Leadership approval opinion polling for the 2021 Senedd election

At various dates in the run up to the 2021 Senedd election, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge the opinions that voters hold towards political leaders. Results of these polls are displayed in this article. The polling companies listed are members of the British Polling Council (BPC) and abide by its disclosure rules.

The date range for these opinion polls is from 2019 to 2021, with the exception of Welsh party leaders where the entire polling history is shown.

Most approval polling in Wales is carried out by YouGov/Cardiff University. A single score is then given to each figure, based on where the most common answer for a leader lies, with 0 representing Strongly Dislike and 10 representing Strongly Like.

Welsh party leaders

Mark Drakeford

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Mark Drakeford, leader of Welsh Labour and First Minister of Wales.

2021
Date from Date toPolling organisation/clientSample sizeQuestion wordingScore (0–10)
16 March 19 MarchYouGov 1,174Like/Dislike5.7[1]
2020
Date from Date toPolling organisation/clientSample sizeQuestion wordingScore (0–10)
3 April 7 AprilYouGov 1,008Like/Dislike4[2]
29 May 1 JuneYouGov1,021Like/Dislike5.1[3]
28 August 4 SeptemberYouGov1,110Like/Dislike5.3[4]
2019
Date fromDate toPolling organisation/clientSample sizeQuestion wordingScore (0–10)
19 February22 FebruaryYouGov1,025Like/Dislike3.9[5]
16 May 20 May YouGov1,009Like/Dislike3.8[6]
10 October14 OctoberYouGov1,032Like/Dislike3.5[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov1,136Like/Dislike3.7[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 3.9[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 3.2[10]
2018
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
12 March 15 March YouGov 1,015 Like/Dislike 3.8[11]
30 October 2 November YouGov 1,031 Like/Dislike 4[12]

Paul Davies

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Paul Davies, the former leader of the Welsh Conservatives and the former Leader of the Opposition in Wales. He resigned as Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Leader of the Opposition on 23 January 2021, after it was exposed that he was involved in an incident which possibly broke Welsh COVID-19 regulations in December 2020.[13] Andrew RT Davies became the new leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Leader of the Opposition in Wales on 24 January 2021.

2020
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
3 April 7 April YouGov 1,008 Like/Dislike 4[2]
29 May 1 June YouGov 1,021 Like/Dislike 3.7[3]
28 August 4 September YouGov 1,110 Like/Dislike 3.7[4]
2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
19 February 22 February YouGov 1,025 Like/Dislike 3.5[5]
16 May 20 May YouGov 1,009 Like/Dislike 3[6]
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 2.8[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 4[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 3.4[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 3.0[10]
2018
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
30 October 2 November YouGov 1,031 Like/Dislike 3.7[12]

Adam Price

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Adam Price, leader of Plaid Cymru.

2020
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
3 April 7 April YouGov 1,008 Like/Dislike 4.9[2]
29 May 1 June YouGov 1,021 Like/Dislike 4.8[3]
28 August 4 September YouGov 1,110 Like/Dislike 4.7[4]
2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
19 February 22 February YouGov 1,025 Like/Dislike 4.6[5]
16 May 20 May YouGov 1,009 Like/Dislike 3.9[6]
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 3.6[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 4.2[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 4.4[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 4.0[10]
2018
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
30 October 2 November YouGov 1,031 Like/Dislike 4.3[12]

Jane Dodds

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Jane Dodds, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
16 May 20 May YouGov 1,009 Like/Dislike 3.4[6]
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 3.7[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 4.2[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 3.4[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 3.2[10]
2018
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
30 October 2 November YouGov 1,031 Like/Dislike 3.8[12]

Mark Reckless

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Mark Reckless, leader of the Brexit Party.

2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
16 May 20 May YouGov 1,009 Like/Dislike 2.6[6]
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 2.8[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 2.8[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 2.4[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 2.5[10]

Neil Hamilton

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Neil Hamilton, leader of UKIP.

2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 2.2[7]

UK party leaders

Boris Johnson

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Boris Johnson, leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister of the United Kingdom.

