The British Labour Party opinion poll lead has soared by 50 per cent as the parties gear up for a general election, a poll revealed tonight.
The Tories now trail by 15 per cent, compared with the 10 per cent lead the British Government enjoyed last month, according to the ICM survey.
The results will increase speculation that Mr Tony Blair could call an early election in April. The Prime Minister had been expected to announce a May polling day.
However, after watching Labour's poll lead crumble during the fuel crisis he will be tempted to go to the country while the going is good.
Labour is backed by 47 per cent of voters - up 3 per cent on January - according to the poll conducted for The Guardianlast month.
At the same time Tories have seen their support fall 2 per cent to 32 per cent while Liberal Democrats fell from 16 per cent to 15 per cent.
Those figures would give Mr Blair a second landslide victory, approaching the huge majority secured in 1997.
However, Labour aides have stressed the importance of getting their supporters, who are less likely to vote, to the ballot box.