Britain:British prime minister Gordon Brown's need of a new year relaunch was underlined yesterday by a poll spelling a gloomy Christmas for Labour MPs.
David Cameron's Conservatives extended their lead to 13 points. In a further blow for Mr Brown, the YouGov survey recorded an unprecedented drop in his personal ratings following a series of damaging political setbacks and controversies.
Signalling changed political times, former prime minister John Major accused Labour of presiding over "systematic sleaze" during its 10 years in power while suggesting Tony Blair should apologise for his "unscrupulous" attacks on the last Conservative government.
At the same time Liberal Democrat hopes of a revival under a new leader, to be announced tomorrow, were evident as acting leader Vince Cable dismissed Mr Cameron's suggestion that the Conservatives, Lib Dems and Greens could forge "a progressive alliance" on some issues.
Ahead of the announcement - in which Nick Clegg still expects to defeat Chris Huhne - Mr Cameron declared: "I've always believed that political parties . . . should work together in areas where they agree. I hope that in 2008 the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party will join us . . . and that together we can create a new progressive alliance to decentralise British politics."
However, Mr Cable suggested Mr Cameron was living "in cloud cuckoo land", insisting: "A Conservative Party that wants to cut funding on public services . . . has little to offer today's Britain."
Mr Cameron's apparent positioning in anticipation of the new Lib Dem leadership follows Mr Brown's attempts to lure senior Lib Dems like Lord (Paddy) Ashdown into his "government of all the talents".
Those job offers are among the things counted against Mr Brown by some Labour MPs growing fearful about their electoral prospects, amid the first suggestions that the prime minister could even face a leadership challenge should Labour lose heavily in next May's local elections.
Ian Gibson MP said: "If we lose seats in the May elections, serious questions will be asked about the party leadership . . . Several people, including one or two ex-cabinet ministers, would then consider their leadership options."
Having elected Mr Brown unopposed in June, most commentators believe talk of a heave by Labour MPs against their leader is highly fanciful. However, anxiety within the party was also reflected by Andrew MacKinlay MP when he urged Mr Brown to re-energise Labour with a radical cabinet clear-out.