May keeps grip on poll
THERESA May’s Tories are showing no signs of relinquishing their commanding lead over Labour, according to the latest opinion polls.
A Survation poll for ITV’s Good Morning Britain yesterday gave the Prime Minister’s party a thumping 18-point lead over the opposition under Jeremy Corbyn.
The research gave the Tories an expected 48 per cent vote share, up one point from Survation’s previous snapshot last week, while Labour was unchanged on 30 per cent.
The Liberal Democrats were up one point on 8 per cent with Ukip unchanged on 4 per cent, Survation said. Data showed the NHS was the most important issue for voters, then Brexit, the economy and education.
Row
The Tories were also on 48 per cent in the latest ICM poll, down one point from last week.
Labour were up one point to 28 per cent, with the Lib Dems also up one point to 10 per cent. Ukip remained unchanged on 6 per cent.
Survation interviewed 1,016 adults over the phone between May 12 and 13 while ICM interviewed 2,030 adults online from May 12 to May 14.
The latest polling in the race to win the General Election on June 8 was released as Labour was engulfed in a new tax row yesterday. Mr Corbyn’s party was accused of plotting swingeing rises.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth also confirmed the top rate of tax would be hiked from 45 per cent to 50 per cent by an incoming Labour government to raise more cash for the NHS. “We will raise something in the region of £4.5billion from income tax changes,” he said.
Tory housing minister Gavin Barwell warned that Labour plans for a hike in inheritance tax could hit many ordinary family homes in parts of the country with higher property prices.
Labour chiefs did not deny the current threshold of £850,000 for the death duty would be cut to £425,000 if they win the election.
Figures released by Mr Barwell showed that across England and Wales, 3.9 million out of 25 million would be dragged into the inheritance tax net from the change. “Under Corbyn, it will be pay as you earn and pay as you die,” said Mr Barwell.
Meanwhile, Mrs May unveiled plans for tackling the “injustice” of black and Asian workers earning less on average than white workers.
Under a new Tory proposal, rules that force companies to publicly report any pay gap between male and Prime Minister Theresa May chats with shoppers while out on the campaign trail in Abingdon near Oxford yesterday. She was buoyed after a new poll gave her a thumping 18-point lead over Labour female workers will widen to include differences between ethnic groups.
The plans will also include the requirement to publish information on the pay gap at different grades of staff and age.
Mrs May said: “The fact that different ethnic groups are being paid less for doing the same jobs is an injustice which cannot be allowed in 21st century Britain.
“My plan will deliver a fairer deal for all workers, by extending rights and