Poll gives Theresa May highest approval rating since becoming PM
Theresa May is praised for sticking to her principles and the Tories close the gap with Labour - but her good news ends there.
Saturday 15 December 2018 22:03, UK
Theresa May has had a tough political week but it seems to have improved her standing in the eyes of voters.
Some 47% of voters view her as someone who is brave and sticks to her principles, according to a poll by Opinium Research.
It is the highest rating she has had since becoming prime minister in 2016, the organisation said.
The poll of 2,016 adults also saw Labour's lead cut to one point, steady at 39%, while the Tories moved up two points to 38%.
But the good news for the embattled PM ends there.
Just over half of voters (53%) disapprove of how she has handled Brexit overall, while just 28% approve.
The week began with Mrs May backing out of a Commons vote on the Brexit agreement she had reached with the European Union, amid growing fears that she would lose.
She then survived a confidence motion among Tory MPs and went to Brussels to plead for more concessions only to return empty-handed.
She is now facing rival cabinet calls for a second EU referendum or a "no-deal" Brexit.
The refusal of EU leaders to renegotiate has left her with an agreement that will be almost impossible to get through parliament.
The majority of the cabinet reportedly believe her deal to be "dead".
A third of voters, 33%, think the UK will quit the EU without a Brexit deal in March, the Opinium poll said.
The online survey was carried out on 13 and 14 December.