3 News Poll: July 2008

3 NEWS: The National Party could govern with unbridled power on the evidence of tonight's 3 News political poll. However the gap has closed slightly between Labour and National.

The Labour Party's attacks on National leader John Key and the policy of the National party have made some difference, with Labour managing to regain some lost ground.

In the 3 News poll, National looks to be firmly in control at 48 percent, while Labour sits steady at 35 percent.

Meanwhile the Greens have moved up to seven percent, followed by NZ First who nudge up to four percent, and look set to reach the crucial MMP threshold of five percent.

The Maori Party came in at two percent, followed by Act at one percent and trailing at 0.3 percent was United Future.

Using the figures from the poll, in parliament National would govern alone with 62 seats and could get help from Act or United Future if it needed.

Labour would have 45 seats and the Greens would have nine. The Maori Party would have four seats and Progressive one.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has kept the heat on John Key's experience and leadership in the past month and perhaps it has been working.

Mr Key has lost three points in the preferred Prime Minister stakes to come in at 32 percent, while Helen Clark is down one point to 28 percent.

Winston Peters still has his small band of followers, as he comes in at six percent, while National's Bill English manages to come in at three percent.

Last week, Helen Clark responded to a question about John Key and Bill English both being on holiday at the same time, suggesting that National MPs did not work as hard as their Labour counterparts.

However John Key says he feels that she is being ridiculous and makes no apologies for taking a couple of days off to spend some time with his family.

Voters were asked if they felt that Miss Clark's attack on Mr Key was personal or based on policy. Sixty-nine percent responded by saying it was a personal attack, 16 percent felt it was based on policy and the remaining 15 percent said that they did not know.

However, Helen Clark's attacks over the last few weeks have been mostly fair and based on National's rollout of new policy.

Miss Clark is testing John Key's ability to be Prime Minister - which the 3 News poll shows he will likely be in a few months.

Responses:

Watch: 3 News report on poll (3 News 20 July 2008)

Listen: Radio New Zealand's Brent Edwards speaks on both the 3 News and One News poll (Morning Report 21 July 2008)