UK: Poll finds that Labour could win election with different leader

The British Labour Party could still hang on to power after a general election if it ditched Gordon Brown for one of his rivals, according to a poll published today.

Any one of eight potential successors as party leader would significantly improve the party’s fortunes, according to the ComRes survey for The Independent newspaper.

If British Foreign Secretary David Miliband or Justice Secretary Jack Straw took over, Labour would even be returned as the largest party in a hung Parliament, the poll found.

With Mr Brown as leader, by contrast, the opposition Conservative Party are on course for a 48-seat majority, based on current voting intentions.

The poll showed Labour support down to 23% – neck-and-neck for the first time with third party the Liberal Democrats – with the Conservatives on 38%.

Labour’s support would increase under any one of eight senior party figures seen as potential candidates for the leadership post-Brown, ComRes found.

Under Jon Cruddas, the left-leaning backbencher, Tory leader David Cameron would still be in line for a Commons majority.

But he would be left short of a majority if either Peter Mandelson, Harriet Harman, Alan Johnson, Ed Balls or Ed Miliband took over as leader.

With Mr Straw or David Miliband, Labour would be the biggest party, as voting intentions were 31% Labour, 28% Tory and 21% Lib Dem.

ComRes telephoned 1,003 British adults between September 25 and 27, weighting data by past vote recall.