LABOR has clawed back to be neck and neck with the Coalition on the primary vote in the latest Newspoll out today.

The figures, compiled exclusively for The Australian, shows the Coalition and Labor both on 39 percentage points.

The data shows the Coalition vote dropping two percentage points, down from 41 earlier this month, while Labor has climbed four points.

The Greens have also slumped to 10 percentage points, down from 12 at the previous poll.

News_Image_File: Labor has jumped ahead of the Coalition in two-party preferred terms.

It is a nosedive for the Coalition, which claimed 47 per cent of the primary vote in its first post-election poll in October while Labor secured only 31 percentage points.

Newspoll now has Labor not only deadlocked with the Coalition on the primary vote but remaining ahead on the two-party preferred basis.

The opposition came from behind to clinch the poll for the two-party preferred vote in December last year.

It remains ahead on 54 points to 46 and would win government if a poll was held now.

In another blow for the government, the Newspoll also shows an increasing confidence in Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who trails Tony Abbott by just one point as preferred prime minister.

Mr Abbott has dropped three points, to 38 per cent, since the last poll and in the wake of the Manus Island riots.

In contrast, Mr Shorten has gained four points from 33 and created the slimmest of margins between the two leaders.

After the September election, Mr Abbott was well ahead as preferred prime minister with 47 percentage points to Mr Shorten’s 28 points.

Originally published as Newspoll: Shorten hot on PM Abbott’s heels