London: Britain`s main opposition
Conservatives moved back into a commanding lead in opinion
polls out on Sunday, with the general election looming within six
months.
One survey by Ipsos MORI in The Observer newspaper put
the centre-right party making a six-point surge for a 17-point
lead over Prime Minister Gordon Brown`s governing Labour
Party.
A second poll by YouGov in The People newspaper gave
the Conservatives a 12-point lead over Labour.
The findings come after a series of opinion polls
showed the centre-left Labour Party clawing back the
Conservatives` lead to single digits, triggering rumours of a
snap election and concerns about a hung parliament.
Only a hefty percentage lead for the Conservatives,
led by David Cameron, would translate into a clear majority of
seats in parliament`s lower House of Commons.
The current parliament expires at midnight on May 10,
though under Britain`s constitutional monarchy, the prime
minister can ask the sovereign to consider dissolving
Parliament at any time during its five-year term.
The Observer poll of those who said they were certain
to vote gave the Conservatives 43 per cent (up six per cent on
last month); Labour 26 per cent (down five) and the
centre-left Liberal Democrats 20 per cent (up two).
PTI
