New poll blow for Tories
Labour has extended its lead over the Conservatives to 12 per cent, according to a new poll.
The CommunicateResearch poll for The Independent on Sunday will be much welcomed by Labour, who saw the Tories closing to within one per cent point in Friday’s YouGov poll for The Daily Telegraph. That poll put Labour at 35 per cent and the Tories on 34 per cent.
Then, pollsters suggested Michael Howard’s pre-election campaign was bearing fruits.
Sunday’s CommunicateResearch poll puts Labour on 43 per cent, with the Tories on 31 per cent and the Liberal Democrats suffering the difference on 17 per cent.
And things could be worse as the poll was taken before the forced sacking of deputy Tory chairman Howard Flight, MP for Arundel and South Downs, by Mr Howard.
Mr Flight had suggested the Tories were secretly planning spending cuts beyond the 35 billions pounds set out by the James Review.
Over half of respondents, 52 per cent, said they anticipated the Tories making substantial cuts to public services if they assumed office.
A total of 53 per cent said they had more faith in Labour to run the National Health Service.
But nearly two thirds (65 per cent) expected taxes to rise under in a third term of Labour office.
CommunicateResearch asked a total of 1,012 people between March 22nd and 23rd.
