(Bloomberg) -- The popularity of Boris Johnson's Conservative Party has collapsed over the past five months, according to an Opinium poll, losing a 26-point lead amid disapproval of the government's handling of the coronavirus crisis and an education fiasco.
The Conservatives and the main opposition Labour Party are tied on 40%, according to the poll, which surveyed the voting intentions of 2,002 adults between Aug. 26 and Aug. 28. It's the first time the two parties have been neck-and-neck in the Opinium survey since mid-2019.
Johnson's party has struggled amid criticism of his handling of the pandemic, which left Britain with the highest death toll in Europe, and an exam-results fiasco that upset swathes of parents and led to claims of incompetence. It also faces a resurgent Labour under its new leader Keir Starmer, who has moved the party closer to the center and professionalized its approach since taking over in April.
The Tories have typically had a double-digit poll lead since Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, reaching a peak around March and April this year when the Conservatives were perceived to be managing the virus outbreak well.
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