Tory Odds Slashed As They Take Record Poll Lead

With the Conservatives now enjoying a record lead over Labour in opinion polls, bookmakers William Hill have cut their odds to the shortest they have been since they lost power, cutting their odds from 4/7 to 8/15 to be the largest single Party after the next General Election.

And Labour are now at their longest odds since Tony Blair became Prime Minister, out to 11/8 from 5/4. The Lib Dems remain 80/1 outsiders.

"There has been no serious money for Labour to win the next General Election for months" said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe. "Since Tony Blair announced he was going to stand down probably eighty percent of the Election bets we have taken have been for the Tories."

William Hill offer 6/4 that the next General Election will produce a Hung Parliament.

Despite rumours that a serious candidate will come forward to take on Gordon Brown in the race to become the next leader of the Labour Party, William Hill make Gordon Brown red-hot favourite at 1/12 and say he looks unbeatable.

"No significant sums have been bet against Gordon Brown for some months and in racing terms he seems to be almost past the post already." said William Hill's spokesman