British Conservative Party lead dwindling

LONDON, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- The British Conservative Party's lead over Labor has dwindled to 6 percentage points, a poll released Sunday said.

The poll, done for the British newspaper The Observer, would suggest a Parliament without any party holding a clear majority if a general election were held now. The Liberal Democrats might then hold the balance of power and be able to ally with either Labor or Conservatives to form a government.

Six months ago, the Conservatives led by 20 points as voters blamed the government for the recession and for a scandal over parliamentary expenses, even though members of both parties were involved. Now, voters are more optimistic about the future of the British economy.

The standing of Prime Minister Gordon Brown remains low, with 59 percent saying they are dissatisfied with his job performance. Support for Conservative leader David Cameron is at 48 percent, better than Brown but not a heartfelt endorsement.

Then there is George Osborne, the likely chancellor of the exchequer if the Conservatives win the next election. He has called for drastic austerity measures, including a pay freeze for government employees.

"They like Cameron, but not Osborne," one Conservative member of parliament told The Observer. "That is a bit of a problem."