The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, London

Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour party lagged well behind the main opposition Conservatives in two opinion polls published Sunday. David Cameron's Conservatives were on 43 percent and Labour on 33 percent in a YouGov/Sunday Times poll, which put the opposition's lead back to previous highs after a lull when it fell to five percent at the end of last year. Labour were also behind in an ICM/Sunday Telegraph study which put the Conservatives on 40 percent and Labour on 33 percent. The Sunday Times reported that many voters cited pessimism over the state of the economy in explaining their position, adding that 22 percent believe there will be a recession in Britain this year. As former finance minister, Brown has faced rising political heat over fears about the state of the economy and particularly over the plight of troubled bank Northern Rock. There is increasing speculation among commentators that the government is about to announce the nationalisation of Northern Rock, which applied to the Bank of England for emergency funding in September last year.