Hutton inquiry sends Blair popularity plummeting - poll

The Hutton inquiry into the apparent suicide of UK government weapons expert Dr David Kelly has badly damaged British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s reputation, a new poll suggests today.

The Guardian/ICM poll found Mr Blair’s personal ratings slumped over the summer from minus 17 in July to minus 29 points now.

The poll suggests Mr Blair was now widely seen by the electorate as an out-of-touch, untrustworthy leader who spends too much time abroad and is too concerned with “spin”.

On the plus side, it also shows that a clear majority of voters, and not just Labour voters, still regard Mr Blair as a competent prime minister who stands by his principles.

The poll shows 61% of voters are unhappy with the job Mr Blair is doing and only 32% are satisfied – giving him a net personal rating of minus 29 points.

The summer dip has left Mr Blair facing his most difficult times since the petrol crisis of September 2000, when his personal rating touched minus 34 points.

The survey confirms Mr Blair’s cross-party appeal has evaporated, with 84% of Tory voters and 78% of Liberal Democrats unhappy with his performance.

He still enjoys the support of 69% of Labour voters – but even this figure has fallen by six points in the past two months.

Mr Blair’s rating for "trustworthiness" has fallen by nine points since July to only 30% now.

The poll also shows he is widely seen as out-of-touch with ordinary people - down three points since July to 31%.

For the first time a majority – 52% – say he is spending too much time abroad.

And 70%, including 58% of Labour voters, say there is too much concern with public relations and spin.

A clear majority – 57% – still think he is a competent prime minister, with firm principles (59%).

ICM interviewed a random sample of 1,002 adults aged 18 and over from across Britain by telephone between September 19 and 21.