Lib Dem support hits new low
By politics.co.uk staff
Support for the Liberal Democrats has hit a new low, with just 12% of voters saying they would now back the party.
The Sunday Times/YouGov poll shows the party now receives barely half the level of support it got during the election campaign.
The data suggests Lib Dem voters who consider themselves left-wing are now deserting the party in droves because of the coalition’s economic agenda, which envisages a drastic reduction in the size of the public sector and a radical plan to cut the deficit.
The YouGov survey is the worst for the Lib Dems since October 2007.
Discontent appears to be hammering the party’s leader, Nick Clegg, particularly hard, with his approval rating slumped to just eight per cent – down from 72% in April.
Conservative popularity is holding level at 42%, a rise of six per cent from before the election.
Labour support was up eight points on its election performance, at 37%.
Lib Dem energy secretary Chris Huhne appeared relaxed about the poll while speaking to the BBC, saying both coalition partners would see their ratings suffer when cuts began, but that there was time for their support to improve before the general election in 2015.
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