National still polling well

National is still riding high on the popularity that saw it elected and Prime Minister John Key is well ahead of opposition leader Phil Goff in the preferred prime minister stakes, a TV3 poll shows.

The Reid Research poll showed support for National was down 4 per cent to 56 per cent, still well above Labour who were up 3 per cent to 30 per cent.

The Green Party was on 6.1 per cent, Maori Party 2.9, Act 2.1, NZ First 1.3 and United Future 0.1.

Mr Key told TV3 the results showed the country was not blaming the Government for the economic recession.

However, the situation may change dramatically after the Budget is released on May 28.

Mr Key was down slightly, to 51.1 per cent, in the preferred prime minister poll. Support for Labour's Mr Goff was up (to 9.1 per cent) but he was still polling lower than his predecessor Helen Clark (11.5 per cent). Mr Goff said the results showed Labour moving in the "right direction" but he added: "We've got a long way to go."

The poll was taken at the time of Helen Clark's appointment to a senior United Nations role and he said that would be "rightly" reflected.

The poll questioned 1000 people.

- NZPA