MR MAJOR declaration that his government would not be forced to go to the country until next spring, the last possible date, was greeted with much scepticism by political pundits last week. Even his own colleagues have begun to desert him, resigning their posts over Europe or announcing their decision to stand down at the election, such is their faith in a Tory victory.
Much has been made of Mr Major's "special relationship" with the Ulster Unionists, whom he is now increasingly forced to rely upon to bolster his weak position in the Commons, with his majority of just one. However, it now appears he also has to call upon the support of two Irish hereditary peers in the House of Lords to ensure that government legislation is voted through.
A fortnight ago, these two hereditary peers, the Earl of Donoughmore and Viscount Gormanston - the Premier Viscount of Ireland - along with seven English hereditary peers suddenly turned up at the House of Lords and decided to exercise their birthright by voting.
In doing so the "Vanishing Nine" - as they are dubbed because their appearance at the House of Lords is so remarkable they all failed to vote even once last year - saved the Defence Secretary Mr Michael Portillo's neck by agreeing to selling off the married quarters for the armed forces to raise £2 billion for a pre election "sweetener" of tax cuts in November.
As Mr Portillo's right wing colleagues in the House of Commons turned on him, accusing him of betraying Britain's soldiers, Tory Party whips called on the "Vanishing Nine" and the legislation was voted through the House of Lords.
Such is Mr Major's perilous position that only last week the "Vanishing Nine's were ordered to appear at the flouse of Lords again. History was being made these peers were exercising their birthright twice in the same month, let alone the same year.
Once again they saved Mr Major's government from an embarrassing confrontation with the House of Lords over the controversial Asylum and Immigration Bill. "You see them and wonder who the hell they are," says Ivor Richard, the Labour leader of the House of Lords. "There were some even the clerks didn't recognise."
Without even listening to the whole debate, these nine peers ensured that the government won the day with a majority of 14, by rejecting a Labour move to ensure that asylum seekers had three days grace to claim refugee status before - losing any entitlement to claim welfare benefits. Not surprisingly Conservative Central Office refuses to comment upon the "Vanishing Nine's" antics, although it is understood that they all received, a letter stating their presence was essential.
The decision overturned the previous vote two weeks ago when the peers backed the Labour move by a majority of three. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Runcie, the former Chief Rabbi, Lord Jakobovits and the ex Tory Home Secretary, Lord Carr, had all argued that Britain's worldwide reputation as a humanitarian country would be tarnished if asylum seekers were denied their welfare benefits. Last June the Court of Appeal also ruled that "no civilised nation can tolerate" such a system.
Ironically, the "Vanishing Nine" might have saved Mr Major's government to fight another day, but as the Liberal Democrats' Earl Russell predicted their decision has effectively written the "political death warrant" for all hereditary peers.
The next day the Guardian editorial echoed this warning. "There were spirited opponents but the hereditary vote saved the day. Ironically, if they had wanted to save their birthright, rebellion might just have extended their privilege. As it is, Labour has further cause for withdrawing the vote from hereditary peers," the paper argued.
However, perhaps this was the intention of at least one of the Irish peers. For as long ago as 1977, Lord Gormanston was arguing that the hereditary principle was outdated. In an interview with The Irish Times, he admitted that he was not interested in a political career," that the last time he had voted in the House of Lords was in 1974 on entry into the Common Market, and suggested that his voting right should die with him.
After predicting that the House of Lords would "soon" be reformed, Lord Gormanston added: "If my son, Jenico, becomes interested in a political career, he could fight for a seat in the Dail or the House of Commons."
Although Lord Gormanston bears one of Ireland oldest titles, created in 1478, he is entitled to sit in the House of Lords because he has also inherited a title created in 1868 for a relative who was governor general of Australia.
Lord Donoughmore's family is probably better known for its financial interests, and the fact that his parents were kidnapped by the IRA in 1974, than his political aspirations.
Earlier this month, the Labour leader, Tony Blair, pledged that his government would immediately remove the right for hereditary peers to vote. "To say Mr Major's government is weak is surely the understatement of the year. The fact that these people crawl out of the woodwork and save him time and again, and are allowed to because of the colour of their blood is surely undemocratic. The sooner it is all abolished the better," says one Labour MP.