DAVID Cameron's hard line on Europe appears to have given the Tories a lift in the polls with a new two-point lead over Labour.

The so-called "Juncker Effect" has seemingly helped the Conservatives in the last few days climb five points to 33 per cent with Labour slipping two points to 31 per cent. The Liberal Democrats were unchanged on nine per cent, Ukip fell two to 15 per cent while the Greens were down one on six per cent.

The snapshot by former Tory deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft's polling operation was undertaken between last Friday afternoon and Sunday evening when the news was dominated by the Prime Minister's anger over the appointment of federalist Jean-Claude Juncker as the new President of the European Commission.