Brown bump continues for Labour
Labour is extending its lead over the Conservative party, new polls suggest.
Today’s results from pollsters YouGov, carried out for the Sunday Times newspaper, gives Gordon Brown’s Labour a ten-point lead over the Conservatives.
While the Tories slip one point from 33 per cent to 32 per cent in August, Labour are up from 40 per cent to 42 per cent. The Liberal Democrats have slipped a further point to 14 per cent.
It appears Gordon Brown’s honeymoon period as leader is continuing, with 65 per cent saying he is doing well in his job compared to just 29 per cent for Conservative leader David Cameron.
The prime minister has had to deal with a variety of crises since he took over from the failed attempts to bomb London and Glasgow, flooding in July and the current fears of a foot and mouth outbreak.
In contrast, Mr Cameron has faced attacks from his own party over his policy on grammar schools and his approach in key electoral areas. A wealthy Tory donor recently said he would donate funds to charities rather than the party.
He has also been criticised for going to Rwanda while his constituency was flooded as Mr Brown visited affected areas.
Today’s improved polling for Labour reflects the findings of a separate Ipsos Mori poll for the Sun newspaper, published yesterday, which showed Labour increasing its lead from three to five points.
Mr Cameron was seen as being more charismatic than Mr Brown as 42 per cent of people thought he has personality, in comparison to 31 per cent thinking the same about the prime minister.
The leader of the opposition has previously attributed falling poll ratings to the ‘bounce effect’ of a new prime minister in office.
