LABOUR slightly closed its popularity deficit with the Tories, but remained 13 points behind in the latest opinion poll.
The ComRes survey for The Independent showed the governing party jumped four points after the party conference season, twice the boost enjoyed by the Opposition.
But the 40% to 27% difference would still be sufficient for a 66-strong Commons majority if repeated at the general election, which must take place by June.
Increases in support came mainly at the expense of the Liberal Democrats, who slumped by five points, to 18%, after being unable to sustain an immediate post-conference “bounce”.
Among smaller parties, which together attracted 15% of voters, the British National Party remained at 2% despite leader Nick Griffin’s BBC Question Time appearance.
