BC Conservatives Party leader John Cummins’ disapproval rating has increased by 11 points over the past month, according to an exclusive CTV/Angus Reid Public Opinion poll.
The online poll shows that 56 per cent of the 800 people surveyed disapproved of Cummins, while 65 per cent disapproved of Premier Christy Clark. BC NDP leader Adrian Dix has a relatively low disapproval rating of 37 per cent.
The margin of error is +/-3.5 per cent.
Angus Reid Vice President Mario Canseco says the poll results indicate that while recent internal strife may have affected the BC Conservatives’ popularity, it does not necessarily mean good news for the BC Liberals.
“This idea that somehow if there were no BC Conservatives, the BC Liberals would be doing better is a fallacy, it’s not really doing well for them now that the BC Conservatives are suffering.”
Canseco adds that it appears many British Columbians are still making up their minds on who to vote for just over half a year from now.
The BC Conservatives have been facing a spat over the party’s leadership, with dissidents calling for Cummins to resign. On Thursday, Cummins told the media that he will not be quitting, after opponents, including Surrey-White Rock constituency association president Allison Patton, announced that a deal had been reached in which Cummins would resign, but keep his $4,000 per month salary for six months.
“I haven’t actually heard yet directly from the party brass about my fate, although I have received an email from the last two days from a party member who said to me that he was highly recommending that myself and…the other so-called dissident should be expelled,” said Patton.
The provincial election is next May.
