More poll misery for Labour

Gordon Brown in Basra earlier this month
There's no sign of a let-up in Labour's miserable poll rating, with this month's YouGov poll for the Daily Telegraph showing no improvement in the party's performance.On every subject, both the prime minister and the party as a whole receive terrible ratings. Only eight per cent of voters approve of the government's record and just seven per cent are satisfied with Mr Brown's performance as prime minister. The figures are slightly better for Labour, with 32 per cent saying they want to see a Labour government after the next general election, although that percentage roughly equates to the level of dyed-in-wool Labour support in the country at large. The Tories have retained their 19 per cent lead since July, the first time since the 1980's the party has kept a double digit lead over Labour for six consecutive months. The Liberal Democrats are showing no sign of an improvement in their performance. Support for the party is down from 23 per cent at the last election to 16 per cent, with the proportion of Liberal Democrats who would rather see a Tory than a Labour administration shooting upwards. Forty-one per cent of Liberals now say they would rather Labour were in power than the Tories, while 38 per cent favour the Conservatives. For so long the ginger stepchild of parliament, the Liberals performed considerably better during Charles Kennedy's years as leader. Neither Ming Campbell, his successor, nor Nick Clegg, the current leader, have managed to improve upon his performance. The party tends to do better when both of the main parties are unattractive, and their best performance came when Tony Blair pushed towards an unpopular war in Iraq with full Conservative support. Mr Brown is expected to launch a 'mini-budget' in the next fortnight, setting out what he intends to do for poor families hit by rising food and energy prices. Reports circulating today indicate minister may help local councils buy repossessed properties, allowing their current owners to remain in them on a part-buy, part rent basis.

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