Is ‘vaccine bounce’ proving a shot in the arm for Boris Johnson amid growing sleaze row?

It's still too soon to know if the damage of the last couple of weeks is likely to stick, writes Sky's Sophy Ridge.

The drip feed of allegations has been relentless, and the questions seemingly never-ending.

How did Boris Johnson fund his trendy make-over of the Downing Street flat? What messages did he exchange with businessman James Dyson? Just how many times did David Cameron text Rishi Sunak?

But perhaps the biggest question of all – just how much do voters care about the latest sleaze allegations?

If the latest poll is to be believed – not very much.

A YouGov survey for The Times on Friday showed the Conservatives extending their lead over Labour to 11 points, in news that will concern the opposition ahead of next week’s local elections.

Digging down into the figures, it may be that “sleaze” stories are already priced in. Half of the people told YouGov they agree the Conservatives are “very sleazy”, with 31% saying they consider Boris Johnson to be less honest than other politicians. If politicians act in a way that voters expect them to, it’s hardly likely to shift the dial on their voting intentions in any significant way.

After next Thursday’s local elections, when every eligible voter in Britain will have their first chance to have their say at the ballot box since the 2019 general election, we’ll get a clearer idea of whether the allegations are cutting through.

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