PM Gordon Brown faced a fresh blow as an opinion poll put the Tories a huge 26% ahead of Labour, whose support fell to its lowest on record at just 23%.

David Cameron's Opposition, fresh from success at the ballot box last week, secured the support of almost half of voters (49%) in the YouGov survey.

Labour's score is said to be the lowest since poll records began in the 1930s. The Tory lead is unmatched since 1968.