Voters disagree with Cameron’s description of Margaret Thatcher as “the greatest British peacetime prime minister” by 41 per cent to 33 per cent, according to a ComRes poll for tomorrow’s Independent on Sunday, shared with the Sunday Mirror. And 60 per cent oppose taxpayer funding for next week’s funeral.

The poll, taken on Wednesday and Thursday this week, found little evidence of a “Thatcher effect” on voting intentions, putting LAB’s lead at eight points, down just one point since last month. UKIP are two points down on last month’s record high:

CON  30% (+2)
LAB   38% (+1)
UKIP   15% (-2)
LD   8% (-1)
OTH   9% (0)

(Change since last month’s ComRes online poll for Independent on Sunday & Sunday Mirror.)

Do you agree or disagree?

Margaret Thatcher was Britain’s greatest peacetime Prime Minister

Agree 33% Disagree 41% Don’t know 26%

Only in the 65-plus age group do more people agree (46%) than disagree (38%).

Public attitudes to her are apparently contradictory, with a majority agreeing both that she was “the most divisive prime minister this country has had” and that “Britain today needs more ‘conviction politicians’ like Margaret Thatcher”:

Margaret Thatcher was the most divisive Prime Minister this country has had that I can remember

Agree 59% Disagree 18%

Britain today needs more ‘conviction politicians’ like Margaret Thatcher

Agree 56% Disagree 26%

CON voters agree by 88% to 3%; LAB ones are more likely to disagree (47%) than agree (34%).

Margaret Thatcher’s ceremonial funeral should not be funded by taxpayers

Agree 60% Disagree 25%

A third (32%) of CON  voters agree, as do a majority of voters from every other party.

Margaret Thatcher was right to require trade unions to hold secret ballots before strikes

Agree 52% Disagree 20% Don’t know 28%

We received a better level of service from gas, electricity and telephone companies after privatisation

Agree 25% Disagree 38% Don’t know 38%

Overall, Margaret Thatcher’s policies were right for the country at the time

Agree 45% Disagree 34%

Margaret Thatcher’s economic policies did more harm than good

Agree 39% Disagree 35% Don’t know 26%

Which of the following, if any, will you most remember Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for?

Curbing the power of trade unions / the miners’ strike 49%
The Falklands War 47%
The Poll Tax 39%
Privatisation of nationalised industries e.g. gas, electricity, telecoms 30%
Council housing ‘right to buy’ 27%
Unemployment 17%
Her role in ending the Cold War 8%
Her relationship with Europe 5%
Northern Ireland / hunger strikes 4%
None of the above 8%

Respondents could choose up to three.