New poll puts Lib Dems in the lead
Updated on 19 April 2010
A YouGov poll for The Sun puts Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats on 33 per cent, one point ahead of the Tories, with Labour third on 26 per cent.
The boost for the Lib Dems follows last Thursday's leaders debate, in which Clegg is thought to have outperformed both Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
But today’s opinion poll suggests that barely half of those asked knew about Nick Clegg’s views. 19 per cent of those questioned said they knew hardly anything about what he stood for, while another 29 per cent knew "just a little".
For more Channel 4 News coverage of Vote 2010
- Gary Gibbon: Boris on the Lib dem "puffball"
- Gary Gibbon: Tory campaign relaunches
- 'Twinterview': Douglas Alexander
- Vote 2010: the election barometer
The focus of Labour's campaigning has today switched to the economy, with Gordon Brown holding a press conference alongside Business Secretary Peter Mandelson and the chancellor, Alistair Darling.
Alistair Darling attacked shadow chancellor George Osborne's plans to hold an emergency budget on 24 June if the Conservatives are elected.
He said Mr Osborne had been "silent on the real price of his promises or the real impact of his plans to take support out of the economy in just a few weeks' time".
For the Conservatives, David Cameron spoke this morning on to business leaders. He acknowledged that this election had suddenly "got a bit lively". He said the voters were now showing that they were "crying out for change".
He asserted that people "certainly don't want another five years of Gordon Brown" and he stressed the Conservatives' "positive vision we have for the future of our country".
For the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg's travel plans have been disrupted by the flying ban, but he is due to attend a rally in Swansea this afternoon.
Speaking to students this morning, he urged them to use their vote. "Take charge of this election. Get stuck in. Get engaged," he said.
He continued: "Don't let anyone tell you that we have to keep on doing the same old thing in this election as we have done in the past... Don't believe a word of it."
On Scotland, meanwhile, the SNP will be launching its manifesto. Central to the party's policies will be support for the renewables sector in Scotland.
