Cameron’s party hits 44% – the highest since the Thatcher years

A new YouGov poll for tomorrow’s Sunday Times puts the Tories at 44% the second highest share in any poll since the Thatcher years. The headline with figures the changes on the last survey from the pollster a fortnight ago are:- CON 44%(+1),: LAB 28%(-1): LD 17%(nc).

This poll equals that which Tony Blair got in his landslide victory in May 1997 and the margin is in excess of what Labour got at that general election.

The position is consistent with recent ICM surveys though the other pollsters, Ipsos-MORI, Populus and ComRes have been producing much lower figures.

Other surveys are possibly due out tonight including one for the London Mayor.

I will be out all evening so this is the Saturday night polling thread.

UPDATE 2220: An Mori poll in the Observer on the London Mayoral Election has Boris ahead of Ken by 51% to 49% after the second preferences have been distributed. This is the third pblic poll that the pollster has carried out on the election and is the first to have Ken behind. In February a Labour private survey by the firm had Livingstone 2% ahead as did a Unison sponsored poll last week.

It was the leak of this poll, I believe, which led to the big move back to Boris on the betting markets.

Latest mayoral betting is here.

Mike Smithson