MR John Major has suffered a devastating blow on the first day of the general election campaign, with the Sun newspaper declaring its support for New Labour.
In a front page editorial the paper - which famously claimed - to have "won it" for the Tories in 1992 - says Mr Tony Blair is the "breath of fresh air" that Britain needs. Under the headline The Sun Backs Blair - Give Change a Chance, the paper says the Conservatives are "tired, divided and rudderless" and no longer deserving of support.
While opinion remains divided - as to the full extent of the paper's influence in 1992, its decision to back Mr Blair on the first full day of this campaign will deal a crushing blow to Tory morale.
With the Commons set to prorogue on Friday, Tory MPs face a return to their constituencies with opinion polls projecting Labour with a 20 plus lead, and fearful that other sections of the Tory press may be preparing to make similar declarations for change.
After confirming that polling will be on May 1st, a defiant Mr Major insisted the Tories represented "the change" people were looking for. But this morning's reversal leaves Tory strategists pinning their hopes on the proposed head to head televised debate with Mr Blair, and on British sympathy for the underdog.
Following the announcement, all parties agree that designation at least belongs to Mr Major, as Britain braces itself for the longest campaign this century to elect a government for the next.
Mr Major and Mr Blair made early forays into the country yesterday - Mr Blair to switch voters in Gloucester, Mr Major, with his soapbox, to Luton. Both were presented with "lucky" shamrocks.
But Tory MPs know it will take more than the luck of the Irish if Mr Major is to defy the history books and recover from a unprecedented deficit to claim another term in office.