Labour stretches its lead over National in latest poll

Labour has increased its lead over National to 13 points in the latest opinion poll, published today in the National Business Review.

The Phillips Fox poll of 750 voters put Labour support at 45 per cent, up two points since early March, and National down two points to 32 per cent.

New Zealand First is down two points to 7 per cent, and the Greens are steady on 6 per cent.

There is little change in the fortunes of the other small parties in Parliament, and none are above the 5 per cent threshold needed to get seats under MMP without holding an electorate.

The poll shows the Government's popularity has increased despite the series of scandals it faced over scholarship exams, police responses to emergency calls and the wananga crisis.

It was taken just before John Tamihere's controversial interview was published.

Against the trend of rising support for the Government, the poll shows a two point drop since last month in the number of people who consider the country is on the right track.

The "right track" figure now stands at 56 per cent, against a high of 62 per cent recorded in January.

The number of "wrong track" people has increased by a similar amount, and now stands at 36 per cent.

The margin of error in the NBR-Phillips Fox poll is plus or minus 3.6 percent.

- NZPA