Labour regains lead over Tories despite Ed Miliband doubts

[dutchman]

Labour has regained its lead over the Conservatives despite doubts about Ed Miliband's leadership, according to polls.



A week ago, polls suggested that the Tories had inched ahead of Labour for the first time in more than two years amid signs that the economy is recovering.

However, a weekly telephone poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft, the Tory peer, yesterday found that Ed Miliband's Opposition was ahead by 35 per cent to 29 per cent.

Ukip slipped a point to 14 per cent, while the Liberal Democrats were unchanged on 9 per cent.

A separate ComRes survey for The Independent gave Labour a five-point lead, but found that Ed Miliband makes four in 10 people less likely to vote Labour.

Only 6 per cent of people said that Ed Miliband made them more likely to support the party, while 40 per cent said they were less likely to do so.

The poll also found that the record of the previous Labour government is likely to deter voters, with 38 per cent saying it made them less likely to vote for the party.

However, the party's policies were more attractive to voters with 32 per cent saying they were more likely to make them vote Labour.

Lord Ashcroft said while his poll looked like "quite a reversal" the message from all the available polls appeared to be "a very small advantage to Labour" with some "volatility" caused by this week's local and European elections. He intends to publish polling from marginal constituencies at the weekend.

According to the poll, 49% of voters do not believe the country is heading in the same direction while 44% do – including more than a third of Labour voters.

But the Conservatives substantially outscore Labour on economic competence, including by eight points on "getting the economy going and creating jobs" – a measure on which the Opposition led until earlier this year.

[rebbonk]

There isn't a decent leader amongst them. Can you imagine any of them standing up and being counted in a real crisis? Not one of these idiots deserves my vote.

[dutchman]

All three could be in for a very nasty surprise on Thursday

[rebbonk]

All three could be in for a very nasty surprise on Thursday

One can only hope Dutchman

[dutchman]