Economic confidence has fallen through the floor in the past month but Britons are broadly supportive of the way Boris Johnson’s government has handled the coronavirus crisis.
An exclusive poll by Ipsos MORI discloses that pessimism about the economy has plunged to the worst level since the 2008 banking crash.
About half of the public think the PM and chief medical officer Chris Whitty are handling the emergency well. Satisfaction in Mr Johnson and the Government as a whole are both up.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also gained positive personal ratings and support for his Budget measures, especially the emergency NHS funding, suggesting Britons are open to the idea of more financial support for health services and the economy. Key findings show:
69 per cent of people think the economy will get worse in the months ahead, up from 42 per cent last month.
The young are much more critical of the Government on coronavirus. Overall, 49 per cent think it has been handled well but this plunges to 28 per cent of 18- to 34-year-olds.
Only 34 per cent of Londoners think the PM has handled the virus situation well, compared with 47 per cent of Great Britain as a whole.
Three in four support cancelling the FA Cup and other major sports events including Wimbledon.
Over half think the Budget was good for the country. Some 45 per cent were satisfied with Mr Sunak, the highest backing for a Chancellor since Gordon Brown.
Ipsos MORI polled 1,003 adults from March 13 to 16. Data are weighted. Details at ipsos-mori.com
