Brown, struggling in opinion polls, faces a revolt from party members over changes to income tax. The tax move is expected to leave five million of UK’s poorest households – Labour’s traditional support base – worse off.
Infighting over the tax changes and dissent over plans to alter terror detention laws are fuelling discontent among voters, who will surely affect the government in local elections next week.

The May 1 elections will show what could happen in a general election with Brown at the driver’s seat for the first time.

Failure to quell the rebellion in his party and a poor poll showing next week will fuel speculation about whether he is the right man for the job.

“Many of us want to know what the government is proposing to do to ensure that 5.3 million lower paid workers are not made worse off by the budget,” said Labour parliamentarian Frank Field, who has signed up 39 rebel lawmakers to apply pressure on various legislations.

Labour, roughly half way through its third consecutive term in office, has a working majority in parliament of 67. Field could therefore easily force through the tax compromise if opposition parties support the amendment.
But hope came on Tuesday in the form of an opinion poll in The Guardian that showed Labour clawing back some ground.

The poll has Labour support up five points to 34 per cent with David Cameron’s Conservatives down three points to 39 per cent. The third main party, the Liberal Democrats, was down two points on 19 per cent.