National holds its lead in latest poll

The National party has cemented its lead over Labour with yet another poll showing it in front.

A One News/Colmar-Brunton poll released last evening shows National on 42 per cent support -- down one point from the same poll last month.

Labour is on 39 per cent, down two points from last month.

The poll put NZ First on 7 per cent, while the Greens, on 6 per cent, were the only other party to cross the five per cent threshold.

Of the other minor parties, the Maori Party registered 2 per cent support, while Act and United Future registered just 1 per cent.

The poll follows a similar Fairfax New Zealand/ACNielsen poll yesterday which put National on 42 per cent support and Labour on 37 per cent.

While both polls are good news for National, based on last night's poll it would need the support of both NZ First and United Future to form a government.

Labour would need the support of NZ First and the Greens -- or a combination of several others -- to form a government.

NZ First leader Winston Peters is refusing to say who his party would favour in post-election talks.

If the poll were translated into seats National would hold 52, Labour 48, NZ First 8, the Greens 7, the Maori Party 3, United Future 1 and the Progressives 1 -- the last three based on the presumption their leaders will win their electorate seats, as is expected.

Act would be wiped out from Parliament.

Both weekend polls will be depressing news for Labour, which had hoped to use the current four-week parliamentary recess to campaign in the regions and win back some of its lost support. But there were some small positives for Labour in last night's poll.

Approval of the Government's performance was up three points to 47 per cent, while disapproval dropped one to 38 per cent.

Prime Minister Helen Clark rose one point in the preferred prime minister stakes to 40 per cent, while National leader Don Brash remained steady on 20 per cent. Mr Peters rose 5 points to 13 per cent.

That result contrasted with Saturday's poll which put Dr Brash on 29 per cent support as preferred prime minister.

Saturday's poll also showed more than half (52 per cent) of NZ First supporters favour a deal with Labour, compared with just three out of 10 wanting a deal with National.

That poll questioned 1055 voters over six days up to last Wednesday. It has a margin of error of 3 per cent.

Last night's Colmar-Brunton poll surveyed 1000 voters between last Monday and Thursday. It has a margin of error of 3.2 per cent.

- NZPA