While Mr Johnson won the support of the public with his “Get Brexit done” slogan, Professor Curtice believes some support for the UK’s exit may now have been “shaved off”. Speaking to Express.co.uk, Prof Curtice claimed Mr Johnson will only retain Leave voters if they are convinced Brexit is working. He claimed issues such as the petrol shortage and the lorry driver crisis may begin to reduce Mr Johnson’s popularity.
Prof Curtice said: “Brexit works for as long as people think it does.
“It is probably true that some of the support for Brexit has been shaved off.
“People might be more likely to say Brexit was negative.
“Some of the arguments around lorry driver shortages may have driven that.
“But it’s true that for so long as Leave voters are convinced Brexit is working, he will have their support.
“It also depends on whether we have a substantial debate about Brexit is working or not, like we did last autumn and that may change matters.”
Some commentators have claimed the Prime Minister has used post-Brexit issues, such as the Channel crisis and fishing licences, as a way of showing his strong leadership.
Writing for The Guardian, columnist Polly Toynbee said: “When in trouble, Boris Johnson flees to his comfort zone.
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In Conservative Home’s cabinet league table, which it conducts every month, Mr Johnson has slipped to -17.
That figure is the second-worst net approval rating among the Cabinet with only chief whip, Mark Spencer, who scored -21.
The Prime Minister has been damaged by the recent Tory sleaze scandal which saw Owen Paterson, former MP for North Shropshire, resign.
Mr Johnson was also given a shock to his leadership credentials when, despite having a 77-seat majority, the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill only passed by 26 votes.
A further 67 Tory MPs abstained from the vote on November 23.
The Prime Minister has also come under fire for scrapping the eastern leg of the HS2 project.
The line between Birmingham and Leeds will now be scrapped which sparked fury among Blue Wall Tory MPs.
The Prime Minister instead pledged to spend £96billion on investing in rail in the Midlands and northern England.
