Fewer than 10% of the public think any of the Tory leadership candidates would make them favourites to win the next election, a damning poll has found.
The survey, by the More in Common think-tank, found that 34% of voters replied “none of them” when asked which of the six hopefuls would the Tories most likely to form the next government. Some 36% said they “don’t know”.
James Cleverly came top on just 8%, followed by Priti Patel on 7%, Tom Tugendhat and Kemi Badenoch on 5% each, Robert Jenrick on 4% and Mel Stride on just 2%.
Even those who voted Tory in the last election are less-than-convinced by the choice on offer, the poll found.
Nearly one-third of them (32) said they “don’t know” which candidate will give the party the best chance of winning next time around, while 16% said “none of them”.
Cleverly again came top on 15%, with Patel second once more on 10%, with Badenoch on 9%, Jenrick and Tugendhat on 8% and Stride once again on 2%.
The poll also found that Patel is the only candidate recognised by more than half of the electorate.
Some 52% correctly identified the former home secretary when shown a picture of her, with 44% recognising Cleverly.
Badenoch came third with 37%, Jenrick was next on 21%, then Tugendhat on 19% and Stride with 12%.
Whoever wins also faces an uphill battle when they take on Keir Starmer, the poll found.
According to the public, none of them would make a better prime minister than the Labour leader, who enjoys a comfortable lead over each of his potential rivals.
The findings were published as Tory MPs prepare for the first ballot of the contest, when the number of candidates will be reduced from six to five.
A second ballot will take place next week, after which the final four candidates will try to woo the party faithful at the Tory conference in Birmingham.
MPs will then choose the final two, who will be voted on my Tory members before the winner is announced on November 2.