Credit:UN/DPI Photo

Gordon Brown

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - The governing Labour party could earn a new term in office under current chancellor of the exchequer Gordon Brown, according to a poll by ICM Research published in The Guardian. 31 per cent of respondents would vote for a Brown-led Labour in the next House of Commons election.

In May, British voters renewed the House of Commons. The governing Labour party secured 35.2 per cent of the vote and 356 seats, followed by the Conservatives with 32.2 per cent and 197 legislators, and the Liberal Democrats with 22 per cent and 62 lawmakers.

Following the election, Tory leader Michael Howard vowed to stand down, saying, "I'm 63 years old. At the time of the next election in four or five years' time I'll be 67 or 68 and I believe that's simply too old to lead a party into government." The new Conservative leader will be chosen in October. 22 per cent of respondents would vote for the Tories under former chancellor of the exchequer Kenneth Clarke, while 20 per cent would vote for Charles Kennedy's Liberal Democrats.

Last October, British prime minister Tony Blair announced that he would retire at the end of his third term. Brown has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Blair.

On Sept. 23, current home secretary Charles Clarke appeared to endorse Brown, saying the current chancellor of the exchequer would be a "very good" successor to Blair. Clarke said it was "exceptionally unlikely" he would oppose Brown for the Labour party's leadership.

Polling Data

I would like you to think about what you would do in a new election if the Conservatives were led by Ken Clarke, Labour were led by Gordon Brown and the Liberal Democrats were led by Charles Kennedy. If these were the leaders and there were to be an immediate general election, would you vote Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat or for another party?

Archive Search

Over 19,600 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.