Another record poll

The Sun is reporting that:

"LABOUR has slumped to its lowest point since records began in the 1930s, a devastating Sun poll reveals tonight.

And the Tories are enjoying their second biggest poll lead in history....

The Sun’s survey puts the Tories on a massive 49 per cent with Labour trailing at just 23 per cent - a gap of 26 per cent."

Sky manage to cover this story:

"An opinion poll in a national newspaper puts the Conservatives 26% ahead of Labour - with the Government's rating said to be the lowest since records began in 1930.

The YouGov poll in the Sun puts the Tories on 49% with Labour trailing on 23% and the Lib Dems at 17%.

The Sun says the only time in history the Conservatives notched up a bigger runaway lead was in 1968."

Strangely the BBC are not reporting this news; as I blogged a few weeks ago they seem to have stopped reporting polls since the polls turned against the Labour party.



As to the poll itself; it does seem a little out of line with other recent opinion polls but it may reflect the fact that a tipping point has been reached and Labour support may settle at its bedrock level - around 20%.


Interestingly the Sun seem at great pains to report that:

"But Labour would be doing EVEN WORSE if Gordon Brown was dumped for another leader, our exclusive YouGov survey reveals....

Our poll shows that Labour would be in deeper trouble even if they were led by Tony Blair.

And it confirms potential successors Ed Balls, David Miliband, Jack Straw, Harriet Harman, Andy Burnham, Alan Johnson and James Purnell would ALL make things even worse in voters’ eyes.

Asked if voters would back Labour under a different leader, all of the suggested alternatives have a minus net reading.

This means they would all make Labour’s position in a general election worse...

YouGov asked voters if they would be more or less likely to vote Labour if a string of candidates were leader instead of Mr Brown.

Taking the two results, Tony Blair would have a minus three rating.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw would be on minus four and Foreign Secretary David Miliband the same.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson would also be on minus four as would Culture supremo Andy Burnham.

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell notched up minus five.

And least popular would be deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman and Schools Secretary Ed Balls, both on minus 10. "

So however bad it looks for Labour under Gordon Brown, the message is it would only be worse under someone else. Ed Balls won't be happy with his position though will he?