Minor parties' growth rocks Labour's boat

By VERNON SMALL

Labour's hopes of governing alone are fading as minor parties fortunes improve at the mid-point of the election campaign.

A One News-Colmar Brunton poll broadcast last night showed Labour's support fell five percentage points to 46 per cent in the first two weeks of the campaign.

But there was cold comfort for National, which fell by three points to 27 per cent just two weeks out from the election.

The minor parties all showed significant gains, with the Greens up two percentage points at 9 per cent, Act up three at 8 per cent and New Zealand First up three at 6 per cent.

The poll of 1000 was taken between Monday and Thursday, covering the period of the so-called Corngate issue. It had a margin of error of 3.2 per cent.

The Alliance, Jim Anderton's Progressive Coalition, Christian Heritage and United Future all scored 1 per cent or less.

There was some better news for National leader Bill English in the preferred prime minister stakes. He had a three-point rise to 19 per cent. Helen Clark slid two points to 48 per cent.

The best of the rest was Winston Peters on 7 per cent, up two, while Jim Anderton was the preferred leader of 2 per cent of those polled.

Approval of the Government's performance fell three points to 58 per cent while disapproval rose four points to 29 per cent.

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