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Liberal support falls, 61 percent disapprove of premier's performance

Support for the British Columbia Liberal Party continues to fall, according to a poll released today, and 61 percent now disapprove of Premier Gordon Campbell's performance.

Support for the Liberals was at 32 percent, according to a Mustel Group poll released today. That's 14 percent lower than the share of votes they got in the election a year ago.

The NDP were at 44 percent, up two percent from their election result and 12 percent ahead of the Liberals. While support for NDP leader Carole James has been steady, Premier Gordon Campbell's approval rating has fallen from a high of 51 percent last year to 28 percent.

Sixty-one percent disapproved of Campbell's performance.

"This is a tough time for the government," said attorney general, solicitor general and government house leader Michael de Jong. The poll reflects the response to the HST, he said. "The government's got a lot of work to do in the months ahead in terms of reconnecting with British Columbians."

The Conservatives were at seven percent in the Mustel poll. Both the Conservatives and the Green Party polled five percent higher than their election results, but support for the Greens has fallen since November while the Conservatives' gained.

Some 29 percent told the surveyors that they had already signed the anti-HST petition. Another 44 percent said they would sign it if given the chance.

The poll, conducted by phone between May 6 to 16, surveyed 500 British Columbians over 18 years old. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.4 percent, 19 times out of 20. Twelve percent of respondents were undecided.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.

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