If Tony Blair thought his assurances last week that there had been no impropriety over loans to the Labour party had worked, he should think again, writes David Smith.

The majority of people simply do not believe that he has never handed out peerages in return for party funding. By 56% to 14% — four to one — voters think it has happened routinely, a Sunday Times-YouGov poll shows. Even among Labour supporters, only a third accept the prime minister at his word: that he has never given any peerages in exchange for cash.

A similar proportion, 54% to 17%, think Blair has acted improperly over the loans following the revelation by Jack Dromey, the party treasurer, that he knew nothing about them.

Blair, who came to office promising a crackdown on sleaze, is now regarded as sleazy by 53% of voters, compared with only 24% who think he is not. By more than three to one, 64% to 19%, people think Labour kept secret its loans from wealthy donors because it was embarrassed by them.

Two-thirds of people, 65%, think present arrangements concerning loans to political parties, donations and honours are corrupt. This appears to be an issue that has resonance with the public; only 18% say that it does not bother them.

Overwhelmingly, by 84% to 7%, people think the law should be changed so that loans to parties have to be declared in a similar way to donations, something Blair promised under pressure last week.

The latest sleaze episode has not undermined Labour’s overall poll rating significantly, although it has consolidated the Conservative lead. The Tories are on 38%, compared with 35% for Labour and 19% for the Liberal Democrats. Asked how they would vote if Gordon Brown was Labour leader, there is some modest switching from the Lib Dems but no significant change in ratings, with the Tories on 39%, Labour 37% and the Lib Dems 17%.

The row over funding has added to the mood of unease remaining after the outcry over the finances of Tessa Jowell, the culture secretary, and her husband. By 49% to 39%, people think that Jowell should have resigned over the affair. Voters are also unconvinced by her separation from her husband at the height of the storm. By 61% to 17% the poll shows that people believe the separation was to save her political career rather than being genuine.

The sleaze row has damaged Blair’s personal ratings as well. The prime minister’s approval rating is 36%, which YouGov says is the lowest since he became Labour leader nearly 12 years ago. Set against the 61% who think he is doing badly, his net rating is minus 25%. In contrast, Tory leader David Cameron is on a rating of plus 33%, Sir Menzies Campbell, the Lib Dem leader, is on plus 5% and Brown stands at plus 14%.

While Blair is seen by the public as badly damaged by the latest sleaze episode, people continue to have strong memories of sleaze under the last Tory government. There is a perception among voters that Cameron will take a tougher attitude on sleaze than his predecessors.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Sarah Brown and the ladies who tweet
• Open letter to a hero's daughters, from the daughter of a murdered officer
• Transplant drug extends life in mice