Tories open four point lead over Labour

[dutchman]

The Conservatives have opened up a four-point lead over Labour after a surge in support over the past month, a poll has suggested.



A Guardian/ ICM poll showed that the Tories are six points up, their strongest showing for two years and only one point short of their result in the 2010 General Election.

Labour support fell one point to 32 per cent, while the Liberal Democrats were also down a point to 10 per cent.

The Tories recovery came amid falling support for the smaller partied, with Ukip down two points to 9 per cent and the greens two points to 7 per cent.

The Tory lead contrasts with three surveys published over the weekend which suggested that Labour has a two or three point lead.

However, ICM's phone poll is seen as the "gold standard" as it came closest to forecasting the result of the last General Election.

By contrast in December an ICM poll put the Conservative Party on just 28 per cent of the vote.

The poll suggests that voters are putting an increasing emphasis on the importance of the economic recovery.

The proportion of those polled who said jobs, prices and wages were the most important issue rose by three points to 17 per cent.

Immigration, by contrast, has fallen as a priority by four points to 15 per cent.

Martin Boon, of ICM Unlimited, cautions against putting too much weight on any single survey, but also said: “As the days tick down to 7 May, it could just be that some of those voters who have been flirting with upstart parties during much of this parliament are finally returning to the more established political tribes, and to the Conservatives in particular.”