Pre-election survey results released

Labour drew level with the Conservatives in terms of the electorate’s voting intentions, according to a poll released yesterday.

The YouGov survey for The Sun put both parties on 39 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats trailing on 13 per cent. It is the first time the company had Labour level-pegging with the Tories since the party’s brief “bounce” in the wake of Gordon Brown becoming leader in 2007.

The findings come as Labour prepares to unveil its new leader on Saturday and will provide a major boost for the winner of the contest to succeed Mr Brown as the party goes into its annual conference in Manchester next week.

The survey suggested the Lib Dems gained support from their own conference, jumping two points to 13 per cent compared to a similar poll before the Liverpool gathering.

But Nick Clegg’s party remains well below the 23 per cent it recorded in May’s general election, suggesting that voters remain uneasy about its coalition with David Cameron’s Tories.

Some 40 per cent of those questioned said they approved of the Government’s performance so far, compared to 42 per cent who disapproved.

People were more likely to see Mr Clegg as a Liberal (37 per cent) than a Conservative stooge (30 per cent), but 24 per cent of people said coverage of the conference and his keynote speech made them see him as more Conservative, only seven per cent more Liberal.

There was an even split over whether the Lib Dem leader had “sold out his party’s principles” by entering coalition, with 38 per cent saying he had and 40 per cent he had not.

YouGov questioned 1,963 adults about their voting intentions for The Sun on September 20 and 21 and 658 about their view of Mr Clegg on Tuesday.