UK government has 'joint-worst approval rating in the world' for coronavirus response

8 June 2020, 21:40 | Updated: 1 September 2020, 09:58

Boris Johnson's government has the worst approval rating in the world for coronavirus response
Boris Johnson's government has the worst approval rating in the world for coronavirus response. Picture: PA

By Ewan Somerville

Boris Johnson’s government has the joint-worst approval rating in the world for management of the coronavirus crisis, a new poll suggests.

Confidence in Downing Street to handle the pandemic is at rock bottom in the UK, the latest YouGov survey from 29 May says, sitting at minus 15 net points.

While 41 per cent of Brits feel the UK government is managing it well, 56 per cent feel minsters are mishandling it.

The figure has plummeted by nine points in the past week from minus six.

It means that Donald Trump's administration fares better, at minus 12 points, with 41 per cent of Americans viewing the president’s management positively against 53 per cent opposed.

This is despite the US suffering by far the highest coronavirus death toll in the world at nearly 110,000.

Boris Johnson’s government has the joint-worst approval rating in the world for management of the coronavirus crisis
Boris Johnson’s government has the joint-worst approval rating in the world for management of the coronavirus crisis. Picture: YouGov

Britain’s recorded fatalities linked to Covd-19 are the second worst, at 40,597, following a rise of 55 on Monday - the lowest daily jump since before lockdown began on 23 March.

The real figure is likely to be more than 50,000 as many are believed to have died with coronavirus in the community without a positive test.

The polling blow comes as the government’s quarantine on UK arrivals began on Monday despite heavy criticism from across the political spectrum and aviation chiefs, with the boss of budget airline Ryanair branding it a “political stunt”.

The PM is preparing to ease lockdown further from next week with non-essential shops and places of worship allowed to reopen on 15 June.

Reopening pub beer gardens two weeks earlier than planned, on 22 June, is thought to be among the plans to be discussed at tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting.

The UK has seen a rise in those who view the coronavirus situation as getting better, standing at 76 per cent on 29 May, up from 63 per cent at the start of last month.

The poll also found just 21 per cent of Brits say they wear a face mask, against 85 per cent in Italy, 86 per cent in Spain and 92 per cent in Singapore.

However this may increase ahead of the mandatory face mask rule on public transport coming into force from 15 June.

Of those governments that performed well, Vietnam enjoyed the highest approval rating, at plus 95, followed by Taiwan and Malaysia on plus 87.

There has been a notable uptick in France, where the net score has risen from minus 22 last week to minus 9 this week, the highest it has been since March.

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

A man and a woman smile at the camera

Ghislaine Maxwell could use ‘government misconduct’ to challenge imprisonment

Thousands of starving Palestinians flock to an aid distribution centre in order to receive food package.

At least 19 die in crowd crush near Gaza aid distribution centre, says US and Israel-backed aid group

Taliban fighters display their flag on patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan (Rahmat Gul/AP)

Taliban claims it has had the 'kill list' for years and is hunting down Afghans named

Bradley Murdoch, the killer of British backpacker Peter Falconio has died after being moved to palliative care last month.

The killer of backpacker Peter Falconio has died without revealing the location of the Briton's remains

People search for their belongings amid the debris of destroyed houses in the aftermath of Israeli bombardment in Gaza City, on July 15, 2025.

Israeli strikes kill more than 90 Palestinians overnight, including 19 members of the same family

An Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

India-bound Boeing forced to turn back mid-flight amid concerns over fuel switches

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Mark Rutte, NATO's secretary general, at the White House

Trump announces weapons for Ukraine after he allegedly asked Zelenskyy whether they can hit Moscow

A 19-year-old worker sucked into an industrial meat grinder at Tina’s Burritos has died.

Teen sucked into meat grinder at California burrito factory dies as horrified colleagues watch on

Disney Dream is a cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company. Aerial view

Police reveal how girl, aged 5, fell overboard from Disney cruise ship before father saved her

Members of a search and rescue team embrace as they visit a memorial wall for flood victims, Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.

Emergency workers suspend search for survivors of catastrophic flooding in Texas amid new severe weather warnings

Police personnel work at the site of an Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, June 13, 2025.

Air India rules out mechanical fault on doomed flight 171 amid investigation into pilots' 'medical records'

A German backpacker was found alive in the remote outback after a car crash and head injury left her disoriented for 11 days.

Backpacker breaks silence after found alive following 12 days in Australian outback

Evan died while holidaying at the popular Ibiza Rocks Hotel.

'We are absolutely broken': Scottish holidaymaker, 26, falls to his death at Ibiza Rocks Hotel

The collision of two black holes

Scientists detect biggest ever merger of two massive black holes just beyond the Milky Way

n

Southeast Spain rocked by earthquake as tourist hotspots suffer severe floods

Gunmen entering through a door

30 people dead and 100 injured following armed clashes in Syrian city, say officials