National has opened a gap of 29 points over Labour in the latest poll which shows the Government is still popular despite the recession.

Tonight's TV3 Reid Research poll put National up two points to 58 percent support while Labour lost one point to 29 percent.

In the preferred prime minister poll John Key was still way ahead with 51.6 percent support.

His nearest rival was former prime minister Helen Clark on 8 percent -- although she has quit politics and isn't in the country.

Labour leader Phil Goff was behind her on 6.5 percent, a drop of 2.6 percent since TV3's last poll.

There was little change in the minor parties.

"We're doing our best and we're listening to people," Mr Key said when he was asked to react to the poll.

Mr Goff, who has been trying to raise Labour's profile, said politics was a marathon, not a sprint.

The TV3 poll results were similar to other recent surveys, although none have put National as high as 58 percent.