Of more than 2.000 adults questioned for our poll, 30 per cent “strongly agreed” the reshuffle was more to bolster appearances than to reward ability. Forty-two per cent “somewhat agreed” and only three per cent strongly disagreed in the Vision Critical survey.
More men than women (35 per cent to 26 per cent) strongly felt the ministerial changes were “more about window dressing than ability”.
Just three per cent said they were “much more likely” to vote Tory because there were more women in the Cabinet, with female voters less impressed than males (two per cent to four per cent).
Last night former Conservative shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe said Cameron’s move, seen by critics as a cynical ploy, had “backfired”. She said: “It’s hardly a surprise people are sceptical about the reasons behind appointing so many women to the Cabinet, given all the briefings about quotas that were going on beforehand. “Women were lined up. It’s no wonder it all backfired, as your poll has shown.
