Labour stretches lead after Budget and cash-for-access row Just over a third of the 1,000 telephone interviews for the survey were carried out today and yesterday, after The Sunday Times revealed the claims of Tory co-treasurer Peter Cruddas. Among those, Labour enjoyed a 17-point lead. Asked about the Budget, 66% agreed with the statement that "the measures announced...show that the Conservatives are the party of the rich." A move to freeze personal tax allowances for pensioners was opposed by 59% to 31%. A second poll, by Populus for The Times, showed a four point lead for Labour over the Tories by 38% (down one) to 34% (down three). The Liberal Democrats were unchanged on 11% while other parties gained three to 16%. Almost half (49%) did not believe the pensioner tax allowance move was fair and more (53%) said cutting the top rate of tax from 50p to 45p would do "nothing" to boost the economy. Only just over a third (35%) believed they would be helped by the increase in the personal tax allowance to £9,205 - 45% said it would make "little or no difference to me." Voter confidence in the Government's handling of the economy also dipped although Mr Osborne, David Cameron and Nick Clegg still enjoy more confidence than Labour. They lead Ed Miliband and Ed Balls on that score by 60% to 40% - compared with 66% to 34% last month. Populus interviewed a random sample of 1,500 adults by telephone and 2,056 adults online between March 23-25.