The Conservative lead over Labour in the British polls was cut to just five points in the latest survey published today.
The Ipsos Mori poll for the Daily Telegraph continues a trend which has seen David Cameron's advantage shrink consistently into single figures since the New Year.
It represents the narrowest margin between the parties recorded since December 2008, when Gordon Brown was gaining kudos from his fight against the banking meltdown.
According to the paper's calculations, today’s results are enough to make Labour the largest single party in a hung Parliament, with 19 more seats than the Conservatives on a uniform swing.
The poll, which put Tories on 37 per cent, Labour on 32 per cent and Liberal Democrats on 19% among those certain to vote, will dampen the mood of Conservative activists ahead of the party’s spring conference which begins tomorrow in Brighton.
The party gathers for what is intended to be a launchpad for the election campaign with its lead dramatically cut back from the 19 per cent recorded at the time of last year’s spring event.
The Ipsos Mori survey was conducted between February 19th and 22nd, with some questioning taking place before the weekend’s row over allegations that Mr Brown was a bully.
Meanwhile, a daily poll for The Sun put the margin between the parties at six points for the fourth day in succession, with Conservatives on 39 per cent (up one point since yesterday), Labour on 33 per cent (up one) and Liberal Democrats on 16 per cent (down three).