Pensions row damages Brown

A YouGov survey for this morning's Sunday Times finds that Gordon Brown's standing has suffered from the pensions tax revelations of the last week.  In the light of those revelations only 27% thought he was fit to be Prime Minister.  57% said he was not.  The overall Tory lead in the survey is 8% (up 1%).  According to UK Polling Report the Conservative lead increases to 10% with Brown in charge.

An ICM survey for the News of the World does not offer a headline poll lead but does investigate voter disappointment on pensions:

• "55 per cent of voters aged 55 and over believe the Chancellor is now damaged goods... and 69 per cent of those vital grey voters hold him personally responsible for their pensions plight."
• "70 per cent of young voters say they face having to work longer and will get smaller pensions as a result of his tax raid."

Another poll north of the border points to a big SNP victory next month.  With a 40% to 28% lead over Labour in the constituency vote and a 39% to 28% lead in the top-up lists, Alex Salmond is set to win 56 seats - 16 more than Jack McConnell who looks set to be challenged by Wendy Alexander for the leadership of Scottish Labour (More here).

Comments

[Tory T]

I believe the Tories are up a point on last month, Tim, not unchanged, making the swing 2% in a month.

These polls are disastrous for Brown as are all the stories that Reid will stand if he can't persuade Miliband.

[Editor]

Tories are up 1% on last month's Sunday Times poll, Tory T, but not on the most recent YouGov survey - where they were on 39%. I always compare to the most recent survey by that pollster for any media platform.

[Tory T]

Fair enough Tim!

[Curly]

These polls must indicate to those in the Labour hierarchy that they must not allow the Scot Brown to just walk into the Prime Minister's shoes unchallenged. I hope that Miliband's phone has been ringing whilst on holiday in France and that he seriously rethinks his constant "No" responses. A general election involving Cameron, Miliband, and old Ming would be very interesting indeed (and could trigger an even greater swing towards the Tories.)

[michael mcgough]

"Pensions row damages Brown"

Great,but how come it has taken ten years to hit home?Osborne should now revisit the 'Railtrack' scandal and tax credit mess to destroy the nonsense that Brown is an economics genius. Don't worry about Milliband ,like Brown he's been spun as much cleverer than he is.You'd have to be pretty slow to get a 'D' in 'A' level physics ,unless of course you went to a sub bog-standard comprehensive...........!

[Martin Bristow]

The turmoil confronting Labour is fanatastic to behold.It was inevitable given the total reliance on spin over substance and the absence of administrative competence.

These people are and always were driven solely by their own ambitions and Kudos.They have no concern to make things better other than for themselves.The warnings signs for this style of politics abound.Cameron should heed them now.

[michael mcgough]

"Tories should go in for kill on PFI."
The S.Times Economics Editor writes'Facing an open goal,why don't the Tories kick the ball into the net?
Why don't they pledge to reverse Gordon Brown's hated £5bn-a year pension tax grab?------------It is all very well for the shadow cabinet to say nothing of substance-on pensions,on PFI-----"

[Annabel Herriott]

Michael, It's PFI that is killing the NHS. Its the reason why so many are in deep dudu over money. The rolling up of that original debt to build a far bigger hospital than was needed, ie Calderdale, which then dragged Huddersfield into the mess. This will no doubt be repeated all over the country. Staff cuts, wards closing, ad nauseam. And some fat cat money men are just loving it.

[Richard]

Not only is the sun shining brightly where I am but it seems as if it is ceasing to shine out of Gordon's behind. What a lovely day!

[John F]

I see Milliband is advocating open access to the countries coasts. What a good idea. I fervently hope that he along with Blair, Brown and the rest of the Labour mob trot along to one of the coastlines, especially a very steep inaccessible coastline ...... and JUMP OFF

[ToMtom]

I see Milliband is advocating open access to the countries' coasts.

Might as well, we seem to have no border controls to speak of

[EML]

Good to see Sir Ming still in the doldrums, despite the BBC's best efforts to breathe life into the old codger.

[Yet Another Anon]

Michael, It's PFI that is killing the NHS.
There should never have been this building programme in the first place, or emphasis on choice - the amounts spent should have been held down, the emphasis on rationing should have been kept with an extension of charging - transferring the NHS to private charities limited by guarantee and moving to funding it more like the Post Office on a commercial basis. If there were delays then people who could afford it could go private or pay to skip the queue (which could be used to cross subsidise free treatment) and people who couldn't could wait or not as they chose.

[michael mcgough]

Apologies,correction to my posting of 11.41;
The article to which I referred was by Liam Halligan of the Sunday Telegraph and not the S.Times.That's what comes from buying too many sunday newspapers.

[David Sergeant]

"Pensions row damages Brown

Great,but how come it has taken ten years to hit home?"michael mcgough

Yes why? A profoundly important question.

"Osborne should now revisit the 'Railtrack' scandal and tax credit mess to destroy the nonsense that Brown is an economics genius"

And there's the little matter of abolishing the 10% tax rate, the increase in child poverty, the reduction of income in the lowest earners, etc, etc. Brown is on the ropes, people now will finally believe what he has been up to. Time to go for the kill, but that's probably too much too expect.

[Matt Davis]

I have to agree that it really is now time for Osbourne to show us what he is made of and justify his position as shadow chancellor. He has, to badly combine two sporting analogies, an open goal and his opponent on the ropes, so now is the time to go for the jugular and ensure the kill.(Is that enough sporting references for one post?)