National cuts Labour's lead in first full poll since tax policy

National has gained on Labour in the first poll fully conducted since National released its tax-cut policy.

National is up three points to 40 per cent and Labour down two points to 43 per cent in the One News Colmar Brunton poll.

The poll reflects a trend in the segment of last week's Herald-DigiPoll taken after the tax-cut policy, which showed National closing the gap.

Last night's poll also showed an improvement by the Greens by one to 7 per cent and decline of New Zealand First by one to 5 per cent, putting the Greens as the highest polling smaller party.

The other parties were unchanged: Act on 2; the Maori Party on 1, United Future on 1 and Destiny on 1.

National leader Don Brash had a jump of 6 points in his ratings as preferred Prime Minister - despite the flak he attracted last week for saying he went easy on Prime Minister Helen Clark in a debate because she was a woman.

But Helen Clark is streets ahead: up 2 points to 45 per cent; Dr Brash up 6 to 27 per cent; and Winston Peters up 1 to 7 per cent.

A Sunday Star Times- BRC poll out yesterday showed Labour ahead of National by one point, 40 to 39 per cent. Its polling straddled the tax-cut announcement.

The segment before the cut showed Labour ahead, 42 to 37 and the smaller segment afterwards, National ahead, 43 to 35.