Calls for a snap election as Brown keeps his lead

Labour officials are discussing the possibility of using Mr Brown's party conference next month to call a snap election to capitalise on his strong lead over David Cameron's Tories.

A YouGov poll showed Labour maintaining an eight-point gap over the Conservatives as Mr Brown entered his third month as Prime Minister. The survey put Labour on 41 per cent, the Tories on 33 per cent and the Liberal Democrats on 14 per cent. If repeated at a general election, Mr Brown's Commons majority will go up from 69 to more than 100.

The poll also found that Mr Brown had a 24-point lead over Mr Cameron when voters were asked who would make the best Prime Minister.

Some Labour MPs also believe that an early poll could allow Mr Brown to kill off the looming row over the new EU treaty by giving him a clear mandate from the people.

A date of 25 October is being pencilled in by some in the party for a possible election. Backers of the idea say that by calling the poll in his conference speech next month, Mr Brown could even rob the Tories of their own party conference coverage.

But senior government sources were today trying to calm the speculation, pointing out that no decisions had been made. One source told the Standard that an October date has not been discussed in "senior Labour circles".

Although contingency plans have to be drafted, Mr Brown's instinct is still to prove himself in government and possibly go to the country next spring at the earliest, allies said.

Labour is keenly aware that today's YouGov poll was taken before Mr Cameron's fightback on crime and immigration in the past week. Another poll at the weekend showed the gap was narrowing between the parties. Mr Brown will want a sustained lead in the polls over several months before gambling on an election, colleagues said.

A spokesman for Mr Cameron said: "Polls go up and down but we will go on putting forward our positive case for change."

The poll suggests that although some of Mr Cameron's ratings have improved marginally in the last month, Mr Brown is winning more support the longer he spends in Downing Street.

It shows that 44 per cent of people now believe Mr Brown would make the best prime minister, seven points up on last month. Mr Cameron is judged by just 20 per cent to be the best man for the job, with Sir Menzies Campbell languishing on six points.

Both Labour and the Tories will be heartened by the poor showing of the Liberal Democrats in the poll, which follows a pattern of recent weeks. An ICM survey this week found the Lib-Dems are doing well in the North, where they have little chance of winning seats, but badly in the South and London, where they are in a better position to clinch and hold on to seats.

But the Lib-Dems have increased their support during all election campaigns since they were formed and few strategists are banking on their collapse.