For those who don't get the graphics----Another day, another 20% lead

For those who don't get the graphics----

Conservative 45%=-1%
Labour 25% =--1%
LibDem 18% =+1%
Others 12%=+1%

xxxxxxxx cs
============ ========= ==
CONSERVATIVEHOME Blog
Another day, another 20% lead


The Sunday Times also has these interesting findings:

"With the economic news getting gloomier by the day, Cameron and
George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, enjoy a two-to-one lead over
Brown and Alistair Darling when people were asked whom they trusted
to run the economy. But public opinion appears to be still in a
state of flux. Asked whether the Tories would be better at handling
Britain’s current problems, only 33% thought they would, while 36%
said they would not."

============ ========= ==

SUNDAY TIMES 17.8.08

Good news: Labour has hit rock bottom

David Smith

AS he flies out to Beijing this week hoping to cheer British success
at the Olympics, Gordon Brown can allow himself the tiniest of
personal celebrations, according to the latest poll for The Sunday
Times.
Labour’s ratings and those of the prime minister himself are getting
no better, but at least they have stopped getting worse.
The YouGov poll shows David Cameron’s Tories in a 20-point lead,
down narrowly from last month’s 22 points, while Labour’s support
is at 25%, where it has been stuck every month since May, suggesting
this may be as low as the party can go. The Conservatives have edged
down from their peak of 47%, which the party enjoyed in June and
July, to 45%. The Liberal Democrats are up from 16% to 18%.
Cameron’s ratings are still well ahead of Brown’s. A net 32% of
voters think he is doing a good job as opposition leader, while a net
55% say Brown is doing badly as prime minister. Even on this
question, however, the gap between them has narrowed slightly over
the past two months.
Brown may also allow himself a small cheer for the fact that, so far
at least, he is well ahead in the public mind of his main rival for
the Labour leadership, David Miliband.
The foreign secretary, who has failed to quell speculation that he is
plotting a challenge to Brown, is regarded by only 21% of voters as
potentially a better prime minister. Brown, rated as a better leader
by 38% of voters, enjoys a two-to-one lead over his rival. Among
Labour supporters, Brown is ahead by 51% to 21%.
Miliband, however, appeals more to supporters of other parties. While
Labour voters say they would be less likely to back the party if he
was leader, Conservative and Lib Dem supporters say it would draw
them more towards Labour.
A change of leader does not appear to be the answer to Labour’s
problems. It makes little difference to people’s willingness to vote
for the party.
With the economic news getting gloomier by the day, Cameron and
George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, enjoy a two-to-one lead over
Brown and Alistair Darling when people were asked whom they trusted
to run the economy.
But public opinion appears to be still in a state of flux. Asked
whether the Tories would be better at handling Britain’s current
problems, only 33% thought they would, while 36% said they would
not. [These last two paragraphs above are mutually contradictory !
- 'a state of flux" indeed! -cs]
People are still very gloomy about the economic outlook and house
prices, after the Bank of England’s warning last week that the
economy would stagnate over the next 12 months. Surprisingly,
however, they are marginally less gloomy than a month ago.
In the light of the crisis in Georgia, YouGov asked whether Britain
and other western governments were caught napping by Russia’s
actions. By 57% to 11% they said they were, and by 48% to 24% that
the West should fear Russian military power.
People are less certain, however, of what the correct course of
action should have been for the West. Only 32% think Britain and
other western countries should have done more to help Georgia.
Following reports last week of a record number of Britons abroad
being arrested for drunkenness, the poll tested attitudes to such
behaviour. One third, 34%, said they had personally witnessed drunken
behaviour by holidaying Britons. A big majority, 73%, said it made
them ashamed to be British.
The poll also tested attitudes to holidaying in Britain. There have
been reports of a late rush for overseas breaks, after weeks of poor
weather at home. Nearly a tenth of people polled said they usually
took their main holiday abroad but had switched to holidaying at home
this year because of the squeeze on household finances.
A quarter of people said the bad weather had put them off holidaying
in Britain in future, though 50% said they were happy to take their
vacations in Britain despite the weather.
A bigger issue appears to be cost. By 40% to 13% people think that,
contrary to what the British tourist industry claims, it is cheaper
to holiday abroad than at home.