17/04/2012

New Poll Gives Labour Largest Lead Since Last Election

The Labour party has gained its biggest lead over the Conservatives since the last general election, a YouGov/Sun poll reveals.

The poll also shows that the UK Independence party has overtaken the Liberal Democrats for third place.

The new poll tallies with a Times Populus poll showing Labour on 42 points (up four), the Conservatives on 33 (down one), the Lib Dems on 11 (unchanged) and others, including Ukip, at 16.

The two polls seem to underline the extent of the fallout being suffered by the coalition following a number of bad headlines generated by the recent budget.

Although the Populus poll gives Labour its largest share of the vote since the general election, it will still concern Labour strategists that so much of the discontent with the Tories is leaking to Ukip rather than to Labour.

The YouGov poll shows Labour at 43%, the Conservatives at 32%, Ukip at 9% and Liberal Democrats at 8%. YouGov reports: "This is a significant jump from the six-point leads we were showing last week, and the largest Labour lead since before the 'election that never was' in October 2007.

"It's also the first time that we have shown Ukip overtaking the Liberal Democrats for third place. Previously, we've shown them as high as eight points back in 2009 after the European elections and the expenses scandal, but back then the Liberal Democrats enjoyed far higher support."


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