Conway row to escalate, as Tory poll lead shrinks

Following yesterday’s initial revelations, it’s since emerged that Derek Conway employed another of his sons using taxpayers’ money.  The news is like manna to the Government, and has spurred the Labour MP John Mann to call for another formal investigation into Conway’s actions.

All this is backgrounded by another poll showing decreased Tory leads.  Today’s Independent / ComRes poll places Labour on 30 percent (unchanged since last month); the Conservatives on 38 percent (down 3); and the Lib Dems on 17 percent (up 1).  Significantly, this was conducted after Peter Hain’s resignation.

I speculated yesterday that the Tories might not be offering enough of a change agenda.  But – even if that’s the case – it’s still surprising that Hain’s resignation didn’t impact Labour support at all.  Have the public read the Hain scandal as a sign that wrongdoing’s entrenched across the political spectrum and not just in the Labour party?  If so, they may feel vindicated by Conway’s dodgy