At the end of a week that saw a senior Cabinet minister resign amid scandal, a new poll gives Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party a five-point lead over its main opposition. Labour was supported by 39 percent of respondents to the poll conducted for the Independent on Sunday newspaper, with 34 percent supporting the main opposition Conservative Party and 19 percent favoring the Liberal Democrats. A similar poll in November put Labour's support at 42 percent, with the Tories at 31 percent and the Liberal Democrats at 20 percent. With national elections widely expected in May, the Conservatives have yet to close the poll gap with Labour. Pollster Communicate Research conducted its survey both before and after Home Secretary David Blunkett, a key Blair ally, resigned on Wednesday, acknowledging his office had fast-tracked a visa for a nanny. Communicate Research interviewed 1,004 adults Dec. 14-16. The margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points.
