By John Rentoul
The Conservatives have an 18-point lead in a ComRes poll for The Independent on Sunday, but the party’s support dropped sharply after David Davis announced he was standing down. In interviews before 1pm on Thursday, the Tories stood at 48%; in interviews carried out afterwards they were on 41%.
The overall figures are (with the change from the last IoS poll in May in brackets):
Con 44% (+1)
Lab 26% (nc)L
Lib Dem 17% (-2)
Other 13% (+1)
The most recent ComRes poll for The Independent two weeks ago had a Tory lead of 14 points - since then Labour are down four points, with the Tories unchanged.
Our poll was carried out by ComRes on Wednesday and Thursday, so about half the interviews (251 likely voters) were carried out before Davis's announcement and half afterwards (374 likely voters).
We also asked people whether they agreed or disagreed with the following statements:
Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, would be a better prime minister than Gordon Brown. 40% agree, 45% disagree.
David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, would be a better prime minister than Gordon Brown. 41% agree, 46% disagree.
Nick Clegg is a better leader for the Liberal Democrats than Sir Menzies Campbell. 48% agree, 27% disagree.
People with gas guzzlers should pay much higher car tax, even if they bought their car some time ago. 46% agree, 51% disagree.
All figures are for likely voters. ComRes telephoned 1,012 GB adults on 11 and 12 June. Full tables at ComRes.

Utterly partial reporting. Feeble work, but very much in line with the culture of The so-called Independent.
Conservatives supposedly fell between one part of the survey and another - did either the Libdems or Labour RISE over this same boundary? Do you know, and are you suppressing that data so as not to spoil a good anti-Cameron story? Or is the data inconveniently garbled?
Badly done, Emma, badly done.
Posted by: Drew | Saturday, 14 June 2008 at 08:56 PM
It is not despite it. The poll was done before the scandal. I predict the labour party will rise up in the most up to date ones.
Posted by: dirty european socialist | Saturday, 14 June 2008 at 10:15 PM
I often thought you were living in Munchkinland, DES - and if you believe Labour are going to GAIN support over "42 days" and "ID-Cards", then that's clearly your address.
Posted by: Neil McGowan | Sunday, 15 June 2008 at 12:43 AM
Beats me why they aren't 114% ahead. Has the country ever been in a bigger mess? Not that the opposition can be trusted to do a better job (usual collection of lawyers and media folk) - but it might at least be different. This lot know nothing about anything and want to change everything. Time for the UN to come and save us from terminal decline. Or do we need our own little junta? Or proportional reresentation? Or a moratorium on government like the Belgies just had. 8 months without a government didn't bring that country to its knees. Instead of a referendum on the EU, we need a referendum on a moratorium - the government should be sent away for a few months - that would get a good result, eh?
Posted by: john problem | Sunday, 15 June 2008 at 09:31 AM
David Davies shows utter arrogance and vanity - he says 'often innocent people' will be detained - rubbish, the legal safeguards are the strictest, he says Labour are 'snooping in people's rubbish bins..', rubbish, there are more Tory Councils engaging in this scam. He says about the police who are in favour of 42 days -'the police don't tend to think about the nature of 'suspects', what a gross generalisation, he doesn't like the DNA database how ignorant and backward-looking about solving crimes. He brushes aside the torrent of abuse about his resignation from senior politicians - like Liam Fox and Michael Hesltletine - and brags about the emails of support he has received. The Mail on Sunday poll was done among his constituents - no bias there then! The bottom line is that he was Shadow Home Secretary and failed to make a convincing case to oppose the 42 day ruling with the general public who value their right to live free from the threat of lunatics.
Posted by: SK | Sunday, 15 June 2008 at 09:50 AM
Tories weak on terror. This country needs tough leader Like we did in the age of Stalin.
Posted by: Dirty European Soicalist | Monday, 16 June 2008 at 05:01 PM