Finance Minister Paula Cox's popularity has taken its first serious plunge, six months before her expected elevation to Premier, according to a new Royal Gazette poll.

Less than half the Country [EmDash] 47 percent [EmDash] now say they view the Deputy Premier favourably, a 20 percentage point fall since the last poll in January.

And support for the governing Progressive Labour Party also dropped eight percentage points to 32 percent, meaning the combined support for the Opposition United Bermuda Party and the Bermuda Democratic Alliance was higher.

Ms Cox, whose leadership credentials came under attack when she described herself as a "cog in the wheel" Minister two months ago, also trails Premier hopeful Dale Butler in the popularity stakes across Bermuda.

For the second poll in succession, Premier Ewart Brown has achieved a record-breaking low, while the Progressive Labour Party has shed votes, meaning support for a PLP Government support is outnumbered by the Opposition for what's thought to be for the first time.

The survey by Mindmaps shows Ms Cox's rating consistently in the 60s and 70s since the last General Election [EmDash] has dropped 20 percentage points from 67 percent following her tax-raising Budget in<\p>February.

The Minister received a barrage of criticism at that time, with people claiming the poor were having to bear the burden of Ms Cox's inability to rein in spending by her Cabinet colleagues.

Twenty-eight percent of people now have an unfavourable opinion of Ms Cox, up from ten percent in January. Disapproval is strongest among whites, with 35 percent giving her the thumbs down and just 17 percent in support. She retains popularity among blacks, with 62 percent in support and 13 percent against.

Dr. Brown's favourability is now 21 percent, down from 24 percent in the previous poll in January. Even at the height of the Uighurs affair last summer, when Dr. Brown became the most unpopular Premier since this newspaper began polling, he managed a score of 27 percent.

During the past three months, Dr. Brown has faced accusations he's a lame duck Premier riding out the final days of his term, while a backbench rebellion helped block his bill entitling Ms Cox to a pay rise during the Budget debate.

Once again, unpopularity is fiercest among whites, with 83 percent against him and just six percent in favour. Thirty-four percent of blacks are against Dr. Brown, with 31 percent in support.

The Premier's approval rating has also fallen, with just 22 percent liking his performance, down from 25 percent. Fifty-two percent disapprove of his efforts, up from 41 percent.

United Bermuda Party leader Kim Swan's rating improves slightly, from 26 percent to 27 percent, with strong support among elderly residents, including 42 percent of those over 65. Mr. Swan is more well-liked by whites than blacks, scoring 37 percent and 23 percent respectively.

His deputy, Trevor Moniz, maintains his 27 percent rating, with support again among older people and whites.

New Bermuda Democratic Alliance leader Craig Cannonier scored 25 percent, with 60 percent of the 18 to 24 age group in favour. Mr. Cannonier has support from 28 percent of blacks, and 14 percent of whites. But 28 percent of voters said they didn't know what their opinion of the BDA leader was.

Deputy BDA leader Kathy Michelmore has a favourability of just 11 percent, with 57 percent saying they don't know their opinion on her.

The telephone poll of 400 registered voters took place between April 13 and April 18 and has a margin of error of 4.9 percent.