English tops rankings

Prime Minister Bill English has picked up where John Key left off in terms of popularity with Kiwi voters, according to a new poll.

However, National could still face a challenge to hold on to office at this year’s election, with the party’s vote dropping 4 per cent and NZ First holding the balance of power. English, who took over as prime minister last December after Key’s shock resignation, has gone straight to the top of preferred prime minister rankings in the latest 1 News/colmar Brunton poll. English is on 31 per cent roughly comparable with Key’s 36 per cent figure the month before he stepped down.

NZ First leader Winston Peters is in second place on 8 per cent, with Labour leader Andrew Little in third on 7 per cent.

It appears Kiwi voters have moved on from Key - he was down to 2 per cent in the preferred PM rankings.

However, National dropped four points to 46 per cent, with Labour rising by two points to 30 per cent and Left-wing partner the Greens steady on 11 per cent.

The figures mean NZ First, on 11 per cent, would hold the balance of power on September 23 if nothing changed. Fifteen per cent of voters were unsure which party they supported, or declined to answer in the poll February 11-15.

- Fairfax NZ