January 27, 2005

Abstract: (Angus Reid - CPOD Global Scan) - Gordon Brown is one of the highest-ranked politicians in Britain, according to a poll by YouGov. 65 per cent of respondents say the current chancellor of the exchequer is doing well in his position.

(Angus Reid - CPOD Global Scan) - Gordon Brown is one of the highest-ranked politicians in Britain, according to a poll by YouGov. 65 per cent of respondents say the current chancellor of the exchequer is doing well in his position.

Britain must renew the House of Commons by June 2006. There is growing speculation that an election will take place in May 2005. Last October, prime minister Tony Blair announced that he intends to lead the Labour party into the next parliamentary ballot, and retire at the end of what would be his third term in office. 40 per cent of respondents believe Blair is performing properly as prime minister.

The leaders of Britain's main opposition parties receive dissimilar ratings. 60 per cent of respondents believe Liberal Democrat Charles Kennedy is doing well in his position, while 31 per cent feel the same way about Conservative Michael Howard.

On Jan. 15, former Conservative minister Robert Jackson defected to the Labour party, saying a victory for the Howard-led Tories would mean "certain harm" for Britain.

Polling Data

Do you think the following politicians are doing well or badly in their respective positions?

	Well	Badly
Chancellor of the exchequer Gordon Brown	65%	27%
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy	60%	23%
Prime minister Tony Blair	40%	56%
Conservative leader Michael Howard	31%	56%

Source: YouGov
Methodology: Online interviews to 1,830 British voters, conducted from Jan. 20 to Jan. 22, 2005. No margin of error was provided.