07/09/2013 00:00
TW
0

by RAY FLEMING
WHEN the house newspaper of the Conservative Party, the Daily Telegraph, carries a headline, “Least risky option for Labour is to go now”, old hands in the Labour Party are likely to smell a rat. Yet the facts speak for themselves. The latest YouGov poll for the Telegraph shows that Labour has retained the impressive lead over the Conservatives that it established one month ago, remaining on 41 per cent while the Conservatives have gained just one point to stand at 33 per cent. An election result that reflected those figures would give Labour a landslide majority in the House of Commons of at least 100 MPs.

The poll is a serious blow for David Cameron who has been pulling out all the policy stops in recent weeks to show that he as much a conservator as a reformer of old Conservative political values. Yet his efforts and those of his colleagues, including of course John Redwood, have won him just one point. Another leading poll will report its latest findings early next week and if these confirm the YouGov results Mr Brown may find it difficult to resist the advice of those who believe he should go for an early election in October.

The Liberal Democrats, down by two more point to 14 per cent, must surely now determine quickly whether Menzies Campbell can remain as leader. The pressure on him at the party conference next month will be immense.