Poll critical of Boris Johnson’s handling of Covid-19 crisis but offers vote of confidence in Nicola Sturgeon

The survey, carried out by our parent company, asked readers a series of questions about the lockdown in force since Monday, March 23, and how the UK’s different administrations have dealt with it.

The SurveyMonkey poll shows that 46% of the 3,500 Scots taking part think Mr Johnson and his team, including chief adviser Dominic Cummings, are coping with the crisis not at all well, and another 24% go further and opine that they’re doing not very well.

Only 7% think the Downing Street cabinet is handling the Covid-19 crisis very well, though 23% accept it’s doing somewhat well.

Asked the same question about first minister Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government, 34% of those this side of Carter Bar reckon they’re dealing with the crisis very well and another 40% go with somewhat well.

UK-wide, that gives the Westminster government a net approval rating of -13, compared to +51 for its Holyrood counterpart.

The proportion of readers saying the UK Government is doing a poor job of handling the crisis increased day by day over the weekend that news broke of Mr Cummings’ trip from London to County Durham in apparent breach of lockdown rules, rising from 51% nationwide on Friday, May 22, to 63% on Monday, May 25.

England and Scotland are now relaxing their lockdown rules at differing speeds and in varying ways, and it’s the latter’s more cautious approach that is garnering higher approval ratings north of the border.

More than 42% of Scots say they strongly agree with Ms Sturgeon’s decision to ease lockdown restrictions later than Mr Johnson’s administration and 26% concur but not so strongly, with only 10% disagreeing and 15% doing so more firmly.

Scots have been repeatedly praised by Ms Sturgeon and Police Scotland chief constable Iain Livingstone for complying with lockdown rules, but more than a third of survey respondents here beg to differ.

Just over 34% feel social distancing rules aren’t being stuck to either very or at all closely. Half of respondents say they’re being observed somewhat closely, though, and 16% reckon they’re being observed very well.

More than 61% say they feel somewhat or very comfortable about the prospect of visiting beaches, parks and beauty spots, with 38% either not very or not at all comfortable.

Asked the same question about pubs with beer gardens, 47% say they’d be very or somewhat comfortable about returning, but 51% wouldn’t, with 2% unsure.