Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Former shadow Chancellor Ed Balls’s popularity has soared following his lumbering appearances on Strictly Come Dancing, a poll has revealed.
His awkward yet somehow unmissable routines have resulted in the former Labour MP’s favourability among voters leap by 28 percentage points.
The exclusive ComRes poll for The Independent also showed Prime Minister Theresa May is the only politician to have a positive favourability rating, while both she and the Conservative Party do better than Jeremy Corbyn and Labour.
Boris Johnson was the most popular Conservative after Ms May, while shadow Chancellor John McDonnell was the most favoured Labour figure, beating Mr Corbyn.
In Mr Balls’s appearances on Strictly he nearly dropped his dance partner, painted his face bright green and rubbed his body suggestively in a way that would normally spell the end of any politician’s public standing.
But the performances also shed light on a more playful, amenable side to Mr Balls, once known as the toughest of Gordon Brown’s political bruisers.
In January 2015 when he was shadow Chancellor, his favourability rating – the proportion of people favourably disposed towards him, minus those unfavourably disposed – came in at minus 39 per cent.
Today it stands at minus 11, with 21 per cent having a favourable opinion of him and 32 per cent an unfavourable one.
Only two current politicians beat Mr Balls in the poll, Ms May who scored a notably high plus 11, and Mr Johnson who hit minus 6.
The result is all the more interesting as it comes after a week in which the two Tories clashed over the Foreign Secretary’s outspoken comments accusing Saudi Arabia of playing "proxy wars".
While Downing Street was quick to slap down Mr Johnson, other Tories came to his support and backed what they saw as an accurate assessment of the situation in the Middle East.
The next most popular Tory was Chancellor Philip Hammond who scored minus 12, the same score as the Tories more broadly.
The Labour Party scored minus 17, with Mr McDonnell coming in at minus 19. That may irk advisors in Mr Corbyn’s office, given the leader only scored minus 26, an equal rating to Ukip’s Nigel Farage.
The poll showed new Ukip leader Paul Nuttall, on minus 32, still has work to do before catching up with his predecessor. The public took a particularly grim view of US President-elect Donald Trump, giving him a score of minus 52.
ComRes interviewed 2,040 GB adults online on 7 and 8 December 2016. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults and by past vote recall. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Full tables on the ComRes website.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments