The Conservatives hold a 16-point lead over Labour with less than five weeks to go before the 8 June general election, according to the latest Opinium/Observer poll.
The Tories have dropped one point to 46% since last week, while Labour is unchanged on 30%. The Liberal Democrats are up one point on 9% and Ukip is unchanged on 7%.
While Labour has succeeded in clawing back some of the Tory lead, which stood at 19 points two weeks ago, Theresa May’s party would still win a majority of about 100 if this weekend’s figures are an accurate prediction of what happens on polling day.
May is also way ahead of Jeremy Corbyn in the personal ratings. Approximately 46% of all voters approve of the way she is doing her job, more than double the 21% who approve of Corbyn’s performance, while 33% disapprove of May’s leadership and 53% disapprove of Corbyn’s.
Strikingly, Brexit appears to be rising as an issue of key importance to voters, and now comes a strong second behind the NHS when voters are asked which issues they regard as most influential in determining their choice of party. Whereas Brexit was cited as one of the most important factors by 42% of voters at the end of April, now 48% say it is in the forefront of their minds.
Over two in five (46%) of those asked think that Theresa May would be the best prime minister (down from 49% immediately after the election was called, but up from 44% last week). Only 18% say Corbyn would make the best occupant of No 10.
