Tories increase lead to 20 per cent

Wednesday, 25 June 2008 12:00 AM

Support for the Labour government took another knock today, with a poll published in the Guardian giving the Conservatives a six-point swing.

Pollsters ICM found only 25 per cent of the 1,000 people they interviewed would vote Labour, down two points on May's results.

By contrast 45 per cent said they would vote Tory if a general election were held tomorrow, up four per cent.

The news comes days before Gordon Brown's first anniversary as prime minister. Today's poll suggests nearly three-quarters believe his leadership has been a change for the worse when compared to his predecessor Tony Blair.

Only 24 per cent believe Labour has a hope of beating David Cameron's party with Mr Brown in No 10.

Britain's economic difficulties underlie the problem. Eighty-six per cent say government decisions have been partly responsible for the downturn, while 40 per cent say the government is mainly or wholly to blame.

The prime minister's reputation for economic competence may be reflected in the low assessment of his performance in power. Asked to rate his record in Downing Street out of ten, respondents gave him an average of just 3.94.

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• party politics