Boris Johnson would be in Slytherin at Hogwarts, voters say
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Boris Johnson may be incredibly popular among Conservatives, but the general public’s impression of him is rather less positive.
In fact, when asked which Hogwarts house the soon-to-be Prime Minister would belong in, 42 per cent of people answered Slytherin.
Read more: Businesses react to Prime Minister Boris Johnson
However – that may be no bad thing as the UK faces a complex negotiation to leave the EU by 31 October: Slytherin values ambition, cunning, leadership and resourcefulness.
Very few believe Johnson is a courageous leader, though, with just five per cent placing him in Gryffindor.
It can’t be coincidence, then, when asked what animal Johnson is most similar to, 18 per cent of the 1,655 British respondents told Yougov it would be a snake.
Supporters, however, took a different view, with 20 per cent likening the former foreign secretary to a labrador and 18 per cent to a bear.
Another 18 per cent of Johnson fans said he was most like the Churchillian British bulldog.
Johnson won the Tory leadership race at a canter earlier today, with 66 per cent of the vote to rival Jeremy Hunt’s 34 per cent.
That triggered three immediate ministerial resignations as development secretary Rory Stewart, justice secretary David Gauke and education minister Anne Milton all quit over the perceived risk of a no-deal Brexit.
Boris Johnson’s marmite effect
Johnson has committed to a “do or die” Brexit in which he plans to pull the UK out of the EU with or without a deal by the 31 October departure date.
His divisive stance means the former mayor of London will enter 10 Downing Street with the backing of just 31 per cent of voters, according to Yougov’s survey.
That compares to outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May’s favourable view among 48 per cent of Brits when she succeeded David Cameron in August 2016.
Just one in five voters predict Johnson will do a good job as Prime Minister, while a staggering 50 per cent expect him to perform poorly or even terribly.
However, Johnson’s downcast figures trump those of his rivals for Number 10.
Newly crowned Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson has just nine per cent of the public’s backing, while 27 per cent of the public like Brexit party leader Nigel Farage.
When it comes to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn that figure falls to just 18 per cent.
And in a general election, Johnson has a comfortable majority over the leader of the opposition, Yougov found.
While 20 per cent of voters believe Corbyn would be a better Prime Minister than Johnson, 34 per cent plumped for the Tory, versus 42 per cent who couldn’t decide.
Johnson is also a likely candidate to unite Conservative voters in the face of Farage’s threat to the party as it flounders on Brexit – 71 per cent of Tory voters tempted by the Brexit party would back Johnson.
Can Johnson secure a Brexit deal before 31 October?
Just 19 per cent of voters believe Prime Minister Boris Johnson can negotiate a withdrawal agreement from scratch with the EU that parliament will approve.
In fact, only a third believe he will ensure the UK quits the EU by the 31 October deadline, while 44 per cent say such an outcome is unlikely.
Read more: How Boris should handle his first 100 days as Prime Minister
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier today reiterated his refusal to negotiate a new withdrawal agreement.
He said only that the bloc would be open to “rework the agreed Declaration on a new partnership in line with EUCO guidelines”.
Main image credit: Yougov