Unpopular PM

Written By: - Date published: 2:04 pm, March 21st, 2017 - 46 comments
Categories: bill english, polls, tv - Tags: ,

Bill English has premiered at 25% in today’s TV3 poll, down considerably from John Key’s 36.7% in TV3’s last poll – and that was his lowest polling as PM.

25% is also far lower than Helen Clark ever got as PM.  Indeed the last incumbent PM to poll so low in either TV3 or TV1 polls was… Jenny Shipley.

Normally preferred PM is a bit of a rubbish poll as incumbency has such a strong effect.  But even incumbency can’t make Bill look popular.

[edit: Newshub will be drip feeding their results during the day…]

46 comments on “Unpopular PM ”

  1. Ovid 1

    Just posted this in Open Mike:

    Roy Morgan: Labour/Green on 44%, National on 43.5%

    http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7189-roy-morgan-new-zealand-voting-intention-march-2017-201703201044

    • James 1.1

      Yup. That’s not a great poll for the nats

      • Mordecai 1.1.1

        Have you seen the TV3 poll? Nats up, Labour down. English’s net ratings positive, Little’s negative. Jacinda above Ittle.

    • bwaghorn 1.2

      shit another 6% and it’s buy buy winston as well ,

    • Bearded Git 1.3

      My rolling 4-month Roy Morgan (because it jumps around):

      Lab/Gr/NZF 49.4%
      Nats 45.6%
      Nats/Act/MP 48.0%

      The big problem for the Nats is they are heading towards the 45% level where they can’t get elected.

      • tinfoilhat 1.3.1

        I’d be tempted to split Winston out, IMO there’s no doubt he’ll be kingmaker but it’s far from certain where the old rogue will make his bed.

        • Bearded Git 1.3.1.1

          Yeah I might do that Tinfoil. Now Key has done a runner Winnie could go either way, though not sure he is keen on English either.

          And the rolling average is over the last 4 polls not 4 months.

      • Mordecai 1.3.2

        Labour is scraping to get to 30%. By your maths the Greens would have to get 15% just to equal National, and there’s no precedent for that.

  2. The decrypter 2

    It’ ” eyes down” by the tories in parliament at the moment. Very busy on their reading etc.

  3. Tinfoilhat 3

    How did the other leaders fare ?

  4. aerobubble 4

    Keys legacy of Local govt Minister, ACT leader Hyde, broken housing industry due in part by the structure of the supercity. Incapable of managing its own growth.

    National are the worst for the economy.

    • adam 4.1

      You forgot a educational meltdown, and the environment left in tatters. This government is the real deal, as far as rubbish goes.

    • Gosman 4.2

      How is the Supercity retarding Urban development ? Examples please

      • adam 4.2.1

        Don’t bother, Gossy is doing a Gossy – ideological purity to the point of rigor mortis.

  5. SpaceMonkey 5

    I’ve said it before (and I’m definitely showing my age) but Bill English reminds me a lot of John Major former PM of Britain, in style and substance.

  6. Look,… lets be honest , its entirely predictable . The guys like a cross between stale old cream crackers and Nora Batty in a bad mood.

    Take away the second hand used car salesman Key and the neo liberal economic agenda is as sour and repulsive as it gets. Couple that with the obnoxious Bennett trying to act all reformed and stateswoman – like as of late… and their heading for defeat.

    Wade-able rivers my backside.

    The con jobs worn thin.

  7. Tamati Tautuhi 7

    Maybe Dame Paula Bennett might take over the reins b4 the next Election?

    • Keith 7.1

      She will not come on RNZ and answer question pertaining to her ministerial portfolios. Too scared, can only do scripted patsy interviews.

      A Useless minister and politician if I have ever seen.

  8. james 8

    Big Trouble for Little.

    Now 4th in the preferred PMs race. Behind English, Adern, and Peters.

    Thats what everybody wants – a government run by the 4th choice PM.

    I guess Bill on 25% isnt too bad now.

    And it only took Jacinda a single poll to be more popular.

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/03/newshub-poll-jacinda-ardern-preferred-as-pm-over-andrew-little.html

  9. red-blooded 9

    Gower’s commentary was almost entirely about “Labour’s problem” – the fact that Jacinda Ardern has premiered at 10.5 (or so) – a few percent above Andrew Little. He’s trying to suggest that will mean jockeying for power. I don’t see Ardern as looking to destabilise Labour, though. He’s also saying that Peters would go with National in the case of a split parliament, and while I’d like to disagree, I think it’s probably true. Peters is an ex-Nat, after all, and he’s always said he’d talk first with the biggest party.

    We need to work bloody hard to close that gap and make Labour+Green a stronger block before September.

    • Tamati Tautuhi 9.1

      Nah already been shafted by National once if it is a coalition with National Winston will be pulling the strings and will have National hamstrung.

  10. chris73 10

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/03/newshub-poll-jacinda-ardern-preferred-as-pm-over-andrew-little.html

    So I’m guessing that, for the good of the party, Andrew Little will be standing down in favour of Jacinda Ardern? 🙂

    • Ed 10.1

      I guess its all those people who previously voted for Key, but now vote for Jacinda instead of English. trying to attribute too much meaning into a single poll result representing 1000 (hopefully different from the previous poll) people prepared to spend the time answering . . .

  11. Tamati Tautuhi 11

    That would be real dumb?

    • James 11.1

      Or would it be more dumb running with a leader who comes fourth in the preferred PM rankings?

      • chris73 11.1.1

        A political party with a popular leader…why its just crazy enough to work 🙂

  12. Thinkerr 12

    What did Blinglish poll as a person just before the 2002 election?

  13. RRM 13

    LOL –

    Key was 4x more popular than any other contender.

    English is “MERELY” 3x more popular than the next preferred PM, therefore, somehow, he’s in trouble…?

    Dreams are free I guess.