UK's Conservatives double lead over Labour Party

Britain's main opposition party has doubled its lead over the ruling Labour Party, according to a poll which showed more grim reading for Prime Minister Gordon Brown before local elections this week.

The elections in England and Wales will be the first ballot box test for Mr Brown since he took over from Tony Blair as prime minister last June. They come against a backdrop of industrial unrest, party in-fighting and growing concerns over the economy.

A poll for The Independent newspaper showed the Conservatives had stretched their lead over Labour nationally to 14 points from seven following a row over Mr Brown's decision to abolish the lowest rate of income tax, a move which left millions of Britain's poorest households worse off.

The ComRes survey, conducted between Friday and Sunday, put the Conservatives on 40 per cent, up two points since last month, Labour on 26 per cent, down five points, and the Liberal Democrats on 20 per cent - up three points.

The 14-point lead is the biggest enjoyed by any party since ComRes began polling for The Independent in September 2006.

"It suggests the controversy over the 10p tax rate has damaged Labour's standing among its traditional working-class supporters ahead of today's local elections in England and Wales," The Independent said.

Labour is expected to suffer in elections today for seats on 160 local authorities in England and Wales and could lose the high-profile contest for London mayor the same day.

Mr Brown can take some consolation from the fact that Labour suffered a drubbing in the 2004 local elections but went on to a third successive general election victory the following year.

Though Mr Brown and Labour enjoyed an initial "bounce" in popularity after he succeeded Mr Blair, slowing economic growth, declining house prices and worsening consumer confidence - plus a growing reputation for dithering - have hurt his standing.

Last week Mr Brown was forced to make concessions to Labour rebels threatening a revolt over his abolition of a 10 pence tax band, promising more help for the lowest paid.

That meant Mr Brown avoided a potentially humiliating defeat in a parliamentary vote on the budget on Monday, although the leader of the rebels, Frank Field, warned they would continue to fight the government if not satisfied with the concessions.

The government has yet to say in detail how it will compensate those affected by the abolition of the tax.