Brown popularity hits new low

Only half of Labour voters support Mr Brown

Saturday, 28, Jun 2008 12:01

Gordon Brown's first year in office has seen the fastest fall in personal ratings for a prime minister ever recorded.

A new Ipsos Mori poll has recorded 73 per cent public dissatisfaction with the way the government is running the country and 70 per cent dissatisfaction with the way Mr Brown is doing his job as prime minister.

Those ratings are as low as John Major's after Black Wednesday. It is probably no coincidence this poll sees the gloomiest public assessment of the economy the company has recorded, with seven in ten people saying conditions will deteriorate over the next year.

The poll puts the Tories on 45 per cent and Labour on 28 per cent, giving the Conservatives a 17 point lead.

Half the population is satisfied with the way David Cameron is doing his job as leader of the Conservative Party, and three in ten (30 per cent) dissatisfied.

But 82 per cent of Tory supporters are happy with David Cameron's performance as party leader, while only half of Labour supporters say the same about Mr Brown.

The poll comes as Labour suffered an almost unprecedented humiliation in the Henley by-election, coming in fifth place after the Greens and the BNP.