Johnson 'suggests' April election

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Mr Johnson told the BBC that "eight months before a general election", Labour still has everything to play for, despite a brace of polls showing the Conservatives extending their double-figure lead.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown must call an election by June 3, 2010, at the latest, but many observers believe that the most likely date is May 6, to coincide with council polls across England.

Mr Johnson's eight-month projection would fit in with this timetable, allowing for a campaign to be held during April.

One of the polls published today put the Conservatives above the psychologically important 40% mark for the first time since May, while in the other Labour struggled to maintain a single-point lead over the Liberal Democrats for second place.

Both surveys suggested that the recent surge in support for minor parties like Ukip, the British National Party and the Greens fuelled by the MPs' expenses scandal and the European elections may now be falling back.

A YouGov poll for the Sunday Times put the Tories 17 points ahead on 42% (up two since a similar survey last month) against Labour on 25% (up one) and Liberal Democrats on 18% (unchanged).

The Tory advantage was the largest recorded by the paper's regular monthly polls since September 2008, on the eve of the most intense phase of the banking crisis.

A ComRes poll for the Independent on Sunday gave the Conservatives a 15-point lead on 38% (up two compared to a similar poll last month) against Labour's 23% (down two) and the Lib Dems' 22% (up three).

Both surveys saw minor parties slumping, to a combined total of 15% in the YouGov poll and 16% according to ComRes.