New poll misery for Brown

Barely half of British voters believe a change of leadership or policy would improve prime minister Gordon Brown's Labour Party's chances of success in the next UK general election, according to a survey out today.

The Populus poll for The Times suggests forcing Gordon Brown to stand down may not help to salvage Labour's sliding popularity - just 52% of the electorate thought a new leader would transform the party's fortunes.

In a further blow to Labour, the number saying new policies would not boost it in the eyes of voters has jumped from 26% to 41%.

It comes after senior Labour figures were forced to defend a beleaguered Mr Brown again amid more calls for him to quit.

Gordon Prentice yesterday became the latest backbencher to urge the Prime Minister to consider his position, warning that he lacked the "skills" for Number 10.

The Pendle MP said he had "sympathy" for Mr Brown, who is on holiday in Suffolk, but last week's disastrous Glasgow East by-election defeat proved a change was needed.

"I hope Gordon reflects on things during August and accepts that it is in the party's best interests, and perhaps his own, for him to stand down," Mr Prentice said.

"Politics is a rough old business. You have got to be able to paint a picture, you have got to be able to motivate people, and I do not think Gordon has those skills."

Tony Lloyd, chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, admitted Mr Brown had to get a "sharper focus".

However, he insisted the "overwhelming majority" of MPs did not back a coup, and issued a plea for the British government to be given space to deal with global economic turbulence.

"That is one of the reasons that he (Mr Brown) has not got time for the diversion of a leadership election," Mr Lloyd added.

House of Commons leader Harriet Harman also spoke up for the premier, although she accepted that Britain had "not seen the best" of him since he entered Number 10.

Asked if she thought Mr Brown would be forced to resign, Ms Harman said: "No I don't.

"I can recognise that I don't think the British people have seen the best of him yet as prime minister.

"But the reason I so strongly support him is because the big problems people are facing in this country at this moment are the economy, the cost of fuel and food prices."

Meanwhile, home secretary Jacqui Smith demanded that Labour MPs stop "talking among themselves" and back the leader.

"He's proved himself to be a strong prime minister and quite rightly, as he said over the weekend, he's getting on with the job," she said. "He should have the support of all of us in order to do that."

Mr Prentice was following in the footsteps of former minister Graham Stringer, who insisted last week that the premier should depart for the sake of the party.

However, there have also been widespread rumours of behind-the-scenes plotting, with dissenters said to be canvassing support for replacement candidates such as justice secretary Jack Straw - who was forced yesterday to distance himself from such activities.

Dozens of moderate MPs are reportedly preparing a letter which could be handed to the Cabinet calling for a change of leader in the autumn if the issue has not been resolved by then.

Mr Brown's position was not assisted by a ComRes poll for The Independent yesterday that found most voters (53%) believed the Conservative Party was ready for office, with 46% saying the same about Mr Cameron.

Around a third of voters (34%) said they still believed Mr Brown was the better man to lead the country, but 22% of his own party's supporters disagreed.

Rebel Labour MP Ian Gibson (Norwich North) told GMTV Mr Brown had until September to come up with some "zippy policies" and needed an "Obama moment" to reignite his premiership.

However, former No 10 spin doctor Lance Price warned Labour was already set for "catastrophic defeat" at the next general election, which could leave them out of power for a generation.

"Every possible test there has been has shown the party in such dire straits that we're not just heading for defeat at the next election but such a catastrophic defeat that frankly it could take two, perhaps three, general elections for Labour to be back in a position of coming back to power," he told Sky News.