The Foreign Secretary has been a visible media and online presence since Hamas attacked Israel – and, like Ben Wallace during the Ukraine war, sees his place and rating rise.
Badenoch is top for the second month running, but scores are paltry almost all the way round, and in no way a springboard for the Manchester conference.
The decision involves children, parents, schools and doctors, and has implications for rights, mental health, responsibilities and culture – as well as the management of a restive parliamentary party.
At just over 700 replies, the low response rate reflects not only the summer season but diminished expectations. This is a bleak return for the Government as Parliament resumes.
My explanation? The Uxbridge & South Ruislip by-election result – and the Prime Minister’s tilt from green politics to red – or rather blue – meat.
It’s been a quieter political month with lots of publicity for the Government’s small boats plan. Ben Wallace continues his reign at the top of the ratings.
For whatever reason, he may be morphing into the politician I hoped he would become – the moderate man whose patience is exhausted.
As I write, it seems that Downing Street, having been divided about how roughly to rub up new legislation against our international obligations, has gone along with Suella Braverman.
Sunak’s rating is still lamentable and Hunt remains in negative ratings, but Sturgeon’s fall and Zelensky’s visit made last month’s political background less unfavourable.
So does Raab. Our top three are unchanged – and Alister Jack’s rating is up slightly, taking him to sixth place.
The Defence Secretary stays top, and he, Kemi Badenoch and James Cleverly remain the only three Cabinet members to score above 50 points in both November’s and this Christmas survey.
The average score is the lowest recently, though not by all that much – a natural extension of the panel’s verdict yesterday on the Government’s economic policy.
Wallace is top again. Badenoch and Cleverly score well. Sunak wins a respectable rating. And Williamson is in negative territory.
Here’s our best stab at who is voting for whom, and this list will be updated each morning, as the contest continues.
The Conservative Women in Parliament Group’s letter to all the candidates in the leadership election.