GORDON'S popularity among voters is the same as Sir John Major's at his lowest point and worse than Michael Foot, according to a YouGov poll published in today's Daily Telegraph.

Graham Dines

GORDON Brown's popularity among voters is the same as Sir John Major's at his lowest point and worse than Michael Foot, according to a YouGov poll published in today's Daily Telegraph.

Labour is down to 23 points, lower than at any time during Foot's disastrous leadership of the party.

The Conservatives are on 47%, giving them an enormous, landslide a lead of 24 points.

In the first poll since the Tories' triumph in last week's Crewe and Nantwich by-election, Labour has been reduced to its lowest level of support since Gallup first asked people to declare their voting intention in 1943.

In the last month Labour has fallen three points and the Conservatives have risen three points. The Liberal Democrats are on 18 points.

When asked who would make the best Prime Minister, 39% of people polled said Tory leader David Cameron, a rise of 7% on last month. Mr Brown's rating fell 2% from April to 17%. Only 15% of those surveyed were satisfied with Brown - the same as during the worst years of the Major administration in the early 1990s.

Voters appear to have reached a clear conclusion that Brown is a massive liability to Labour.

Although a slim majority - 52% - don't think a change of Labour leader will make much difference, 32% think Labour's chances will improve and just 8% think things will get worse. Only 15% are satisfied with Brown's performance and 75% are dissatisfied.

Tim Montgomerie, editor and moderator of the Tory activists' website ConservativeHome, says: “There is much talk of the difficulty of getting rid of Brown. These sorts of polling numbers suggest to Labour MPs that Mr Brown's position is close to impossible.

“Could he really stay in post if Harriet Harman, Jack Straw, David Miliband and Alan Johnson call a meeting and tell him to quit?

“John Howard faced down such a delegation a year or so ago when the Australian Liberal Party was facing defeat under his leadership. He survived as Liberal leader but Labour's Kevin Rudd became PM in a massive win.”

YouGov surveyed 2,240 people between May 27 and 29.