Hung parliament is most likely result, say opinion polls

Published on Sunday 21 March 2010 21:56

A HUNG parliament remains the most likely outcome of the forthcoming general election, according to two more opinion polls published yesterday.

An ICM survey put the Conservatives' advantage at six points and research by YouGov suggested David Cameron enjoyed a seven-point advantage.

But the polls – both carried out in the middle of last week – gave contrasting signals on the party's trajectory.

One showed the Tory lead shrinking by three points, while the other suggested it had widened by the same margin. Neither lead, however, would translate into an overall majority.

With less than seven weeks to go until the expected election date of 6 May, ICM put the Tories on 38 per cent – down two points – and Labour up one at 32 per cent. The Liberal Democrats were a point down at 19 per cent.

By contrast, YouGov showed a single-point improvement for the opposition to 38 per cent, Labour down two on 31 per cent and the Liberal Democrats up two at 19 per cent.

With the result still in the balance, former Labour First Minister Jack McConnell yesterday played down claims that he held talks over a potential role with a future Tory government.

The comments came after it was reported he met shadow foreign secretary William Hague to discuss his options in a possible international role.

Mr McConnell, who led the Labour administration at Holyrood until the SNP won the election in 2007, was said to have held talks with other senior Tories in London last year.

In a statement, Mr McConnell said he meets people "across the political spectrum" at home and abroad. A spokeswoman for the Motherwell and Wishaw MSP said the meeting with Mr Hague was not a secret and "did not involve any job offer".

But his political opponents seized on the newspaper allegations, saying he had undermined Labour's election hopes.

John Wilson, SNP MSP for Central Scotland, said: "How can Labour ask anyone in Motherwell and Wishaw or even in Scotland to vote for them when their local MSP is already cosying up to the Tories?"

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "I think the only person that Jack McConnell hasn't asked for a job from is me. It is quite extraordinary. I am not surprised he wants to continue his employment, but his timing is embarrassing for his political friends and colleagues that he is talking to the Tories at this juncture to make sure he saves his job."

Meanwhile, the Lib Dems' finance spokesman, Vince Cable, said he had held talks with the Treasury's top civil servant to discuss his party's economic policies in the event of a hung parliament and said he was "willing to serve" as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr Cable said he was not aware of such discussions previously taking place with his party before an election.