Pre-Budget Bolsters 'Brown Bounce'

The radical pre-Budget report, published earlier this week, appears to have bolstered Gordon Brown's charge on the opposition in the opinion polls.

Figures released today, suggest the Prime Minister has continued to close in on the gap currently being enjoyed by the Tories.

Conservatives now just pip the government with a four-point lead, down two-points from last month.

According to the YouGov poll, carried out for the Daily Telegraph, David Cameron’s blues sit with 40% support - which polled at 42% last month.

Labour gained three-points from October, now boosting a 36% approval rating.

The news comes after Monday’s pre-Budget package, in which the Chancellor announced a temporary reduction in VAT by 2.5%, in addition to a £20bn injection to stimulate spending, and the wider economy.

Sixty percent of respondents to the YouGov poll supported Alistair Darling’s reforms, with almost three quarters welcoming the 45% tax band increase for higher earners.

The poll was carried out on Monday and Tuesday, this week, surveying 1,556 people across the UK.

Shadow Chancellor George Osborne accused Mr Darling of creating a future "time bomb" for the economy through his increased spending plans, which have doubled on last year.

However, the Prime Minister has enjoyed a resurge in public support, referred to as the 'Brown Bounce', following serious in-party wrangling in September, which brought his leadership into question.

After a series of by election losses, the Labour party last month celebrated a win in Glenrothes, Scotland.

It was previously predicted, leader of the opposition Mr Cameron was almost certainly heading towards a landslide victory in any future election, this now seems less likely, due to Mr Brown’s handling of the ongoing international economic crisis.

The Prime Minister must call an election by mid-2010.

If an election were to be called soon, it could result in a hung Parliament, which would require the intervention of the Queen.

(PR)