Today’s daily poll for the Sun has voting intentions of CON 41%, LAB 40%, LD 11%. Net government approval has dropped to minus 7. This is not the lowest the Coalition Government have received so far, but is a significant fall from the broadly positive approval ratings we’ve been reporting since the Conservative party conference.
This is our first poll to be conducted since the Government announced it was to accept the recommendations of the Browne report and remove the cap on university tuition fees, and it may be that the drop in support is a direct result.
We also asked respondents directly about whether or not they supported the package of reforms put forward by Lord Browne – including removing the limit on tuition fees, but also the increase in the threshold for paying back loans and higher means-tested grants. 37% of people supported the proposals, but 45% opposed them.
Asked if the Liberal Democrats were right or wrong to abandon their earlier pledge to oppose tuition fees, 41% though they were right to do so, 46% thought they were wrong.
Key findings
- Conservatives lead Labour by 1 point in voting intentions: CON 41%, LAB 40%, LDEM 11%
- Net Government approval of minus 7 is the lowest since before the conference season
- Public oppose Lord Browne’s recommendations by 45% to 37%
- 46% think Lib Dems were wrong to go back on pledge to oppose tuition fees, 41% think it was the right thing to do
