Labour will today use an entire party political broadcast to highlight the "extreme" record of Michael Howard.

To the tune of the Simply Red song "If you don't know me by now", the broadcast opens with the words: "Michael Howard's CV."

The broadcast follows a weekend poll which claimed that Tony Blair cannot secure an overall majority at the next general election.

Labour also launches a new US-style advertising campaign, which has been slammed by MPs.

In a full page advertisement in the Times, Labour details Howard's employment history with a mock CV - rounding off with his referees as Baroness Thatcher and John Major.

A party spokesman said: "Labour has decided to introduce Michael Howard to the electorate, to reveal him as a return to Thatcherism and reinforce the Tories' record in the public mind."

Today's Telegraph reports that the prime minister is under pressure from his advisers to carry out a snap Cabinet reshuffle immediately after the June elections.

Ian McCartney, the party chairman, is being tipped to lose his job as the price for what Labour officials expect will be significant losses.