Public back Shearer over Cunliffe for Labour leadership

David Shearer has twice as much public support to be Labour leader than David Cuncliffe.

35.4% of adult New Zealanders would prefer Shearer as Labour leader, 16.9% Cunliffe.

Shearer is also seen to better represent the sort of things respondents believe in and to have an edge in several leadership qualities, according to an HorizonPoll survey of 1356 respondents nationwide between 10am December 5 and 4.30am December 8, 2011.

The survey is weighted by age, gender, ethnicity, personal income, educational qualification, employment status and party vote to provide a representative sample of the New Zealand population. At a confidence level of 95%, the maximum margin of error is +/- 2.7%.

Three MPs emerge as preferred deputy leaders (Cunliffe and Shearer aside).

They are Jacinda Ardern with 12.2% support, Shane Jones 8% and Manaia Mahuta 7.9%.

If Adern is not a contender for deputy, Jones emerges as most preferred in a contest with Mahuta and Robertson.

Above: Shane Jones .. supported for deputy if Ardern not standing

27% of New Zealanders would prefer none of the 13 MPs on the list from which they were asked to select one person as deputy.

In the contest for leader, Shearer is seen as inspiring by nearly twice as many people as Cunliffe (21.9% to 11.4%).

Shearer is seen by 42.4% to best represent the sort of things people believe in, Cunliffe 28.3%.

They are nearly even in terms of being seen as strong leaders: Shearer 27.6%, Cunliffe 26%.

Shearer is seen as more trustworthy, honest and moral. Cunliffe is seen as more knowledgeable (37.1% to 32.8%).

26.3% would prefer none of the 13 MPs listed as leader.

 Results for Leader selection:

 A full report on leader and deputy leader preferences can be downloaded here.