Poll points to crash for Major

The threat of a humiliating defeat for John Major in the local elections was heightened last night by an opinion poll showing Labour in a commanding lead and a big stay-away by the Tories, writes Colin Brown.

The Mori poll for the Times gave Labour 56 (57 per cent last month); Conservatives 26 (25) and the Liberal Democrats 15 (13). It was carried out with a sample of 1,937 between 21 and 24 April. Only 48 per cent of those polled said they would definitely vote next week.