Tories surge ahead in opinion polls

Updated 23.55 Sat Mar 15 2008

Keywords: Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Conservative

The Conservatives have a spring in their step, after an opinion poll gave them a 16-point lead over Labour - their biggest for more than 20 years.

As David Cameron ended his party's spring conference with a promise of more "family-friendly" policies, a YouGov survey for the Sunday Times put the Tories up two on 43 per cent.

"We've made people feel good about our party again and that's something that everyone in this hall should be incredibly proud of" - David Cameron

And another poll, by ICM for the News of the World, showed his advantage had trebled in a month to nine points.

Addressing activists in Gateshead, Mr Cameron confirmed plans to boost numbers of health visitors and allow new parents more flexible leave after the birth of their baby.

Some £200 million earmarked by the Government for Sure Start centre "outreach workers" would be used instead to recruit 4,200 health visitors and guarantee new parents a minimum 23 hours' support over the first year of their baby's life, he said.

But in a clear signal that he cannot guarantee early tax reductions, Mr Cameron warned: "There is not going to be some magic pot of money waiting for us when the next Conservative government is elected. So we need to get used to saying 'no' more often than 'yes'."

Mr Cameron hailed a "simple but profound" change to the party under his leadership as he defended his tactic of moving to the centre ground.

"We've made people feel good about our party again and that's something that everyone in this hall should be incredibly proud of," he said.

His optimism was backed up by the poll findings, the 16-point advantage suggesting he could achieve a Commons majority of around 120 at the next general election.

Both polls also put the Tories significantly ahead on economic competence, days after Alistair Darling moved to raise taxes on alcohol and motoring.

The YouGov survey showed a two-point slump for Labour to 27 per cent, its lowest share since 1983 under the leadership of Michael Foot, with the Liberal Democrats unchanged on 16 per cent.

ICM found the Tories had gained three points to 40 per cent, with Labour down three at 31 per cent and the Liberal Democrats down one at 20 per cent.

ICM's poll showed Mr Cameron was considered the best candidate to be Prime Minister on 37 per cent, ahead of Gordon Brown on 31 per cent and new Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg on 9 per cent.

And it found 44 per cent thought his party was "in touch with the issues that matter" compared with 29 per cent for Labour.