National has increased its lead over Labour in the latest 1News Kantar Public Poll.

National is up 1% to 38%, Labour is down 1% to 33%, ACT is up 2% to 11%, and the Green Party is on 9%.

New Zealand First rises 1% to 4%, and the Te Pāti Māori is on 2%.

For preferred prime minister, Ardern drops 1% to 29%, while Luxon is at 23% (up 2%).

One News reports it’s the closest gap between the two since Luxon was appointed National leader last November, and the lowest result for Ardern since August 2017 – before she was prime minister.

David Seymour rose 2% to 6%, Winston Peters held steady on 2% and Chlöe Swarbrick was on 2% (up 1%).

Political Editor Jessica Mutch McKay said these numbers are the worst numbers Ardern has seen since she’s in power.

“What they show is that National and Act can comfortably form a majority.

In our last poll they could form a government too, but they were only just scraping in with one seat, so this is a lot more comfortable.”

Mutch McKay said “what the shows for Labour is a real downward trend over the year.”