UKIP and the Conservative Party now share the "nasty Party" tag according to a new ITV News / ComRes poll. Around a third of Britons associate the phrase "nasty" with the Conservatives (30%) and UKIP (32%), compared to just 18% who say the same about Labour.
While just one in seven (14%) describe Labour as having a strong leader, the Conservatives and UKIP are tied on 32%.
The description most associated with the Conservative Party is "divided" (45%), but it is also seen by 37% of voters as "having the competence to govern" - significantly higher than the 26% of voters who think Labour has the competence to govern. Despite the Liberal Democrats four years in government, just one in twelve (8%) Britons associate the Party with having the competence to govern.
While UKIP describes itself as the "People's Army", more of the public think Labour "stands up for people like me" than UKIP (28% Labour, 23% UKIP).
Most voters (59%) say they do not associate any party with keeping its promises. The fragmentation of the British party system is clear: when asked which party has the best policies for Britain's future, 27% say the Conservatives, 23% Labour, 19% UKIP, 8% Lib Dem, 7% Green, and 28% think none of them.
Tom Mludzinski, Head of Political Polling at ComRes said: "None of the parties come out of this particularly well. While UKIP now share the "nasty" mantle, once held by the Conservatives the strength of Nigel Farage as a leader is also evident. While voters hate seeing a divided Party, the Conservatives also lead on competence, something the Liberal Democrats have failed to reap any benefits on despite tough decisions made in office."
