The opportunity afforded to the British public, by the General Election, to compare Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May without the filters and narrative of the Establishment media is having a dramatic effect.

Theresa May has enjoyed approval ratings that have baffled even neutrals, while Corbyn’s languished in a way completely at odds with his clear pulling power at political events and the massive increase in Labour party members.

But now that the relative merits, competence and character of both party leaders are on show, things have changes with impressive swiftness, as the latest YouGov figures show.

Here are Theresa May’s figures for approval and disapproval just a week apart:

May’s approval has tumbled while the percentage who think she’s doing badly has increased by the same amount – significant numbers of people have had a complete reversal of opinion.

Now here are Corbyn’s:

Corbyn’s approval rating has leapt by 12 points – a 40% increase in just a week. The fall in those thinking he’s doing badly have fallen even further.

But even more telling is the net approval – the figure arrived at by subtracting the disapproval figure from the approval rating. Both Corbyn and May are equal on approval – which in itself is remarkable after 18 months of relentlessly negative media coverage for Corbyn – at 42%.

But May’s disapproval is significantly higher, giving her a net approval of -7 to Corbyn’s -2.

May’s disastrous campaign has certainly taken its toll on her credibility and on the previously-inflated perception of her competence. By contrast, Corbyn’s stellar campaign, combined with the chance for the public to actually see how good he is and the innate strength that has only been increased by the media onslaught and the resistance of right-wing Labour MPs, have seen him start to get some measure of the recognition he merits.

With just a few days of the General Election campaign to go, it’s all to play for and Corbyn appears to have the momentum. Those campaigning to remove the Tories from government need to redouble their efforts – especially, in view of the importance of turnout to the result, to getting out the vote on Thursday.

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