Tories increase lead to eight points

An eve-of-election poll yesterday showed Conservatives stretching their lead to a clear eight points, but suggested they are still short of the support they would need to claim an outright majority in the House of Commons.

The Opinium survey for the Daily Express put David Cameron's party on 35 per cent (up two points on a similar poll published in the paper on Monday), with Labour down one point on 27 per cent and Liberal Democrats down one on 26 per cent.

If repeated on an even swing in today's election, the figures would give Tories around 284 seats in the new Parliament - 42 short of the number they need to form a majority administration.

Labour would take 257 seats, with Liberal Democrats holding the balance of power on 80. Other parties, with 12 per cent of support, would provide only 29 MPs.

Opinium questioned 1,383 UK adults on May 4 and 5.

Another poll, by Populus for The Times, gave the Conservatives a nine-point lead over Labour.

Populus put Tories on 37 per cent (up one point on a similar poll last week), Labour on 28 per cent (up one) and Liberal Democrats on 27 per cent (down one).

The figures would make the Tories the largest single party in the House of Commons, but would not deliver an outright majority.

There were signs of a late surge to Labour in a Harris poll for the Daily Mail, which had Gordon Brown's party up three points since yesterday on 29 per cent.

The poll gave Conservatives a six-point lead, but had them down one point on 35 per cent. Liberal Democrats were also down a point on 27 per cent.

But the final daily tracker poll by YouGov for The Sun gave a four-point boost to the Liberal Democrats.

YouGov found the Conservatives enjoying 35 per cent support (unchanged since yesterday), with Labour on 28 per cent (down two points) and Liberal Democrats on 28 per cent (up four).

Populus polled 2,505 adults for The Times on May 4 and 5.

YouGov interviewed 6,483 people for The Sun on May 4 and 5.

Harris Interactive questioned 3,406 people who said they were certain to vote on May 4 and 5 for the Daily Mail.