It’s only one poll, but the latest one from One News Colmar Brunton is a very good one for National as the political year draws to a close:
National up 3% to 46% support, Labour down 3 to 43%, Green Party down 2 to 5%, NZ First dropping 1 to 4%, the Maori Party on 1% and Act on 1%.
It’s the party vote that counts and this result matters more – at least so far as one poll matters at all – than the preferred PM poll in which National’s leader Simon Bridges is still in single figures.
The changes are in margin of error territory but the trend still has National ahead of Labour.
That isn’t enough to govern under MMP, but it shows National support is solid and that the leader’s stardust isn’t enough to make Labour sparkle too.
Under MMP it’s not enough to have the most support, a party has to get to 61 seats by itself or with at least one support partner.
But at this stage of the political cycle, and given, the rough waters National has had to negotiate in recent months that’s a lesser concern than voter support which is still very strong.
Homepaddock 