LIB DEMS MOST TRUSTED PARTY

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 27th Sep 2006

Commenting on the Populus poll published last week, Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield, said: "The Liberal Democrats are more trusted than the other main political parties to be honest and principled, and to understand the way that people live their lives in Britain today.

"Far more people believe that the Liberal Democrats care about the problems that ordinary people have to deal with than either the Tories or Labour. The Liberal Democrats are considered to be the party of the many, not just the few, by most people. This poll shows that Labour is no longer trusted to understand, or act on, the problems facing ordinary people, and the Tories have failed to convince people that they have really changed."

Populus conducted the poll on behalf on The Times. For the full results and description of the polling methods click here: http://www.populuslimited.com/ and follow the Poll Archive link for September 8th-September 10th.

The main results of the poll were:

• 'Is for the many, not just the few' - Lib Dems lead (49%, against 47% for Labour and 34% for the Tories)

• 'Party that understands the way people live their lives in today's Britain' - Lib Dems lead (43% against 35% for both other parties)

• 'Cares about the problems ordinary people have to deal with' - Lib Dems lead (50% against 40% for Labour and 36% for Tories)

• 'Honest and principled' - Lib Dems lead (41% against 31% for the Tories and 23% for Labour)

• 'Shares my values' - Lib Dems lead jointly (level with Tories on 38%, with Labour on 30%)

Other findings of the survey included:

More than half the public (51 per cent) agree think that the Lib Dems 'are now a credible alternative to Labour because of their policies to redistribute wealth and on green issues'