The favourability rating of candidates representing both the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has shown improvement, according to the latest Gleaner-commissioned poll.

Pollster Bill Johnson's survey results, which has an error margin of plus or minus three per cent, has found that this rating for PNP candidates has increased by eight percentage points between June and July. During the same period, the favourability rating of JLP candidates increased by six percentage points. However, only four points - one outside the error margin - separate the favourability rating of each party candidate in Johnson's July poll findings.

Four points

In terms of unfavourability rating, the PNP has dropped five points while the JLP gained two between June and July. Four points separate the parties in this area, according to Johnson's July poll results.

However, candidates for the go-verning PNP in the upcoming general election continue to outshine their JLP rivals as the persons considered suitable to "do the better job" as Member of Parliament (MP), electors in 84 communities islandwide have told the Johnson polling team.

In the poll, conducted on July 14 and 15 among 1,008 persons, 42 per cent said they would choose the PNP rather than the JLP candidate as the person to "do the better job" as their MP. In comparison, 34 per cent of respondents believed their JLP candidate would perform better as MP. The responses in favour of the PNP have increased by eight percentage points since Johnson's poll findings in mid-June, while pro-JLP responses have increased by four points for the same period.

The candidates of both parties, the poll data show, have benefited from a 12-percentage point drop in the number of electors who were undecided in June about which candidates would best represent them in Gordon House after August 27.