Poll says PM is worst option for election

Gordon Brown may be clinging on - but five of his Labour colleagues would be more successful leaders, a poll suggested today.

Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, would transform Labour's prospects if he took over, and could deprive David Cameron of an overall majority.

Cabinet members Jack Straw, David Miliband and Ed Balls would all be more popular leaders, doing well enough to cut the Tory majority and weaken Mr Cameron as premier.

Even backbencher Jon Cruddas, the popular Dagenham MP, would save Labour from a defeat on the scale that Mr Brown appears to be heading for, the survey by ComRes in today's Independent discovered.

The findings may make some Labour MPs regret their decision to stick with the Prime Minister. The poll found that under Mr Brown's leadership, the Conservative Party would win an overall majority of 74.

But if Mr Johnson took over, the Tories would finish six seats short of a majority in a hung parliament - raising the prospect of a Lib-Lab pact to dictate events.

Under Justice Secretary Mr Straw the Tories would finish with a majority of only 10 in the Commons.