William Hague warns Tory lead could narrow further before election

By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent Published: 1:13PM GMT twenty-one February 2010

William Hague, the shade unfamiliar cabinet member Photo: EDDIE MULHOLLAND

Mr Hague, the shade unfamiliar secretary, spoke after an perspective check put the Tory lead over Labour down to usually 6 commission points.

While he pronounced he was assured the Tories would win an choosing tomorrow, he gave no such prophecy for the tangible vote, approaching in May.

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The new perspective check has combined to endangered in Conservative circles that the celebration is not most serve forward of an without a friend Government that has been in bureau for scarcely thirteen years.

Lord Heseltine, the former emissary budding minister, has turn the ultimate comparison Conservative to demonstrate doubts about the Tory performance, presaging a hung council at the choosing instead of a Tory win.

At a in isolation assembly with Conservatives in London last week, Lord Heseltine pronounced he would put income on the choosing finale with the Tories short of an comprehensive infancy in the Commons.

Lord Heseltine, who advises David Cameron on civic policy, told the Sunday Telegraph: "If I was a betting man, my income would be on the choosing ensuing in a hung council with David Cameron as Prime Minister."

A YouGov check for the Sunday Times put the Conservatives on 39 per cent, down one point from last month. Labour was on 33 per cent, up dual points.

Such a lead steady at a ubiquitous choosing competence leave the Conservatives short of a Commons majority. The Tories need to constraint 117 additional seats for a majority,

In a Sky News interview, Mr Hague was asked either the polls are squeezing withdrawal the Tories confronting a closer choosing than they had anticipated.

He said: "It could be the box and it could turn the case."

He added: "I think if an choosing were hold right away there would be a transparent Conservative feat but the not being hold now, it is being hold at your convenience it is, in 10 or eleven weeks time."

Some Conservatives hold that the inhabitant check readings are less critical than the partys targeted campaigning in the comparison extrinsic seats where Tory strategists hold the choosing will be won and lost.

"Going around the northern marginals, we are in, at the moment, in flattering great shape," Mr Hague said.

Rejecting speak of a "wobble" between comparison Tories, Mr Hague insisted that the celebration stays on course.

He said: "I don"t think that anything that has happened in the last couple of weeks has put us off in any approach or in any approach dented the spirit of the celebration leadership. I feel as upbeat about the prospects as for a prolonged time."