a second poll undertaken by the "birmingham post" was published on 8 march. it also showed a labour lead, although narrower with labour at 49% and the conservatives at 41%. the green party and social democrat were put at 4% and the liberal democrats 2%. on the day it was published the shadow chancellor john smith distanced the party from violent protests against the poll tax but doubted that the militant tendency (whom the conservatives were blaming for poll tax disruption) could be behind peaceful protests in places like barnet and windsor and maidenhead. militant set up public meetings in rugeley and lichfield to oppose the poll tax and distributed flyers advertising the all britain anti-poll tax federation rally in london planned for 31 march; in reaction labour rushed out a leaflet based on a speech by party leader neil kinnock denouncing 'toytown revolutionaries'. the conservatives denounced 'rent-a-mob militants' but pointed to the labour mps who had declared that they would refuse to pay the poll tax, demanding that kinnock remove the party whip.