Labour wipes out Tory lead in latest polling figures

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer during a visit to Whitmore Park Primary School in Coventry. Photograph: Jacob King/PA. - Credit: PA

The Tories have lost their lead over Labour in a new opinion poll which shows Boris Johnson no longer has an advantage over Keir Starmer.

The snapshot survey by Opinium puts both parties on 40% each when it comes to voting intentions.

It marks the first time the Conservatives have not been ahead of Labour in an Opinium survey for 13 months.

Nearly half of voters, 47%, disapprove of the Government’s handling of coronavirus, compared to less than a third, 31%, who approve, according to the poll.

With English schools reopening next week, 63% of parents with school age children say it is safe for primary schools to do so.

And 60% back pupils returning to secondary schools.

But pupils aged 14-15 appear most concerned about returning to class as 45% of parents with children in this age group say their child is worried, against to 48% who say they are not.

More than half of adults surveyed, 52%, support making face masks compulsory for children in school, with 22% neither supporting nor opposing, and 19% against such a move.

When it comes to the parents of school age children, 42% back the idea, and 22% oppose it.

The survey has bad news for embattled Education Secretary Gavin Williamson as 48% disapprove of the way he is handling his job, and 40% say he is most responsible for the recent exam results controversy.

Opinium carried out an online survey of 2,002 UK adults between August 26-28.