National in lead but the gap narrows

Don Brash

The latest political poll has the gap between National and Labour narrowing, although National is still in front.

The One News/Colmar Brunton poll has National down two percentage points to 45 per cent support. Labour was up five to 43 per cent support.

The Greens were on 4 per cent (down one), New Zealand First was on 2 per cent (down two), the Maori Party on 2 per cent (down one), Act on 2 per cent support (up one), and United Future on just 0.8 per cent support.

In the preferred prime minister stakes, Prime Minister Helen Clark was on 39 per cent support, up two points on a May poll. National leader Don Brash was on 14 per cent support, down four points since the last poll.

Others to feature on the preferred prime minister stakes included National MP John Key (7 per cent support), New Zealand First leader Winston Peters (3 per cent) and National MP Bill English (2 per cent).

Asked about the Government's performance, 46 per cent said they approved and 38 per cent disapproved.

The poll also found that 49 per cent believed the economic outlook would be worse in 12 months, 27 per cent felt it would be better and 24 per cent thought it would be about the same.

- NZPA