K.o.K preparing for government

A new website aimed at increasing public engagement with select committees is launched today.

Run by ePolitix.com and the monthly Parliamentary Monitor magazine , Selectcommittees.co.uk uses video technology to let committee chairmen speak to users.

The site will also encourage electronic submissions for committee inquiries, and is also intended to let committee members consult the public.

The Commons defence, education, health, international development and Treasury committees have taken part so far.

The site, which is intended to complement rather than replace the official parliamentary committee sites, is launched in the Commons on Tuesday.The Conservatives would open up a double-figure lead over Labour if Gordon Brown succeeds Tony Blair as prime minister, according to a new poll.

The ICM survey for the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday puts the Tories on 40 per cent - three points up on last month and nine points ahead of Labour who are unchanged on 31 per cent.

The Liberal Democrats are down four on 19 per cent.

However, if as expected, the chancellor takes over at Number 10 when Blair steps down later this year, support for Labour would drop to 29 per cent while the Conservatives would rise to 42 per cent, giving them a 13 point lead.

If converted into seats at the general election it would give the Conservatives a working parliamentary majority.

The findings are a blow to Brown and may revive talk of a heavyweight leadership challenge when Blair goes.

In contrast Conservative leader David Cameron will be heartened to see that allegations of past illicit drug taking has so far failed to damage him in the polls.