KEY POINTS:
Labour's attempt to burst out of the blocks in election year has not helped its flagging fortunes in the One News-Colmar Brunton poll, which still puts National way out in front.
The poll, which began more than a week after head-to-head speeches by Prime Minister Helen Clark and National leader John Key, puts Labour in the same position as it was when it ended last year - 19 points behind National.
National registers a huge 53 per cent support rating, compared with Labour's 34 per cent.
Both parties have fallen 1 percentage point since One News' December poll, meaning the gap remains the same.
National's lead is wider than it has been in a range of other polls conducted earlier this year, which have been nearer to a 10-point difference.
Mr Key has also widened his lead over Helen Clark as preferred Prime Minister in the One News poll, registering 36 per cent support compared with her 27 per cent.
The nine-point gap in the preferred Prime Minister stakes was a smaller 5 per cent in the December poll.
The result will be particularly unwelcome for Labour because it has put considerable effort into starting the year well.
Helen Clark broke with her normal routine to deliver a speech in late January, which effectively became a head-to-head contest with Mr Key who traditionally makes a state of the nation address early in the year.
Both leaders spoke about youth issues but took different approaches, and it appears Mr Key's talk about a hardline approach to youth justice bundled with education policy initiatives worked well for him.
Labour must hope the Schools Plus plan will increase its impact over time.
