Latest Opinium suggests the polls are still static
Opinium's regular poll for the Observer suggests party support is still static, despite a difficult few weeks for the government. Topline voting intention figures are CON 40%(nc), LAB 42%(nc), LDEM 6%(+1). Fieldwork was between Tuesday and Thursday and changes are from a month ago. Ahead of the budget Opinium also asked about the most trusted team on the economy. May & Hammond led by 36% to Corbyn & McDonnell on 28% (as with the best PM question, the majority of respondents said either None (24%) or Don't know (12%). Full tabs are here.
Midweek we also had ICM's poll for the Guardian - that too showed a pretty much static position, with topline figures of CON 41%(-1), LAB 41%(-1), LDEM 7%(nc). Tabs for that are here.
A budget is, of course, the sort of major event that can sometimes cut through with the public if it contains something particularly compelling or - more likely - something particularly unattractive. As I've often written here, it's very rare for budgets to result in a boost for the government, but there are plenty of examples of budgets going horribly wrong and damaging party support - they are very much a bullet to be dodged, rather than an opportunity to win support. We shall see what happens this week.
