Labour facing huge losses

Labour is heading for huge losses in next month's "Super Thursday" elections, with the Tories on course for a clear victory, a poll suggests today.

The survey shows the Conservatives leaping into a four-point lead with Labour support down to a new low.

In a further worrying signal to Labour, two in five of the party's supporters claim they would use the 10 June elections "to send a message to the Government" by abstaining or switching their vote.

The findings shed light on the concern in ministerial ranks which led to yesterday's launch by Tony Blair of a highly personalised attack on Opposition leader Michael Howard.

The new Tory leader faces his first big electoral test next month when voters across Britain elect Euro-MPs, councillors and a London Mayor.

While today's poll found that the Tories are likely to win the European election, it also uncovered widespread resistance to the prospect of a Conservative government.

Fifty eight per cent of voters said they were either satisfied with Mr Blair's Government or would at least prefer it to a Tory administration. Only 35 per cent said they would rather see the Tories in power.

One report claimed today that Mr Blair has told friends he will stand down to make way for Gordon Brown if he comes to believe that he is a liability to his party's general election prospects.

Charles Kennedy was launching the Liberal Democrat local election campaign with a renewed call for the scrapping of council tax and its replacement with a local income tax.

Pollsters Populus questioned 1,004 adults and found the Tories with 36 per cent support, Labour with 32 per cent and the Lib-Dems with 22 per cent.

The Tories were up by two points from a month earlier, while Labour were down two points.

The totals were adjusted to take into account how likely respondents were to vote if there were a general election tomorrow. Raw figures showed Labour and the Tories level on 34 per cent.

The figure for Labour support of 32 per cent marks the party's lowest score in a non-internet poll since 1987, when Neil Kinnock was in charge and just before Margaret Thatcher's third election victory.

Populus director Andrew Cooper pointed out a new trend in which voters were becoming more reluctant to admit to supporting Labour.

For years, polling firms found that their findings underestimated the level of Conservative support because some people were embarrassed to admit their preference for the party. Now, Mr Cooper said, the "shy Tories" are outnumbered by "bashful Blairites" who back Labour but tell pollsters that they are undecided.

The technique of correcting poll findings to reflect the likelihood of voters turning out at the polls was introduced in the wake of slumping turnouts at recent elections.

Leading politicians on all sides fear that the turnout next month could slump below 20 per cent in some areas, giving a fillip to extremist parties like the British National Party who have a chance of capturing their first seat in the European Parliament.

All-postal ballots will be staged in four regions in an attempt by ministers to bolster turnout.

In London, the mayoral poll is expected to boost turnout for the European election above levels elsewhere in the country.