Tories 'worse off under Howard'

Michael Howard has failed to make any headway this summer, despite a flurry of Tory speeches and announcements, a poll shows today.

In a reversal of fortune, the Tories are actually doing worse this August than they were a year ago under Iain Duncan Smith.

The survey puts the Conservatives level with Labour on 34 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats on 21 points. The findings are a setback for Mr Howard as he prepares for the new political season.

This time last year, under the discredited leadership of Mr Duncan Smith, the Tories were backed by 37 per cent of voters and were two points ahead of Labour.

But any gains built up by the Tories have slipped away in the last 12 months, according to the YouGov poll for the Daily Telegraph. The news will prompt dismay in the party as it prepares for next month's annual conference.

The summer has seen the Conservatives dominate the political agenda with new policy announcements and eyecatching initiatives. The launch of new policies on crime, mobile phone masts, transport and cutting red tape, has not had a noticeable impact on the party's fortunes.

According to the poll, Tony Blair remains the most popular choice for Prime Minister out of the three party leaders, with a personal approval rating 10 points higher than Mr Howard's. The Tories have also failed to make headway on the question of trust. Although 68 per cent of those polled said they did not trust the Government, 57 per cent said they did not think a Conservative government would be more honest.

Mr Howard's position as leader is not in doubt. But there is unease within the party at the continued failure to make headway. Today's poll follows the poor by-election results in Birmingham Hodge Hill and Leicester South this summer. Despite an unprecedented campaigning effort, the Tories were pushed into third place in both polls.

According to the poll Labour support has fallen from 42 per cent at the time of the 2001 general election to 34 per cent. The Government's approval rating has fallen from 56 per cent to 28 per cent over the same period.