Voters give Budget the thumbs-down in poll

LABOUR has overturned the Conservatives’ opinion poll lead, following George Osborne’s “granny tax” in the Budget, new results have revealed.

The poll showed many voters were against some of the central measures in the Chancellor’s statement, with 63 per cent saying they did not support the controversial tax, which will see pensioners’ age-related income tax allowances phased out.

Only 22 per cent backed the move, according to the ICM poll, which showed Labour at UK level enjoyed the support of 38 per cent – a 2 per cent rise.

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Backing for the Tories stood at 37 per cent – a 2 per cent fall on the party’s previous level of support in a pre-Budget ICM poll.

Meanwhile, just 8 per cent of respondents said they thought they would be better off from the Budget, while 37 per cent believed they would be worse off, and 47 per cent thought their circumstances would not change significantly.

Cutting the top rate of income tax for the highest earners, from 50p to 45p, was opposed by 56 per cent, compared with 36 per cent who supported it.

However, there was overwhelming support – from 79 per cent – for the raising of the income tax threshold to £9,205.

Support for the Liberal Democrats was down two on 13 per cent, according to the poll of 1,000 British adults on 22 and 23 March.

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