Ananova:

Labour is holding on to a narrow lead over the Tories according to an opinion poll.

The Ipsos MORI poll for The Observer newspaper put the two main parties almost neck-and-neck with Labour on 41%, just one point ahead of the Conservatives on 40%.

The Liberal Democrats - currently in the throes of a leadership election - continue to see their support being squeezed with just 13%.

The findings show David Cameron's party closing the gap since the last Ipsos MORI poll for The Observer, which put Labour on 41%, the Tories on 34% and the Lib Dems on 16%.

However they will still come as a relief to Labour as a clutch of polls since then have put the Conservatives ahead following Gordon Brown's decision to abort plans for a general election.

An Ipsos MORI poll for The Sun earlier this month, shortly after the Conservatives' successful party conference in Blackpool, gave the Tories a three point lead over Labour.

:: Ipsos MORI interviewed 1,987 adults aged 18 and over between October 18 and 23.