Conservatives hit by weekend poll blues
Labour has a nine-point lead over the Conservatives, according to a new opinion poll for The Telegraph.
Should the poll mirror results at the next general election, anticipated for May next year, the Blair government would win an historic third term of power, with a majority of 154 seats, just five fewer than its present total of 159.
The ICM survey finds little evidence of a Bournemouth conference “bounce” for the Conservatives.
Although the Conservatives have just finished their conference, with a corresponding boost in their media presence, Labour takes 39 per cent of support among respondents, with Michael Howard’s trailing on 30 per cent.
The Liberal Democrats were down on 23 per cent.
Three per cent of voters said they would back the anti-Europe United Kingdom Independence Party.
Month-on-month, the Conservatives suffered a drop in support of two per cent.
On the question of trust, 40 per cent of voters said they backed the Prime Minister, while 29 per cent supported Mr Howard.
Mr Howard told delegates in Bournemouth that he would rebuild trust and faith in politics.
ICM interviewed a random sample of 1,020 adults aged 18 and over by telephone between October 6 and 7.
A separate poll for the News of the World offers further grim news for Mr Howard.
On the question of trust, the Populus survey found just 24 per cent of voters backed the former home secretary, one point behind Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy on 25 per cent.
Labour is most trusted to “do the right things on issues that matter most” and “to do what they’ll say they do.”
Mr Blair enjoyed most trusted on 29 per cent.
Populus interviewed 1,020 adults nationwide by phone on October 6 and 7.
An opinion poll by NOP for The Independent on Saturday, found 73 per cent of voters refused to believe Mr Howard’s pledge to restore trust in politics.
In the NOP poll, Labour led on 36 per cent, while the Conservatives were on 34 per cent.
The Liberal Democrats trailed on 21 per cent.
In a YouGov poll for The Mail on Sunday, over a third of voters (36 per cent) said Mr Blair should resign over the Iraq war.
Over half (52 per cent) said he should not.
