Economic Fears Drive Labour To 24-year Low

[It is different this time]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/ma...r.conservatives

Economic fears drive Labour to 24-year low. Tories 13% ahead and winning fight over financial trust

Julian Glover The Guardian, Tuesday March 18 2008

Labour has suffered a dramatic backlash from voters in the wake of Alistair Darling's do-nothing budget, according to a Guardian/ICM poll published today. Support for the party has fallen to its lowest since Gordon Brown took office, with the Conservative lead quadrupling to a scale not seen since Margaret Thatcher won her final landslide in June 1987.

The poll, carried out over the weekend, puts the Tories 13 points ahead of Labour - up 10 points from a narrow three-point lead in last month's Guardian poll. The lead is four points larger than in a second post-budget ICM poll published on Sunday, which also found rising Tory support.

Today's findings suggest voters are losing faith in the government's ability to steer Britain through difficult economic times, in spite of assertions that the UK is well-placed to ride out global turmoil. The poll shows the Tories have pulled well ahead of Labour as the party considered best able to manage the economy.

Labour support has dropped by five points since last month to 29%, a level last seen in March 2007. This is the lowest since the Guardian/ICM series began in 1984. Meanwhile Conservative support has climbed five points to 42% - a level that would give the party a clear parliamentary majority. At the last general election, Labour won 36%, the Conservatives 33% and the Liberal Democrats 23%. Since the New Year No 10 has worked to regain the political initiative, bringing new faces to the cabinet and bolstering Brown's advisers. But the poll shows the Tory surge has come at the expense of Labour rather than the Lib Dems, who remain on 21%.

Academic estimates suggest that on today's findings Labour would win 214 seats at a general election, down from 352, while the Conservatives could pick up a working majority with 355 seats, up around 160. Regional variations and new parliamentary boundaries make calculating an exact outcome impossible

Ohhh dear not only is the game up for Brown's miracle economy, it is also up for our unelected subprime minister! Things can only get better

[laurejon]

I would hazard a guess that any party that declares they would send New Labour to the war crimes tribunal would win the next election with ease ?

[Benedict]

I would hazard a guess that any party that declares they would send New Labour to the war crimes tribunal would win the next election with ease ?

Who cares about massive death and suffering in a foreign country compared to the risk of not being able to afford as many ipods thanks to economic incompetence?

Self interest wins every time.

[laurejon]

Who cares about massive death and suffering in a foreign country compared to the risk of not being able to afford as many ipods thanks to economic incompetence?

Self interest wins every time.

I care, and I suspect there are many many other people in the UK that dont give a r4ts about having the latest tat as we work for a living, have children, and understand the value of life, rather than New Labour who can only fix a price on it.

[hedgefunded]

In my opinion, elections are won and lost on the economy.

Game over Gordon.

[right_freds_dead]

the TORIES masterminded the introduction of the Buy To Let mortgage.

the TORIES changed the tenancy laws and thats why we have less rental rights.

the TORIES began the great right to buy which killed social housing.

the TORIES introduced poll tax, despite public opposition

dont expect any changes.

[Benedict]

I care, and I suspect there are many many other people in the UK that dont give a r4ts about having the latest tat as we work for a living, have children, and understand the value of life, rather than New Labour who can only fix a price on it.

Yeah, because the war really dented their election performance last time. They'll lose for mishandling the economy, not for their crimes against humanity.