Most voters want Theresa May to stay on as Prime Minister and believe she is ‘best person to deliver Brexit’, poll shows
Despite a disastrous Tory Party conference, our survey shows more than half of voters still think Mrs may should stay in the top job and reshuffle her Cabinet
EMBATTLED Theresa May was yesterday given a clear message in a poll of voters — to stay put and deliver Brexit.
Most people think the Prime Minister should keep calm, carry on and show her MPs who is the boss.
The exclusive survey for The Sun on Sunday reveals Mrs May still has a surprising level of grassroots support, despite suffering her most devastating week in politics.
More than half of voters think she should stay in the job, reshuffle her top team and tell her critics to put up, or shut up.
Support for Mrs May to remain is even greater among Tory voters, with four in five opposed to her stepping down.
The unexpected boost comes at the end of a calamitous week marked by her mishap-laden conference speech and a failed leadership coup.
Most people think Mrs May is the best person to deliver a clean and successful Brexit, according to our ICM poll of 1,024 adults.
That puts the PM well ahead of her three main likely replacements, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Chancellor Philip Hammond and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Only 13 per cent of those polled think she should step down immediately, while a similar number say she should name the day for her departure.
By contrast, an overwhelming 29 per cent believe Mrs May should do nothing. They want her to carry on as PM and try to rebuild confidence in her leadership.
A third of voters want her to go even further with a Cabinet clear-out to remove the deadbeats and plotters — or for her to issue a “put up or shut up” ultimatum.
First Secretary of State Damian Green said last night: “Theresa is determined to carry on and to do the job, which this poll shows the country wants her to do.
“She knows there is a huge task facing us of getting a good Brexit deal and she still has a lot of work to do in the field of housing, education and other domestic issues.
"Theresa has always been a hugely conscientious leader and she will continue to strive in the best interests of everyone in this country.”
In another boost for the Prime Minister, a separate poll showed the public still prefer her in charge to Mr Corbyn.
She is three points ahead of the Labour leader with 36 per cent support, according to a YouGov survey for The Times.
The Sun on Sunday poll suggests Mrs May could cling on as Prime Minister for some time yet.
ICM boss Martin Boon said: “Possibly the best thing that Theresa May can say about last week is that she survived it as PM.
“So here’s another crumb of comfort, not only has she seemingly got a pass from plotting MPs, but she’s got one from the public, too.
"Despite her Labour opposition leader’s almost saintly veneer, Mrs May remains out in front of Corbyn as the best person to deliver Brexit.
“Not only that, but the most popular options for her next move are to sit tight and strengthen her grip over time, or grab back the agenda by sacking her Cabinet troublemakers. That means you, Boris.
“Maybe, just maybe, it’s not yet all over for the beleaguered PM.”
Last night Mr Johnson — favourite to be next Conservative leader — threw his weight behind Mrs May and urged MPs to “circle the wagons” around her.
He said: “We have just had an election and people are fed up with all this malarkey.
“Get behind the PM. Ordinary punters I have spoken to thought her speech was good and anyone can have a cold.
"Circle the wagons, turn the fire on Corbyn and talk about nothing except our great policies and what we can do for the country.”
Bookies now predict the most likely outcome for Mrs May is that she will stay in place until after Brexit is finalised in March 2019.
Betfair is offering odds of 11/5 on the PM standing down between April and June 2019, 5/1 on her going in 2020 and 5/1 on making it to the next General Election, which is scheduled to take place in 2022.
Mr Johnson is the best bet to replace her, at 3/1, followed by Brexit Secretary David Davis at 6/1; Jacob Rees-Mogg, 7/1; Home Secretary Amber Rudd 8/1, Mr Hammond at 10/1 and Scots Tory leader Ruth Davidson at 14/1.
