Polls show Tories benefit from national citizen service idea

The Polls: Tories gain from ‘national citizen service’

The Polls: Tories gain from ‘national citizen service’

By politics.co.uk staff

The day after he floated the idea of national citizen service for young people, David Cameron’s Conservatives have re-established a winning lead in the opinion polls.

The Yougov daily tracker in The Sun puts the Tories back to 40%, up three points, and nine points ahead of Labour, who drop one to 31%, with the Lib Dems and others also losing a point.

The poll also indicates support for the national service idea. Of the 1,626 people polled 77% thought it a good idea and 64% would like to see it made compulsory.

Somewhat better news for Gordon Brown comes in an Ipsos Mori poll of key marginal seats.

More than 1,000 people in 56 Labour-held marginals were polled in the week up to April 5th.

The poll shows 37% thought Mr Brown understood the issues facing the country best, compared to 30% for Mr Cameron, and 41% felt the prime minister would be better in the crisis compared to 30% for the Tory leader.

The fly in the ointment for Labour is that across the seats 57% wanted a leader with a fresh approach compared to 40% who valued experience more.

A Populus poll also shows the Conservatives with a healthy lead at 39% over Labour’s 32% and the Lib Dems at 21% The Conservative party needs a ten per cent lead at the election to be able to form a majority government.