Tory lead up as confidence in Brown fails

Published on Saturday 28 March 2009 20:00

THE Conservatives are continuing to maintain their double-digit lead over Labour, according to an opinion poll published today.

The ICM poll puts the Tories on 44%, up four points from last month and 13 points ahead of Labour, which is up three points on 31%. The Liberal Democrats saw their support squeezed, dropping four points on the month to 18%.

ICM Research interviewed 1,003 adults aged 18 and over by telephone on March 25 and 26 for the poll. The last ICM survey, in February, put Labour on 28%, six points ahead of the Lib Dems, at 22% and the Tories on 40%

Although support for the Labour party has increased slightly, it is only just above the psychologically important 30% barrier.

The findings make 2010 a strong favourite for a general election.

Last December, the Tories' poll lead was down to just 1% as emergency financial measures to tackle the credit crunch brought a 'Brown bounce'.

But more recent public opinion surveys have shown that many people have lost faith in Gordon Brown's ability to steer Britain through the economic downturn, believing he was at least partly to blame for the crisis.

One survey found almost a third thought the Prime Minister should shoulder much of the responsibility for allowing lending and borrowing to get out of hand, while another 48% believed he should accept some culpability.

John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde said: "This kind of lead for the Tories is par for the course at the moment. It goes back to the events of Christmas onwards.

"The Government's problem is that if you save the banks once you look like you are taking swift action, but if you have to save them four times, it looks as though you are constantly behind the curve.

"One of the Government's problems has been trying to convince the electorate they were managing the crisis effectively, and that has become so much more difficult to sell because they are repeatedly taking action. People have stopped saying they think Labour can best handle the crisis."