Labour levels with Tories in polls
Labour has risen in the polls to become almost neck and neck with the Conservatives in the first weekend after the party conferences, a new survey finds.
The latest Populus poll for The Times puts Tony Blair’s party on 35 per cent of the vote, up three points on last month, compared to the Tories’ unchanged 36 per cent.
Both parties ended their annual autumn conferences with bounces in the polls – Labour managed to improve its dismal ratings caused by a summer of infighting after Mr Blair’s inspirational speech, but the Tories took back the lead after their event a week later.
An ICM poll published in the Sunday Telegraph this weekend put the Tories on 38 per cent, Labour on 32 per cent and the Liberal Democrats on 20 per cent.
But today’s poll – which comes as parliament resumes after an 11-week summer recess – suggests Labour’s recovery is more permanent and the party is now just one point behind its rival. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats have dropped two points to 18 per cent.
Speaking this morning, Ed Balls, the economic secretary to the Treasury and Gordon Brown’s closest ally, said Labour had had a “bad few weeks but I think we’re getting it together”.
“I think that as the coming general election focuses people’s minds, they’ll come to wonder if David Cameron is really worth the risk. He’s young and inexperienced,” he told BBC News 24.
However, on the question of who would get most votes at the next general election, the Tory leader is the runaway winner, garnering the most support whether Mr Brown, John Reid or Alan Johnson is heading the Labour party.
Facing a party led by the chancellor, Mr Cameron would be eight points ahead on 42 per cent; under home secretary Mr Reid, he would be ten points ahead on 40; and under Mr Johnson, the education secretary, he would be eight points ahead on 41 per cent.
The survey, which is based on interviews between October 6th and 8th, reveals that Mr Blair is still seen as the most charismatic leader but is only three points ahead of Mr Cameron on 51 per cent. Mr Brown scores just 23 per cent on this measure.
The chancellor is seen as strong by 51 per cent of voters, more than any of his Labour or Conservative rivals, and he suffers less from fears that he is “all spin and no substance” than Mr Blair or Mr Cameron.
His honesty rating is higher than Mr Blair, Mr Reid or Mr Johnson, but at 30 per cent he is just three points behind the Conservative leader – who Labour unsuccessfully tried to paint as a “chameleon” character earlier this year.
On the NHS, Mr Cameron also comes up trumps, with 50 per cent saying he respects its values, compared to 45 per cent for Mr Brown, 39 per cent for Mr Reid, 22 per cent for Mr Johnson and 42 per cent for Mr Blair.
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