Simon Bridges failing to connect with voters - Newshub poll

A Newshub-Reid Research poll has brought some seriously bad news for Simon Bridges.

Mr Bridges, who has now been in the role three months to the day, has earned just 9 percent of the vote in the preferred Prime Minister stakes - the lowest result for a National leader in over a decade.

The poll, which is the first to be conducted since the new Labour-led Government's first Budget, suggests his status as leader of the Opposition is failing to get any real traction with voters.

Simon Bridges failing to connect with voters - Newshub poll
Photo credit: Newshub.

Incumbent Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is sitting pretty on 40.2 percent, with Winston Peters' ranking nothing to write home about on 4.6 percent.

However it's not all bad; National still has the party vote.

Labour is on 42.6 percent - up by 0.3 percent - no great change despite hogging headlines with its first Budget.

Simon Bridges failing to connect with voters - Newshub poll
Photo credit: Newshub.

National is on 45.1 percent - also a slight nudge up 0.6 percent - steady as she goes, but not enough to take back power.

New Zealand First is on 2.4 percent - plummeting by a further 1.2 percent - that means no New Zealand First in Parliament. Farewell, Winston Peters.

The Greens are on 5.7 percent - down by 0.3 percent - only just above the MMP threshold, but they'll be happy with the result because look at how it translates to seats in Parliament.

Simon Bridges failing to connect with voters - Newshub poll
Photo credit: Newshub.

Sixty-one seats are needed for a majority. National gets 58.

We're assuming a deal is done in Epsom, so ACT keeps its seat - but even with ACT, National still can't claw back power.

Labour can't govern alone either with 55 seats - and with NZ First obliterated, the Greens become queen or king-maker.

Newshub.