David Cameron had better be able to perform miracles

If not he really needs to read Bert Weedon’s “Water into Wine in a Day” sometime soon if he is going to avoid the fate of his predecessors John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith and Michael Howard (not that I want him to avoid that fate of course). Today’s Observer has a poll which shows Labour 7 points ahead of the Tories. This figure is of less interest to some of the other findings:

• nearly 40 per cent of those polled want an election within weeks; 70% of people want an election by spring.
• Brown is regarded as best able to handle a crisis by 60% of voters, compared with 13% for Cameron. Brown leads Cameron on this issue even among Tory voters.
• Cameron even trails Brown on one of his key issues, the environment (34% Brown, 22% Cameron)
• Voters believe that Labour will win the next general election: 71% believe Labour will win a majority; just 12% believe the Tories will win; Only 29% of Tories think they will win the next election.

This must have made grim reading for Cameron. The Tory party conference should be the ideal place for him to gain back some lost ground. On the other hand if the party rank and file are in a fractious mood then next week could be the kiss of death for him.