Premier Alex Scott?s approval ratings have fallen again with just 31.9 percent of those polled liking the way he handles his job.

Falling from 39 percent in September, Alex Scott?s performance is now at its lowest rating this year.

And his approval rating among blacks has dropped again. It now stands at 40.6 percent ? a marked contrast to the 71.1 percent approval rating he held in July when his popularity was at a peak.

Mr. Scott also slipped badly in another question in which people were asked about their overall opinion of him.

This month 41.4 percent gave him the thumbs up compared to 50.1 percent in September while 37.2 percent gave an unfavourable rating.

Despite the row over the Premier?s leaked email in which he said he was ?sick of taking crap from people who looked and sounded like Tony Brannon?, his high disapproval rating among whites has fallen only slightly to 60.4 percent compared to 62 percent in the last poll.

Opposition leader Grant Gibbons has failed to capitalise on the Premier?s popularity slide. Dr. Gibbons? own ratings are down again, falling from 40 percent to 37.9 percent.

The Research Innovations Ltd poll reveals low levels of identification with Bermuda?s two main parties with just 28.9 percent identifying with the ruling Progressive Labour Party and only 22.1 percent reporting they identified with the United Bermuda Party.

However 15.9 percent of the 402 people responding to the telephone poll, conducted earlier this month, refused to answer the party question while 27.5 percent said they had no party affinities.

Men and young people tend to be more PLP orientated while women and older people are more pro-UBP.

The figures show 36 percent of men supporting the PLP compared to 19.5 percent backing the Opposition.

However, 22.8 percent of women backed the PLP while 24.3 percent backed the UBP.

Support among blacks for the PLP stood at 45.5 percent compared to just 9 percent for the UBP while just 4.5 percent of whites backed the governing party compared to 48.2 percent favouring the Opposition.

Pessimism is increasing in Bermuda with 61.6 percent of people saying they are dissatisfied with the way things are going ? up by six percent from two months ago.

Only 26.9 percent of those polled are happy with the state of play.

Women and whites are more likely to be dissatisfied.

However, people are more optimistic about the economy with 39.1 percent saying it?s heading in the right direction compared to 34.1 saying it?s heading the wrong way.

Whites are more optimistic but blacks are evenly split on the question while lower income groups are more pessimistic than average and high earners.