'Voters unsure about Brown'

12 April 2012

Voters want Tony Blair out of No 10 by the spring although they are not sure that they are ready for Gordon Brown as Prime Minister, according to an opinion poll.

The YouGov survey for the Sunday Times found 64% wanted Mr Blair to set a timetable for his departure in his speech to the Labour Party conference on Tuesday while 69% thought he should be gone by the spring.

However almost half, 48%, thought Mr Brown's conduct during the summer upheavals over the Labour leadership raised questions over his fitness to be prime minister as against 26% who have no such concerns.

Nevertheless Mr Brown still remains the most popular choice to succeed Mr Blair as Labour leader with the support of 23% of voters. He is followed by Home Secretary John Reid on 10%, Leader of the Commons Jack Straw on 5% and International Development Secretary Hilary Benn on 4%.

According to the poll, Labour go into the conference with 33% support, four points behind the Tories on 37% with the Liberal Democrats on 18%.

Meanwhile a CommunicateResearch poll for the Independent on Sunday found 59% thought Labour were heading for defeat at the next general election.

More than half, 55%, thought that the Labour Party had treated Mr Blair badly by forcing him to say he would step down within a year while 64% would feel cheated if Mr Brown takes over without a proper contest.

Another poll claimed that voters do not want to see Gordon Brown given a clear run for the Labour leadership when Tony Blair steps down as Prime Minister.

The GFK NOP media survey for ITV1's Sunday Edition found 81% wanted a proper contest to choose Mr Blair's successor with only 10% happy to see a simple hand-over of power.

Just over two thirds, 67%, said that the new prime minister should call a general election within a year of taking office. Some 39% saying that he or she should go to the polls straightaway.

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