LABOUR'S slump in the opinion poll continues with today's ICM poll for The Guardian finding confidence in Labour's handling of the economy collapsing, with 64% believing its policies would make no difference or cause even worse problems.

Graham Dines

LABOUR'S slump in the opinion poll continues with today's ICM poll for The Guardian finding confidence in Labour's handling of the economy collapsing, with 64% believing its policies would make no difference or cause even worse problems.

More would now rather see the nation's finances in the hands of Opposition leader David Cameron's team than those of Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Chancellor Alistair Darling.

Even the voters who put Labour back into power in 2005 have lost faith, just 48% saying they thought the Government's strategy would get the country out of the crisis.

The Conservatives' overall support soared by six points to 44%, mainly at the expense of the Liberal Democrats, giving them a 12-point lead over Labour which fell one point to 32%.

ICM interviewed a random sample of 1,003 adults by telephone between January 23 and 25 and the results were weighted to reflect the overall population.