However, only 40 per cent of respondents think Brown did a good job as Labour leader, and 35 per cent feel the same way about his time as Prime Minister.

In June 2007, Brown officially became Labour leader and prime minister, replacing Tony Blair. Brown had worked as chancellor of the exchequer. Blair served as Britain’s prime minister since May 1997, winning majority mandates in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections to the House of Commons.

On May 6, British voters participated in a General Election. The Conservative Party finished in first place with 36.1 per cent of the vote and 305 seats, followed by the Labour Party with 29 per cent and 258 seats, and the Liberal Democrats with 23 per cent and 57 seats. No party secured enough seats to form a majority government.

On May 11, Brown resigned as prime minister and Labour leader. Tory leader David Cameron was invited to form a government by Queen Elizabeth II. Cameron announced that a deal had been made between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to form a coalition government. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg became deputy prime minister.

In his departure speech, Brown declared: "I have been privileged to learn much about the very best in human nature, and a fair amount too about its frailties, including my own. Above all it was a privilege to serve. And yes I loved the job, not for its prestige and its titles and its ceremony, which I do not love at all. No, I loved the job for its potential to make this country I love fairer, more tolerant, more green, more prosperous and more just—truly a greater Britain."

Polling Data

Overall, how do you rate Gordon Brown’s performance in each of the following positions?

Complete Poll (PDF)

In addition, 71 per cent of respondents are in favour of using an electronic ballot marking device (such as a touch screen) instead of a paper ballot.

On May 6, British voters participated in a General Election. The Conservative Party finished in first place with 36.1 per cent of the vote and 305 seats, followed by the Labour Party with 29 per cent and 258 seats, and the Liberal Democrats with 23 per cent and 57 seats. The Conservatives formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, with Tory leader David Cameron as prime minister and Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg as deputy prime minister.

Existing regulations call for polling stations in Britain to remain open from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm on election day. People who were not provided with a ballot before 10:00 pm are unable to vote, even if they are inside the polling station or in a queue. Several incidents were reported outside polling stations in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and Surrey after 10:00 pm, as would-be voters were turned away.

Clegg apologized to voters who were unable to cast a ballot in his Sheffield Hallam constituency, adding, "It is something that should never ever happen again in our democracy."

Polling Data

Some countries have adopted electronic voting systems to both cast ballots and count votes during national elections. Would you support or oppose implementing each one of these ideas in the next UK General Election?

Complete Poll (PDF)

The Liberal Democrats are second with 30 per cent, followed by the governing Labour Party with 23 per cent. 12 per cent of respondents would vote for other parties.

In June 2007, Gordon Brown officially became Labour leader and prime minister, replacing Tony Blair. Brown had worked as chancellor of the exchequer. Blair served as Britain’s prime minister since May 1997, winning majority mandates in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections to the House of Commons.

Since December 2005, David Cameron has been the leader of the Conservative party. In December 2007, current parliamentarian Nick Clegg became the new leader of the Liberal Democrats.

On Apr. 27, Cameron discussed his views on public safety, saying, "I think it is time to be honest about what has been happening in our country. There has always been violence. There has always been evil. But there is something about the frequency of these crimes—the depravity of these crimes, that betrays a deep and fundamental problem in Britain today. (…) I know I’ve been criticised for saying our society is broken and I know I will be again. But I am saying this as I see it."

The election to the House of Commons will take place on May 6.

Comprehensive Coverage of the General Election 2010

Polling Data

A General Election will be held on the 6th of May. We are going to show you a ballot that includes all the candidates registered to run in your local constituency. Which one of these candidates will you be most likely to support on Election Day?

Complete Poll (PDF)

The opposition Conservative Party is second with 32 per cent, followed by the governing Labour Party with 23 per cent. 12 per cent of respondents would vote for other parties.

In June 2007, Gordon Brown officially became Labour leader and prime minister, replacing Tony Blair. Brown had worked as chancellor of the exchequer. Blair served as Britain’s prime minister since May 1997, winning majority mandates in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections to the House of Commons.

Since December 2005, David Cameron has been the leader of the Conservative party. In December 2007, current parliamentarian Nick Clegg became the new leader of the Liberal Democrats.

On Apr. 15, the three main party leaders took part in the first of three televised debates that will take place during the campaign. Clegg was widely regarded as the winner of the contest, a fact that provoked the surge in support for his party. The second debate will take place tonight.

Yesterday, Brown said he would consider working with the Lib-Dems, adding, "If you want a referendum on new politics, you’ve got to consider voting Labour. We are the only party committed to a referendum on it. You won’t get one with the Tories."

The election to the House of Commons will take place on May 6.

Comprehensive Coverage of the General Election 2010

Polling Data

In the General Election that will take place on 6 May, which one of the following parties are you most likely to support in your constituency?

