The Tories are still the most popular political party in the UK, polling data finds

Labour are still trailing in the polls

Despite their handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the Tories are still the most popular political party in the UK. Data from YouGov puts the Conservative Party some two percent above Labour in the polls. https://twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1341332432344244224?s=20 The figures caused much shock on social media, with many surprised to see the Tories maintaining a lead in the polls. https://twitter.com/TessStenson/status/1341346239900758017?s=20 https://twitter.com/thisisjuanchy/status/1341346109965393920?s=20 https://twitter.com/Deanna_Wroe/status/1341343355490414592?s=20 Others, however, interpreted the data as proof of Keir Starmer's ineffective Labour opposition. https://twitter.com/BlueEyedJurist/status/1341346772766101505?s=20 https://twitter.com/yakleftie/status/1341345649606991872?s=20 https://twitter.com/ModernLeftie/status/1341342725241786369?s=20     The public were polled on the 15th and 16th of December, before tighter lockdown restrictions came into force. Last Saturday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that areas of the UK including London and the South East would be plunged into Tier 4 lockdown. Originally, lockdown rules were set to be relaxed for the entire week around Christmas - but this has been reduced to just Christmas Day. The government have blamed a new, mutant strain of coronavirus for the tightening of lockdown. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was "important for everybody to act like they might have the virus" in order to bring the virus "under control". He added: "Of course we don't want to cancel Christmas. We don't want to take any of these measures, but it's our duty to take them when the evidence is clear." The tightening of lockdown has been reinforced by public health officials. Speaking to the BBC, Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, said: "This sharp and sudden increase is of serious concern. "Most of the new cases reported today are concentrated in London and the South East, although it is too early to tell if this is linked to the new variant." [caption id="attachment_259537" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a new strain of coronavirus made Tier 4 restrictions essential. (Photo: Getty)[/caption] At yesterday's coronavirus press briefing, Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance hinted that more areas of the country could move into Tier 4 lockdown. "The evidence on this virus is that it spreads easily, it's more transmissible, we absolutely need to make sure we have the right level of restrictions in place. "I think it is likely that this will grow in numbers of the variant across the country and I think it's likely, therefore, that measures will need to be increased in some places, in due course, not reduced." Last week, the New York Times published an investigation into the connection between the Tories and companies who were awarded Covid-19 equipment contracts. It found that firms with no prior experience were given £4.5 billion to produce supplies deemed essential for stopping the spread of coronavirus. Three huge companies faced particular scrutiny. Financial services firm Deloitte were consulted on PPE matters, in a brief that was not offered to any other company. They have made 'non-cash donations' to the Tories in the past. Randox Laboratories were awarded around £475 million to manufacture Covid-19 test kits. Owen Paterson, the former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, a Tory government minister, is a paid consultant for the firm. Uniserve Group were also paid £736,000 to manufacture PPE. Its founder is a consultant with ties to two 'prominent government ministers'.