Labour and the Tories are separated by only one point in the latest opinion poll, which suggests that last week's pre-Budget report has bolstered the "Brown bounce" in the economic downturn.
Labour and the Tories are separated by only one point in the latest opinion poll, which suggests that last week's pre-Budget report has bolstered the "Brown bounce" in the economic downturn.
The poll, by ComRes for The Independent, puts the Tories on 37%, down two points from last month, and Labour on 36%, up five points.
The LibDems are up one point on 17% and other parties are on 10%, down four points. If repeated at a General Election the result would give Labour a 10-seat majority.
The poll, which puts the Tory lead at its narrowest in any survey since January, when Ipsos Mori put Labour one point ahead, stands in contrast to other surveys taken after the Chancellor's pre-Budget report.
A Guardian/ICM poll published on Saturday showed the Conservatives extending their lead over Labour to 15 points, amid scepticism about whether Alistair Darling's measures would work.
The Tories were on 45%, up three, and Labour support was stuck on at 30%, the same as last month's Guardian poll.
However, there are signs that the pre-Budget report, which proposed an increase in the top rate of tax to 45p for people earning more than £150,000, sent out an effective message to the core Labour vote.
The ComRes poll found that working class supporters are returning to the Labour Party with support among the DE bottom social group, rising from 35% to 51% over the past month.
Labour support among women has also increased by eight points and among men by two points, while the Tory support among women is down by five points. The survey interviewed 1005 adults between November 28-30.
