National falls below Labour in latest poll

THE National Party is polling below Labour for the first time in 12 years in the Newshub Reid Research poll.

The poll has Labour at 47.5%, ahead of the National Party, which has dropped to 41.6%.

Under Simon Bridges, National has nosedived to its worst result in more than a decade, according to a new political poll.

It has been a long time since the last Newshub Reid Research poll — just before the May Budget last year — but compared with that poll, National has fallen 3.5 points and Labour is up by 4.9 points.

The Greens are at 5.1% while New Zealand First is on 2.9%.

Political commentator Claire Robinson said it was great news for Labour and showed a honeymoon period for the party, with voters giving them the benefit of the doubt.

‘‘It is fantastic for Labour. They have gone up over 20 points in the last just over a year and that’s a huge jump.

‘‘I think it’s bad news for Simon Bridges because he hasn’t shown a great improvement in his leadership standing,’’ Prof Robinson said.

In the preferred prime minister polling, Labour’s Jacinda Ardern sits comfortably on 41.8%.

National MP Judith Collins got 6.2%, which moves her ahead of her leader, Mr Bridges, who is on 5%.

The margin of error for the poll was 3.1% and it was taken over 24 January to 2 February. — RNZ