Less than a third back Labour

Last updated at 08:03 25 April 2006


Public support for Labour has slumped to its lowest point since the 1987 general election defeat of Neil Kinnock by Margaret Thatcher.

The ICM survey for the Guardian newspaper showed the party had suffered a five-point slump over the past month to 32 per cent - fewer than a third of voters.

It is not David Cameron's Tories who benefited from the slide in popularity however but the Liberal Democrats under new leader Sir Menzies Campbell.

Despite the personal scandals which surrounded the exit of Charles Kennedy and the search for his successor, the party was up three points to 24 per cent.

The Conservatives were on 34 per cent, a two-point lead over the governing party but unchanged from last month.

Backing for the British National Party stood at 2 per cent - far lower than another recent poll which had suggested big successes for the far-right group at next month's local elections.

ICM interviewed a random sample of 1,006 adults across the country by telephone between April 21 and 23 with results weighted to the profile of all adults.

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