Complete Poll (PDF)

The governing Labour Party is third with 24 per cent. 12 per cent of respondents would vote for other parties. Support for the Lib-Dems increased by 10 points in a week, while backing for the Tories fell by six points.

In June 2007, Gordon Brown officially became Labour leader and prime minister, replacing Tony Blair. Brown had worked as chancellor of the exchequer. Blair served as Britain’s prime minister since May 1997, winning majority mandates in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections to the House of Commons.

Since December 2005, David Cameron has been the leader of the Conservative party. In December 2007, current parliamentarian Nick Clegg became the new leader of the Liberal Democrats.

On Apr. 15, the three main party leaders took part in the first of three televised debates that will take place during the campaign. Clegg was widely regarded as the winner of the contest, a fact that provoked the surge in support for his party. 

Yesterday, Clegg discussed his party’s recent success, saying, "I think this general election campaign is starting to come to life for the simple reason that a growing number of people are starting—it is only a start—starting to believe, starting to hope, that we can do something different this time. (…) That the old tired choices that they have been given by the old parties of the past no longer need to govern the way in which we run politics in the future."

The election to the House of Commons will take place on May 6.

Comprehensive Coverage of the General Election 2010 

Polling Data

In the General Election that will take place on 6 May, which one of the following parties are you most likely to support in your constituency?

Complete Poll (PDF)

The governing Labour Party is second with 28 per cent, followed by the Liberal Democrats with 22 per cent. 13 per cent of respondents would vote for other parties.

In June 2007, Gordon Brown officially became Labour leader and prime minister, replacing Tony Blair. Brown had worked as chancellor of the exchequer. Blair served as Britain’s prime minister since May 1997, winning majority mandates in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections to the House of Commons.

Since December 2005, David Cameron has been the leader of the Conservative party. In December 2007, current parliamentarian Nick Clegg became the new leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Yesterday, Brown expressed regret about the lack of banking regulations, saying, "In the 1990s, the banks they all came to us and said, ‘Look, we don’t want to be regulated, we want to be free of regulation.’ (…) And actually the truth is that globally and nationally we should have been regulating them more. So I’ve learnt from that."

The election to the House of Commons will take place on May 6.

Comprehensive Coverage of the General Election 2010

Polling Data

In the General Election that will take place on 6 May, which one of the following parties are you most likely to support in your constituency?

Complete Poll (PDF)

Labour is in second place with 26 per cent, followed by the Liberal Democrats with 22 per cent. 15 per cent of respondents would vote for other parties.

In June 2007, Gordon Brown officially became Labour leader and prime minister, replacing Tony Blair. Brown had worked as chancellor of the exchequer. Blair served as Britain’s prime minister since May 1997, winning majority mandates in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections to the House of Commons.

Since December 2005, David Cameron has been the leader of the Conservative party. In December 2007, current parliamentarian Nick Clegg became the new leader of the Liberal Democrats.

On Apr. 7, Clegg said that a vote cast for the Conservatives or Labour is a "vote for corrupt politics," adding, "How we govern this country is not my choice, not Gordon Brown’s, and not David Cameron’s. It is the choice of the 45 million people entitled to vote in this election."

The election to the House of Commons will take place on May 6.

Comprehensive Coverage of the General Election 2010

Polling Data

In the General Election that will take place on 6 May, which one of the following parties are you most likely to support in your constituency?

Complete Poll (PDF)

The opposition Conservative Party enters the 2010 General Election campaign with a double-digit lead over the governing Labour Party, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

The online survey of a representative national sample of 2,193 British adults also shows that both Tory leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg currently have a higher approval rating in Great Britain than incumbent Prime Minister and Labour leader Gordon Brown.

Voting Intention

Across Great Britain, 37 per cent of decided voters and leaners (+1) would support the Conservative candidate in their constituency in the 6 May General Election.

The governing Labour Party is second with 26 per cent (-1), followed by the Liberal Democrats with 22 per cent (+2).

The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) is fourth with five per cent (=), followed by the British National Party (BNP) with three per cent (-1) and the Green Party also with two per cent (=). Regional Breakdowns

More than two-in-five decided voters in the South of England (43%) would support the Conservatives, and the party maintains a double-digit lead over labour in Midlands and Wales (37% to 26%).

In the North, the Tories are ahead of Labour by three points (34% to 31%). In Scotland, more than a third of decided voters (35%) back Labour, followed by the SNP with 27 per cent. In London, where the two main parties were virtually tied in late March, the Conservatives now lead Labour by six points (37% to 31%).

Other Demographics

The Conservatives remain the most popular party for voters over the age of 55 (39%) and those aged 35 to 54 (36%). Amongst younger voters, Labour holds a four-point edge over the Tories (34% to 30%).

About two-in-five female voters are voicing support for the Tories (39%), with Labour and the Lib-Dems tied at 25 per cent. The Tories have an eight-point advantage over Labour amongst men (35% to 27%), and 18 per cent of male voters say they will not support any of the three major parties.

