MIND THE GAP (2)

"Economic gloom is spreading. In December a Guardian/ICM poll found that economic confidence remained strong, with 55% voters either very or fairly optimistic about their prospects. Now 51% are pessimistic. The shift is most marked among poorest voters, where confidence has plunged from 51% in December to 33% now. By contrast voters at the top of the economic scale are not alarmed: 64% are confident about their prospects now, against only 60% in December. That suggests the gap between rich and poor is widening, a source of growing public resentment. A large majority, 75%, say the gap between high and low incomes is too wide in Britain, the highest ever level found by ICM." (Guardian, 20 February) RD