Cameron under pressure from Tories

Despite a string of poor opinion poll results and third place finishes in two by-elections, Mr Cameron insisted the party had "every chance" of victory in the General Election.

Aides said Mr Cameron was not taking seriously unconfirmed reports that at least two - and possibly as many as six - Tory MPs are calling for a vote of no confidence in his leadership.

Shadow cabinet member Andrew Mitchell blasted the unnamed MPs for "gutless and anonymous sniping", after the Sunday Telegraph reported they had written to the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Michael Spicer, demanding a vote on Mr Cameron's future.

The report came as opinion polls showed Labour maintaining a six to seven point lead over the Conservatives, with one putting Gordon Brown's party above the 40% barrier for the first time in two years.

As Mr Cameron prepares to fly to Rwanda on a high-profile trip to highlight new policy proposals on overseas aid, some MPs were willing to go public with calls for a shift of emphasis onto traditional Tory priorities closer to home.

Former minister Ann Widdecombe said: "There is an underlying goodwill towards David Cameron. He has been very successful in getting support from people who previously would not have looked at us. But he must now pay a great deal of attention to shoring up our traditional vote. People want us to produce firm and clear policies on issues that worry them most - law and order, immigration and the health service."

Mr Cameron told Sky News' Sunday Live: "What we are not going to do is retreat to the comfort zone." Asked whether he still believed he could win the next election, he replied immediately: "Yes. There is going to be a very tough battle for the next election, there's no doubt about it.

"But when I look at what my party has done in terms of getting into the centre, the serious long-term policy work, the team that I have got in place, I think we have every chance of fighting that election, fighting to win and winning it."

He acknowledged Mr Brown was "a formidable politician", but added: "I think Gordon Brown's problem will be he can't escape from the record of the last 10 years. He can't escape from his responsibility for the social breakdown we see."