Parents are more likely to vote Labour than Conservative in the December 12 general election, a new poll suggests.

In a reversal of national polls, Jeremy Corbyn’s party enjoyed a 4-point lead over the Tories, on 30% to 26%, while the Liberal Democrats slipped back to 10% and the Brexit Party languished on 7%.

Women were a big factor, with Labour enjoying a 30-22% lead over the Tories among females but men favouring Boris Johnson’s party by 30-29%.

The Deltapoll survey for the National Education Union also suggested the success or otherwise of the prime minister’s moves to neutralise Labour attacks on health and schools funding could prove key in the election.

The Tories have pledged to boost the NHS budget by £20bn by 2023-4, and the schools budget by £7.1bn by 2022-3. 

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Parents felt the NHS was the most important issue (52%) in the upcoming snap election, with Brexit in second (39%), followed by jobs and the economy (29%) and education (26%).

A majority (58%) also felt schools funding was insufficient to meet the educational requirements of their children, compared to 27% who thought there was enough cash.

Many more parents (43%) felt that school funding had been cut in the last decade of Tory rule compared to those who thought it had increased (24%). 

And nearly a quarter (24%) felt funding for state schools had roughly stayed the same.

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union said: “This poll shows that a quarter of parents think education is one of the most important issues in this general election and it could be a big factor in the outcome. Education will be a critical battleground.”

:: Deltapoll sampled 1,006 adults between November 11 and 13.