Brown discusses 'transfer of power' as Labour support fades

Support for Labour is at its lowest level since 1992, a new opinion poll has suggested.

The poll, published in 'The Times', showed the Conservatives on 38% - an increase of four points - while Labour slumped six points to 30%. The Liberal Democrats also dropped one point to 20%.

The poll coincided with comments made by Chancellor Gordon Brown, suggesting that Mr Blair was preparing to discuss details of his eventual handover of power with senior Cabinet colleagues.

Speaking on GMTV, Mr Brown, who is widely seen as the successor to Mr Blair, said that the Prime Minister had talked about handling the transfer of power in a "stable and orderly way" and said that it would "prove to the world" that Labour could "do these things in a unified and proper way".

On Monday night, Mr Blair announced that he was give his successor ample time to "bed in" before the next general election, which has to take place by May 2010 and is expected to be held in 2009.

However, Mr Blair refused to give details of a timetable for the handover of power, saying: "To state a timetable now would simply paralyse the proper working of government, put at risk the necessary changes we are making for Britain and therefore damage the country."

(KMcA)