Tories take poll lead

Support for the Tories has risen to levels not seen since Black Wednesday in 1992, according to a new opinion poll.

The YouGov survey put the party on 40 per cent, five points ahead of Labour, with the Liberal Democrats trailing far behind on 19 per cent.

The last time the Conservatives achieved such a level was shortly before the pound crashed out of Europe's Exchange Rate Mechanism under John Major's government.

The findings provided a major boost for Michael Howard less than three months after he took over from Iain Duncan Smith.

They also sent a warning to Tony Blair ahead of his make-or-break week which sees a Commons vote on top-up fees and publication of the Hutton Report.

However, both sides were cautious over the findings, which have not been repeated by any other survey. YouGov only polls voters

with internet access.

The Tories have been struggling, and failing, to hit the 40 per cent barrier for years under three different leaders. William Hague and Iain Duncan Smith never got above 37 per cent.

Forty per cent is seen as the benchmark for a party to have serious chance of winning a general election.

However, two other polls this week showed Labour still ahead. Mori put Mr Blair's party ahead by two per cent and ICM gave them a five-point advantage.

Asked in today's Daily Telegraph poll who would make the best Prime Minister, respondents gave Mr Blair the lead over Mr Howard, by 31 to 29 per cent. Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy was on 12 per cent.

But Mr Blair's rating was down four per cent since last month while Mr Howa rd's wa s unchanged.

The Tories were also boosted in the crucial area of economic competence, which had crippled their fortunes for years following Black Wednesday.

Asked which party could handle the economy better, YouGov respondents put the Conservatives on 35 per cent, six points ahead of Labour.

The Government was condemned as "untrustworthy" by 66 per cent of YouGov's 2,536 respondents while 62 per cent disapproved of the Government's record. Some 26 per cent of those polled approved.