TELEGRAPH 31.7.09
Gordon Brown is 'John Major in 1996', according to new poll
Gordon Brown's Government is now as unpopular as John Major's the year before his Conservative party suffered a landslide general election defeat, according to a new poll.
By Andrew Porter, Political Editor
The Prime Minister's supporters had hoped that Labour's position was more akin to the Conservatives in 1991, when they recovered to win the election a year later. But increasingly the evidence points to a more ominous comparison.
A Daily Telegraph YouGov poll found that 70 per cent of voters now disapprove of the Government's record, with only 17 per cent approving. That is identical to the Major government in July 1996.
Nine months later the Tories were swept from power by a rampant Tony Blair. David Cameron will hope he pushes on and gets a similarly decisive result in next year's general election.
Today's poll also shows that his party holds a 14 point lead over Labour.
The Tories polled 41 per cent, up three on last month, and Labour 27 per cent, up two. The Liberal Democrats are unchanged on 18 per cent.
There is more bad news for the Government on the war in Afghanistan. Only 15 per cent believe the cause is just and worth the loss of British soldiers lives.0This month has been the bloodiest for British troops with 22 losing their lives, and causing senior politicians to seriously question Britain's involvement for the first time. According to the poll, 50 per cent of voters believe the cause is just but not worth the loss of British lives.
The public also sides with those who have been demanding more equipment to help fight the conflict in Afghanistan. Nearly three quarters of people (71 per cent) said Gen Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff, is right in saying ministers are doing too little too late to get more helicopters to the front line in Helmand.
The personal ratings of the leaders remain grim reading for Mr Brown. Only 19 per cent say he would make the best Prime Minister, while 37 per cent favour Mr Cameron and 10 per cent Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader.
With the pressure mounting on Alistair Darling to keep the VAT cut in place, 40 per cent of people in today's poll say the rate should be kept at 15 per cent either permanently or at least extended for the time being.
The Daily Telegraph is campaigning for the Chancellor to rethink his plan to raise VAT back to 17.5 per cent at the end of the year.
The only worrying result for Mr Cameron is the public's opposition to his plans for road tolls [This was NOT a plan - just journalists' hype and imagination together wit some general kite-flying -cs] . At the weekend he suggested the tolls would be part of a range of new taxes that might be necessary to address the problem of the burgeoning budget deficit.
CONSERVATIVE HOME Blog 30.7.09
Telegraph/YouGov polls puts Tories on 41%, 14 points ahead of Labour
Tomorrow's Telegraph has a new YouGov poll which puts the parties on the following figures:
Comparison are with the most recent YouGov poll published in The People last Sunday.
The headline chosen by The Telegraph is that Brown s now as unpopular as John Major in 1996. 70% are dissatisfied with the government. Just 17% are satisfied.
Jonathan Isaby
UK POLLING REPORT 30.7.09
Posted on July 30th, 2009 by Anthony Wells
YouGov�s monthly poll for the Telegraph has been released. The topline figures, with changes from the last YouGov poll a week ago, has topline figures of CON 41%(+1), LAB 27%(+2), LDEM 18%(-2).
Unlike ComRes in the week, this poll does not suggest any great boost for the Conservatives from their victory in Norwich North. In fact, my impression is actually that there�s no real change here - that drop in Lib Dem support merely puts them back where they normally are with YouGov, making last week�s 20% look like a bit of an outlier. It�s also worth noting that this is Labour�s highest score in a YouGov poll since the expenses scandal broke.
In the Telegraph�s report they concentrate upon the extreme negative rating for the government. Only 17% of people now approve of the government�s record, with 70% disapproving - a net approval rating of minus 53. The Telegraph seem to have focused on this because the dying Major government got the same figures in July 1996, a year before their annihilation. It�s worth noting however that this isn�t actually the worst this government have recorded - they managed minus 57 back in May. (For that matter, it�s not the worst Major recorded either!)
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