Approval, Momentum Score and Best PM

The start of the campaign boosted Gordon Brown’s approval rating by three points. Now, a third of respondents (33%, +3 since mid-March) approve of Brown’s performance as Prime Minister. However, three-in-five (61%) disapprove, a proportion that has remained consistent since late January.

David Cameron’s approval rating in the first week of the campaign is 45 per cent, also in tune with earlier surveys. Nick Clegg also has a 45 per cent approval rating, which constitutes a six-point gain since late January. Still, three-in-ten Britons are undecided about his performance.

In the first days of the campaign, Clegg has the best momentum score of the three main leaders at +9 (16% of respondents say their opinion of the Liberal Democrat leader gas improved over the course of the past week, while 7% say it has worsened). Cameron stands at -6, and Brown at -14.

Three-in-ten respondents (30%) think Cameron would make the best Prime Minister of the UK, followed by Brown with 19 per cent and Clegg with 12 per cent.

Issue Watch

The economy is the most important issue facing the United Kingdom for more than a third of respondents (35%), but other financial concerns are also being mentioned at this point, such as unemployment (9%), taxation (3%) and poverty (2%). Immigration is second on the list of important issues with 19 per cent.

Analysis

The Conservatives begin the four-week campaign with a double-digit lead in Great Britain, and a particularly high level of support in two key demographics: women and respondents over the age of 55.

Labour is connecting with younger voters, while the Lib-Dems are only attracting one-in-five middle aged Britons. These will be the key target groups for the two parties in order to reduce the Tory lead.

Brown starts off with a lower approval rating than his main rivals. Cameron has hovered close to the 50 per cent mark for the past four months, while Clegg has clearly benefitted from the exposure of the pre-campaign period. Still, the Liberal Democrat leader is not well-known for almost a third of Britons.

Download Full Tables

Download Full Methodology Statement

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Andy Morris, Research Director, London
+ 44-207-065-7272
andy.morris@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From April 6 to April 7, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 2,193 randomly selected British adults who are Springboard UK panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

Since 2007, defaults on so-called subprime mortgages—credit given to high-risk borrowers—in the United States caused volatility in domestic and global financial markets and ultimately pushed the U.S. economy into a recession. A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. The crisis has affected the global financial and credit systems, and triggered layoffs in companies around the world.

Britain has been hit hard by the global financial crisis. In 2007, the British Northern Rock bank—a prominent mortgage lender—was forced to seek emergency funding from the government. Brown’s administration has intervened to save bankrupt banks and boost the economy. In November 2008, Brown introduced a "shock-treatment" stimulus package to jump-start the country’s economy through tax cuts, increased government spending and a greater role in government lending. The package was valued at $31 billion U.S.

In January, the Office of National Statistics showed that the UK economy grew by 0.1 per cent in the last quarter of 2009, ending six consecutive quarters of contraction.

On Mar. 31, current chancellor of the exchequer Alistair Darling said the economy’s performance has been affected by a crisis in European markets, adding, "60 per cent of our trade is with Europe, and Europe as a whole has seen fairly flat growth. If you take Germany, for example, where we do export to, its GDP in the fourth quarter was flat; Italy and Spain, markets of ours, they have difficulties, as you know. Ireland is a big market of ours."

The next election to the House of Commons must be held on or before Jun. 3. Sitting prime ministers can dissolve Parliament and call an early ballot at their discretion. It is widely believed that the election will take place on May 6.

Polling Data

How would you rate the economic conditions in the United Kingdom today?

Complete Poll (PDF)

The governing Labour party is second with 28 per cent, followed by the Liberal Democrats with 22 per cent. 13 per cent of respondents would vote for other parties. Support for Labour increased by two points in two weeks, while backing for the Tories fell by the same margin.

In June 2007, Gordon Brown officially became Labour leader and prime minister, replacing Tony Blair. Brown had worked as chancellor of the exchequer. Blair served as Britain’s prime minister since May 1997, winning majority mandates in the 1997, 2001 and 2005 elections to the House of Commons.

Since December 2005, David Cameron has been the leader of the Conservative party. In December 2007, current parliamentarian Nick Clegg became the new leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Yesterday, Cameron discussed his views on the impending electoral campaign, saying, "This is going to be the first time in 23 years that the Conservative party goes into a general election with a seven to 10-point lead. We’ve come a long way. People are gagging for change. (…) But you have to remember that every election is a choice and if you don’t frame that choice, then your opponents will only talk about you."

The next election to the House of Commons must be held on or before Jun. 3. Sitting prime ministers can dissolve Parliament and call an early ballot at their discretion. It is widely believed that the election will take place on May 6.

Polling Data

If a General Election were held tomorrow, which one of the following parties would you be most likely to support in your constituency? – Decided Voters with Leaners

Complete Poll (PDF)