Labour leads Tories among ‘squeezed middle’

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Labour’s focus on the “squeezed middle” appears to be paying off, according to the latest ComRes survey for The Independent, with Labour ahead of the Conservatives among the three demographic groups covering these voters.

Overall, Labour has four-point lead, down from a six-point advantage two weeks ago. Labour is on 39% (-3), the Tories on 35% (-1)and the Liberal Democrats on 12% (+1). At a general election fought under the current first-past-the-post system, these figures would give Labour an overall majority of 44.

Labour is ahead of the Tories among the bottom DE social group (by 45 to 30%); among the C2 skilled manual workers (by 44 to 33%) and the C1 lower middle class (by 38 to 33%). However, the Tories enjoy a big lead (by 41 to 33%) among the top AB group.

There is also a real divide between the young and the old. Labour is ahead among voters between the ages of 18 and 54. It is neck and neck with the Tories among 55-64 year-olds but David Cameron’s party has a big lead (50 to 30%) among those aged 65 and over.

Although last year’s slump in Liberal Democrat support appears to have come to and end, only half (50%) of those who voted for Nick Clegg’s party at last year’s election say they would do so now – 29% would back Labour.