Gordon Brown faced fresh embarrassment over his leadership today as the Afghanistan president joked about him being replaced by Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

The Prime Minister tried to use a surprise trip to visit British troops to kickstart a political fightback, but President Hamid Karzai added to his woes.

With the issue of Mr Miliband's ambitions dogging the leaders' press conference in Kabul, President Karzai said: "Cabinet ministers plotting is nothing new. We have it in Afghanistan - although not my foreign minister".

Mr Brown insisted he had a "good relationship" with Mr Miliband. He also promised that families struggling with fuel, food and mortgage costs would get some relief this autumn.

But the Conservatives moved to outflank him with their own announcement that they would help families save £100 a year in energy and water bills by allowing low-income households to take out new Post Office card accounts.

An Ipsos/Mori poll today gave the Tories a record 24-point poll lead among those certain to vote. Twice as many electors - 48 per cent to 24 per cent - said they would vote Tory as Labour, the biggest gap since records began in 1977. It is four points wider than a month ago - with Labour dropping three. The Liberal Democrats were on 16 per cent.

• 

  Lenny Henry: 'Maybe one day we can have a black Doctor Who'

  As he wins the outstanding newcomer prize at the Evening Standard theatre awards for his role as Othello, Lenny Henry has come a long way from black and white minstrels

  ---

• 

  Spread of the Jedhead

  Jedward, voted off the X-Factor this weekend, are the most obvious proponents of the sticky-uppy look - but the style crosses boundaries of age, gender, sexuality and taste, says Nick Curtis

  ---

Sky in plot to hire students on the cheap

Sky News is currently recruiting students as reporters for its coverage of next year's general election. However, the opportunity doesn't quite seem so appealing

All stories