|
LONDON - A MAJORITY of supporters of Britain's governing Labour Party want embattled Prime Minister Gordon Brown - in the job for barely a year - to step down, according to a poll published on Wednesday.
The Populus poll for The Times daily said 55 per cent of Labour voters believe they would be more likely to beat the main opposition Conservatives at the next general election if Mr Brown made way for a 'younger, fresher, more charismatic alternative'.
Mr Brown last week saw Labour slump to its worst local election results in 40 years, including the ouster of London mayor Ken Livingstone, as the Tories surged back in to town halls in England and Wales.
He went into the elections suffering severe criticisms over his botched tax reforms, the government's recent economic record, a wave of industrial unrest and increasing doubts about his personality and ability to lead.
Talk has increased since last week about whether he should face a leadership challenge, although Labour insiders have dismissed the idea, amid much soul-searching among lawmakers about how Labour can reverse the slump.
The poll suggested a further slump in popularity for the centre-left party, which has been in power since 1997: Labour had lost four points over the last month to 29 per cent.
The centre-right Tories, boosted by a London mayoral win that is being seen as the blue-print for a future government under leader David Cameron, were ahead on 40 per cent - their biggest lead in five years of Populus polls.
The smaller opposition Liberal Democrats put on two points to 19 percent.
Voters also appeared less confident in the ability of Brown and his finance minister Alistair Darling to deal with the present economic downturn. Only 30 per cent expressed confidence, 13 points down from mid-March.
Populus interviewed a random sample of 1,509 adults by telephone between May 2-4, weighting results to the profile of all adults.
| 
