Poll spells trouble for Rishi Sunak as voters who ‘lent’ votes look to take them back

Party loses 40% of 2019 voters in south and Midlands according to exclusive Opinium poll for the Observer

After winning the 2019 general election Boris Johnson thanked voters behind the so-called red wall" who had voted Conservative for the first time and helped his party storm to an emphatic victory. You may only have lent us your vote, you may not see yourself as a natural Tory," Johnson said.

The then prime minister insisted that the Conservative government's challenge over the coming years would be to earn their trust and repay their faith. By that he meant keep their vote for next time.