2021
Date from Date toPolling organisation/clientSample sizeQuestion wordingScore (0–10)
16 March 19 MarchYouGov 1,174Like/Dislike3.9[1]
2020
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
3 April 7 April YouGov 1,008 Like/Dislike 5.3[2]
29 May 1 June YouGov 1,021 Like/Dislike 4.1[3]
28 August 4 September YouGov 1,110 Like/Dislike 3.9[4]
2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 4[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 4[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 3.9[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 3.8[10]

Keir Starmer

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition.

2020
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
29 May 1 June YouGov 1,021 Like/Dislike 5.6[3]
28 August 4 September YouGov 1,110 Like/Dislike 5.1[4]

Ed Davey

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats.

2020
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
28 August 4 September YouGov 1,110 Like/Dislike 3.7[4]

Nigel Farage

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Nigel Farage, the leader of the Brexit Party.

2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
16 May 20 May YouGov 1,009 Like/Dislike 3.7[6]
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 3.1[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 3.1[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 2.9[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 2.8[10]

Siân Berry

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Siân Berry, co-leader of the Green Party.

2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
16 May 20 May YouGov 1,009 Like/Dislike 4.2[6]
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 3.6[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 3.9[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 4.0[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 3.9[10]

Jonathan Bartley

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party.

2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
16 May 20 May YouGov 1,009 Like/Dislike 3.6[6]
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 3.2[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 4.3[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 3.9[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 3.6[10]

Approval ratings for former party leaders

Jeremy Corbyn

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of the Labour Party.

2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
16 May 20 May YouGov 1,009 Like/Dislike 3[6]
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 3[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 3.4[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 3.8[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 3.7[10]

Jo Swinson

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Jo Swinson, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats.

2019
Date from Date to Polling organisation/client Sample size Question wording Score (0–10)
10 October 14 October YouGov 1,032 Like/Dislike 3.5[7]
31 October 4 November YouGov 1,136 Like/Dislike 3.3[8]
22 November 25 November YouGov 1,116 Like/Dislike 3.3[9]
6 December 9 December YouGov 1,020 Like/Dislike 3.0[10]

Topical polling

Coronavirus handling

The following polls have asked people how well they think key figures have handled the coronavirus pandemic: very well, fairly well, fairly badly, very badly, or don't know. They are then provided with a Total Well or Total Badly figure.

Date(s)
conducted		 Polling organisation/client Sample size Mark Drakeford Matt Hancock Boris Johnson Rishi Sunak Vaughan Gething
Total Well Total Badly Net Total Well Total Badly Net Total Well Total Badly Net Total Well Total Badly Net Total Well Total Badly Net
28 Aug – 4 Sep[4] YouGov/Cardiff University 1,110 57 22 35 24 48 -24 34 56 -22 50 25 25 35 26 9
29 May – 1 Jun[3] YouGov/Cardiff University 1,021 49 25 24 29 47 -18 37 57 -20 51 23 28 32 27 5
3 Apr – 7 Apr[2] YouGov/Cardiff University 1,008 30 23 7 50 22 28 63 29 34 55 14 41 29 18 11

Average popularity

The following averages are taken from the above breakdown of individual figures' popularity. Note for some figures polling exists prior to 2018 which is not shown here. Some figures may only have a small number of surveys.

Figure Average Score (0–10) 2020 Average Score (0–10)
Keir Starmer 5.35 5.35
Adam Price 4.34 4.8
Mark Drakeford 4.018 4.8
Boris Johnson 4.014 4.433
Siân Berry 3.92
Jonathan Bartley 3.72
Ed Davey 3.7 3.7
Jane Dodds 3.617
Jeremy Corbyn 3.38
Jo Swinson 3.275
Paul Davies 3.18 3.8
Nigel Farage 3.12
Mark Reckless 2.62
Neil Hamilton 2.2

See also

References

  1. McDonnell, Adam (25 March 2021). "2021 Senedd race narrows with six weeks to go". YouGov. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  2. "The April Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 9 April 2020.
  3. "The June Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 4 June 2020.
  4. "The September Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 14 September 2020.
  5. "The February Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 25 February 2019.
  6. "The May Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 20 May 2019.
  7. "The October Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 15 October 2019.
  8. "The November Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 17 November 2020.
  9. "The November Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 25 November 2019.
  10. "The December Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 9 December 2019.
  11. "The March Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 19 March 2018.
  12. "The November Welsh Political Barometer Poll" (PDF). YouGov. 6 November 2018.
  13. "Tory Senedd leader Paul Davies quits over alcohol row". BBC News. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.