Support for Ukip hits high of 15%

Dec 29 2012

Support for the UK Independence Party (Ukip) has reached a new high of 15%, according to a poll.

The anti-EU party's rating has risen by another percentage point in the past fortnight as its fortunes continue to rise, the Opinium survey for The Observer found.

Its support is almost double that for the Liberal Democrats, languishing in the same poll on 8%. Labour were on 39% with a 10-point lead over the Conservatives on 29%. All three main parties were unchanged from a fortnight ago.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said on Saturday that 2012 had been a "remarkable year" for the party, which has seen its ratings rise from 4.5% just 12 months ago.

In a New Year message, he said Ukip's performances in a series of by-elections demonstrated that it was taking votes from Labour as well as the Tories.

"I'm particularly pleased to think back to the by-elections, especially the ones we had in Corby, Rotherham, and Middlesbrough," he said.

"What it showed was that despite the media obsession that Ukip is taking Tory votes - which of course we are - what those Northern constituencies showed is that Labour votes are coming to Ukip in real numbers too."

:: Opinium interviewed 1,965 British adults between December 21 and 27.