of Manchester on manoeuvres but faces a number of obstacles before he can even run
-
Angela Rayner: the rise and fall of a Labour stalwart
In the Spotlight Deputy prime minister resigned after she underpaid £40,000 in stamp duty
-
Will Donald Trump’s second state visit be a diplomatic disaster?
Today's Big Question Charlie Kirk shooting, Saturday’s far-right rally and continued Jeffrey Epstein fallout ramps-up risks of already fraught trip