With time already ticking for the 6 May local elections in the UK, a fresh poll has shown the Conservative Party's lead over Labour has drastically plummeted from 11 to just 5 points.
The survey conducted by the pollster Opinium for The Observer indicated that at least 42% of respondents now have a favourable view of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's party compared with 36%, who laud the party led by Sir Keir Starmer.
The poll also found that Johnson's net favourability is -6 versus the Labour leader's +8.
A separate poll carried out by Focaldata for The Sunday Times put the two parties even closer as the Tories gained 40% of support compared to Labour's 39%.
The surveys followed the Conservatives managing to extend their polling lead over Labour on Friday, which saw an 11-point gap between the two parties.
A YouGov poll for The Times showed 44% of respondents support the Tories versus 33% in favour of Labour.
The survey came shortly after Johnson said he would comply with any Electoral Commission decision related to the latter's probe into the refurbishment of his private flat on Downing Street.
The Commission earlier claimed there were "reasonable grounds" to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred following an assessment of the funding of work at 11 Downing Street.
The developments come on the heels of previous reports by the British media claiming the Tory party coffers were allegedly dipped into to help cover the reported £200,000 ($277,400) cost of refurbishing the flat over 11 Downing Street, where Johnson resides with his fiancée, Carrie Symonds, and their son Wilfred. As the couple considered options for covering any excess expenditure over the annual grant, the Daily Mail reported in March that there had been talk of establishing a charity for the purpose.
According to the newspaper, Johnson also bemoaned the cost of the refurbishment by Symonds as "totally out of control", revealing to one minister he was alarmed by the cost of the "gold wall coverings" chosen by his fiancée.
In a separate scandal, Greensill Capital, a financial services company that filed for insolvency on 8 March, is at the heart of allegations that former British Prime Minister David Cameron lobbied officials in Johnson's ruling Conservative government on behalf of the ailing firm, which was a major financier of UK steel production.
The Cabinet head insisted that his actions were all about looking out for Britain's best interests and nothing more.
"If you think that there's anything remotely dodgy or rum or sleazy about trying to secure more ventilators at a time of a national pandemic and doing everything in your power to do that then I think you're out of your mind", Johnson said, speaking to reporters.
