New poll: Labour up to 48 per cent as National's support drops

Labour has rocketed to 48 per cent in the latest 1 News Colmar Brunton poll – but that has tipped its support partners to the edge of oblivion.

The poll has Labour on 48 per cent, well above National which has fallen three points to 43 per cent since the last poll.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's rating as preferred PM was up four to 41 per cent while outgoing National Party leader Bill English dropped eight points to 20 per cent.

English announced he was resigning partway through the February 10 – 14 polling period – Colmar Brunton said about three-quarters of respondents were polled before his announcement.

The poll was done after Ardern's successful visit to Northland in the lead-up to Waitangi Day and was the first 1 News poll since she announced her pregnancy.

The poll spelled a successful start for Ardern and the Labour Government – but came at a cost to its coalition partner New Zealand First, which dropped to 3 per cent – down two points and below the 5 per cent threshold needed to get into Parliament at an election.

The Greens too took a hit, down two points to 5 per cent.

The Maori Party and The Opportunities Party were on 1 per cent each.

The poll of about 1000 voters used a half and half split of landlines and cellphones. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent.