Support for the Liberal Democrats has slumped to its lowest level in more than a decade, as voters in Britain punish the junior coalition partner for its U-turn on promises to oppose higher university fees.
A "poll of polls" for the Independent newspaper published today found support for the Liberal Democrats had sunk to its lowest level since the party was formed in 1988.
If an election were to be held tomorrow only 11 per cent of people would vote for the LibDems, according to the survey. The party received roughly 24 per cent of the vote in last May's election.
Some 40 per cent of people would vote for the Labour Party and 38 per cent for prime minister David Cameron's Conservative party. If replicated at an election, Labour would have a 14-seat majority.
The LibDems pledged to oppose moves to raise university tuition fees, but then reversed their stance after joining the Tories in a coalition government when neither party won an outright majority in the polls.
The ratings of its party leader, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, who saw his popularity rocket when he outshone his better-known rivals in a series of televised election debates, are at the lowest levels for a third-party leader since 1989.
Only 38 per cent rated Mr Clegg's performance as satisfactory. Mr Cameron had the highest approval rating at 48 per cent, while new Labour Party leader Ed Miliband was on 35 per cent.
The "poll of polls" survey is a weighted average of regular surveys by ComRes, ICM, Ipsos MORI and YouGov.
Reuters