Tory lead 8% in new Populus poll which shows voters unenthused by Labour's class warfare

Tomorrow's Times carries a new Populus poll. The numbers are:

Comparisons are with the equivalent poll in early November.

According to UK Polling Report's swing calculator, this would leave the Conservatives 21 seats short of an overall majority in the Commons.

The poll, conducted over the weekend, also included a question about David Cameron's background in the light of Gordon Brown's attack last week:

Asked whether in view of his Eton education and his “privileged upbringing”, they thought his policies were aimed at “helping rich people, rather than the whole country”, just 34 per cent agreed, and 58 per cent disagreed.

Men and women disagreed almost equally, and unskilled manual workers disagreed by 51 to 39 per cent. The only groups that agreed were Labour voters (by 59 to 37 per cent) and 18 to 24-years-olds ( by 47 to 40 per cent).

Non-Labour voters disagreed by 65 to 29 per cent. There is no evidence that a class war attack will win back Labour defectors: opposition is even higher (78 against 22 per cent) among those who voted Labour in 2005 but now say they would back the Tories.

More detail from Peter Riddell in The Times.

Jonathan Isaby