Tony Blair is leaving on a relatively high note but Gordon Brown faces big problems, according to a YouGov poll for The Sunday Times, writes David Smith.

It shows that Labour’s poll rating, 34%, climbed to its highest level since September after Blair announced his departure.

Voters seemed to have warmed to Blair on his departure in other ways. By 49% to 46% they think, overall, that he has been a good prime minister. In his resignation speech as party leader he said he had always done what he thought to be right, and by 66% to 21% people agreed.

While Blair has narrowed the gap between Labour and David Cameron’s Conservatives to four points, down from eight a month ago, it widens to 10 when people are asked how they would vote with Brown as leader. Under these circumstances Labour drops to 32% and the Tories rise from 38% to 42%.

Brown, more than Blair, appears to be picking up the backlash of voter disappointment. By 58% to 17% people think Britain is a worse place to live than 10 years ago, and by 37% to 33% they say their living standards have fallen.

Brown also suffers in comparison with Blair. By 50% to 31% people say they do not like him, and by 35% to 32% that he will not be a good representative of Britain abroad. Blair scored well on both counts.

The best way for Brown to boost his popularity would be to reduce immigration, say 60% of those polled, followed by bringing British troops home from Iraq, 49%, improving the National Health Service, 37%, and making it easier to deport terrorist suspects, 30%.

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