Brown: Poll boost

Gordon Brown has soared ahead of Tony Blair in the popularity stakes just weeks before the expected general election, according to a new survey.

The YouGov poll in the Telegraph, published on Friday, indicates that voters feel Labour would stand a better chance of winning the election with the chancellor in the top job.

Thanks to a broadly positive response to Brown's ninth Budget, announced on Wednesday, 63 per cent now see Brown as an "asset" to the party, compared with 34 per cent for Blair.

And 40 per cent of those asked said they would prefer to see Brown as prime minister, compared to 30 per cent who feel Blair is the better person for the role.

A large percentage also feel Brown is doing a better job as chancellor than Blair is as the PM - some 52 per cent feel Brown is the better performer with only 17 per cent backing Blair.

Asked specifically about the Budget, 44 per cent said it was "fair". And the poll showed that people still prefer to see increases in spending on public services than tax cuts.

However, voters did feel tax rises would be inevitable, with 63 per cent believing the chancellor would have to increase taxes to fund his spending plans.

Large numbers also believed there was or will soon be a "black hole" in the Treasury's finances that will have to be filled sooner rather than later, with 44 per cent feeling this to be the case.

Overall however, the poll shows the Budget to have been a positive step for Labour in its bid to secure a third term.

Asked if the Budget would help Labour win more support, 35 per cent felt it would with just six per cent feeling the party would lose support as a result of the announcement.