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Brown holds poll lead
22/07/2007 20:18 - (SA)
London - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is building on his run of popularity since taking over the top job last month, while opposition leader David Cameron falters, opinion polls suggested on Sunday.
After a bad week for the opposition Conservatives, which has reportedly culminated in a handful of lawmakers calling for a vote of no confidence in Cameron, Brown's "bounce" continues to give his Labour party a clear lead.
An Ipsos MORI poll for the Observer newspaper placed Labour on 41% support - a six point lead over the Tories, who are on 35% - while a Sunday Times/YouGov poll put Labour support on 40% and the Tories on 33%.
The Observer said the result put Labour past the 40% barrier thought necessary to win an election for the first time in nearly two years. Election The Sunday Times newspaper also reported, without citing sources, that Brown was preparing to call a general election in the first half of next year.
Cameron seems to be suffering after his party failed to break through in two by-elections held last week following the resignation of former prime minister Tony Blair, and the death of another lawmaker.
His modernising agenda has long been a bone of contention with more traditional figures in his centre-right party, although they have largely toed the line in public as long as he performs well.
But the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported that up to six unnamed lawmakers had now formally called for a vote of no confidence in Cameron.
The highly unusual and damaging vote would, though, only be triggered if a total of 29 MPs call for it. 'Formidable politician'
In an interview with Sky News television on Sunday, Cameron said: "I never underestimated Gordon Brown... he is a formidable politician."
He also defended his efforts to create a "modern compassionate Conservative party".
"I made changes in the Conservative party over the last 18 months for a very clear purpose, to get us back into the centre ground, to get us into a position where people will listen to what we would say," he said.
- AFP
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