More Tories unhappy with Duncan Smith

Conservative voters are increasingly unhappy with Iain Duncan Smith's leadership, according to an opinion poll released last night.

The results were published amid speculation that Mr Duncan Smith may be about to face a leadership challenge. It will fuel interest in how he performs in Prime Minister's Questions later today.

Mr Duncan Smith's approval rating among the public as a whole has slipped to its lowest point since he was elected a year ago, Mori found. He received a minus 7 approval rating from Tory supporters, according to the Political Monitor for October.

Just 32 per cent said they were satisfied by his leadership, compared with 39 per cent who weren't. Those figures drop to just 18 per cent and 44 per cent among the public as a whole. More than a third, 38 per cent, of those asked said they had no opinion on how he was performing.

There was fresh speculation that he may face a contest, with claims that senior Tories believe a majority of MPs now regard him as a liability.His opponents are believed to have taken soundings on whether they could secure the necessary 25 names – 15 per cent of the parliamentary party – on a letter asking for a vote of confidence. However many MPs, although harbouring doubts, would not want to plunge the Tories into a seventh leadership election in less than 15 years.