Maintaining momentum

How much worse can it get for Gordon Brown?

Damaging memoirs from Cherie Blair, John Prescott and Labour's former fundraiser Lord Levy throwing up questions about his personality and his ruthless desire to get into number ten.

Then there's the split with the leader of Labour in the Scottish parliament over the question of a referendum on independence. Who said what to who?

Add to that the rumbling discontent among Labour backbenchers after those awful local election results, ever so helpful noises off from former ministers, and a poll suggesting Labour will lose the forthcoming Crewe and Nantwich by election.

Another survey published on the Politics Home website suggests that the Prime Minister is rated worse than the Conservative leader David Cameron on every key leadership quality , including competence, decisiveness, fairness, likeability, trustworthiness and strength.

David Cameron

But sitting back on their laurels and enjoying Labour's discomfort is not an option for the Conservatives. Maintaining momentum is key - so how do they do that?

We sought the advice of Jill Kirby, director of the Centre for Policy Studies and Fraser Nelson, Political Editor of the Spectator.

Do the Conservatives, we asked, need to start laying out detailed policies at this stage?