Tories open up HUGE lead over Labour on economic competence ahead of Autumn Statement in boost for Philip Hammond
The Conservatives now are leading Labour by 33 points, and ratings are worse than under Ed Miliband before his election defeat in 2015
THE CONSERVATIVES have taken a whopping 33-point lead over Labour on economic competence, according to a new poll.
Research by the Guardian and ICM gave a major to boost to the Chancellor, Philip Hammond just two days before he delivers his first Autumn Statement.
In another blow to Jeremy Corbyn, the figures show that irrespective of party, people picked Theresa May and Philip Hammond as the best people to manage the economy.
48% of respondents chose them, compared to just 15% who picked Mr Corbyn and his Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell.
Mr Hammond promised yesterday that he would make sure the economy was "match fit" for Brexit, and prepared to spend £5bn on infrastructure and increasing productivity.
This gap is even bigger than the one under Ed Miliband, when the then Labour leader and his Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, came 27 points behind David Cameron and George Osborne.
The overall approval ratings don't look much better for Labour. The Prime Minister has an approval rating of 22%, compared with Mr Corbyn on -34%, Tim Farron on -19% and Nigel Farage on -12%.
ICM's director Martin Boo says that Mr Corbyn's ratings "can only be described as abysmal" - just one in five think he is doing a good job. Over half say he is doing a bad job.
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The full month's ratings are: Conservatives 42%, Labour 28%, Lib Dems 9%, Ukip 11%, Green 3% and SNP 5%.
"It’s hard to think that the current Labour team can change so many minds, unless Brexit undoes the solid impression of Tory economic competence," Mr Boom added.
The survey also asked more than 2,000 people whether they thought that the Ukip interim leader should be given a peerage, which would allow him to sit in the House of Lords.
It seems that he's not got that much support for this - just 20% said yes, and 58% said no.
The news comes as Diane James, the person who took over from Mr Farage but resigned after just 18 days, has today announced she will leave the party altogether.
