Poll: Liberal Democrats reach 20 year low

A new poll has found that the Liberal Democrats are experiencing their lowest ever level of support. The coalition partner has slumped to its lowest level since the party was formed just over 20 years ago.

According to the Independent newspaper, Nick Clegg is now the most unpopular third party leader since David Owen led the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1989. The Liberal Democrats' 11 per cent rating in the first poll of polls since last May's election highlights the dramatic slide in their fortunes since they entered the coalition with the Conservatives.

The Independent poll is a weighted average of the regular surveys by ComRes, ICM, Ipsos MORI and YouGov. It found that Labour was on 40 percent and the Conservatives on 38 percent.

John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, said:

"It is clear that the tone and direction of the coalition Government has upset many people who voted Liberal Democrat in May, and before, while for the most part those who voted Conservative have been reasonably content with what has transpired."

The poll reflects public unease with the coalition after unpopular decisions on the VAT rise and tuition fees.

Despite this, Prime Minister David Cameron has a 48 percent satisfaction rating.

Professor Curtice said: "Although the Tories have not suffered a direct electoral reverse, the collapse in the Lib Dems' vote to Labour's advantage has harmed the Conservative Party's ability to win a general election in the immediate future. The Tories thus have their own good reason to want the coalition to stay together."

Labour leader Ed Miliband however only managed a "net satisfaction rating" of plus 1 per cent.

The poll comes as the Lib Dems highlight the fact that they have already delivered on 67 of their manifesto commitments including scrapping the controversial ContactPoint database, giving new powers to the Scottish Parliament and the introduction of fixed term Parliaments.

Leon Green