Tory lead could win general election, claims Howard

CONSERVATIVE leader Michael Howard said yesterday that the Tories had opened up a big enough gap from Labour to win the next general election.

Speaking after a visit to a school in Leicester, his first official engagement since the local election results, he said: “When it comes to the general election, what’s important is the gap between the Conservative and Labour parties.

“We have to be 11.5 points ahead to win the general election. On last night’s results, we were 12 points ahead.” The Conservatives later stressed that results represented a “very, very good base” at what was an important “staging post” ' in the run-up to the general election.