Tories' lead on economy down from +25% to +4%

By Matthew Barrett
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In a poll for the Independent on Sunday/Sunday Mirror, ComRes has found that 72% of people consider the Government to be "out of touch with ordinary voters", and only 17% disagree with the statement.

Another, perhaps more significant, finding of the poll is the narrowing of the trust gap between the Conservative and Labour economic teams. 25% of people trust Cameron and Osborne to make the right economic decisions for the country, and 60% do not trust them. For Labour, 21% of voters trust the two Eds to make the right decisions, and 60% do not. 

The trust gap between the Tory and Labour economic teams was 25% in the last poll to test the measure, in the middle of this month. The gap between the two is now 4%. The largest swing in opinion is the 11% who no longer trust Cameron/Osborne to make the right decisions compared with a fortnight ago. This narrowing of the gap will worry Number 10, because governments that are more trusted on the economy than the opposition tend to be re-elected, but this Government is unlikely to be if Labour catches up

Let's hope this finding is what Stephan Shakespeare calls "froth" and voters will soon refocus on Labour's chronic inability to make tough decisions on spending, welfare and economic competitiveness.