Britain's Liberal Democrats party has topped the latest opinion poll following a strong performance by party leader Nick Clegg in last week's historic televised debate.
A YouGov poll in The Sun gave the Lib Dems 33 per cent of the vote, one point ahead of the Conservatives, with Labour, in power for 13 years, trailing on 26 per cent.
Under the quirks of Britain's first-past-the-post election system, that would make the Conservatives the biggest party in the 650-seat parliament and give the Liberal Democrats about 130 seats - almost double the number they have now.
That could allow the Lib Dems to form a coalition with either of the other parties.
Mr Clegg, (43), who has been transformed from virtual unknown to rising star after his performance in the first TV debate, set his sights high.
"I want to be the next prime minister," he told a news conference "There's a fluidity to this election which we haven't seen for perhaps a generation. I can't predict what is going to happen ... all I know is that the old anchors, the old patterns, the old established routines are breaking down," he added.
The Conservatives have warned that a vote for the Lib Dems could allow Prime Minister Gordon Brown to cling on to power in a minority government.
The Lib Dems would appear more natural bedfellows for Labour in any kind of coalition, but their support for proportial representation makes it hard for them to side with the party which wins the smallest share of the popular vote.
The Lib Dems appear to have struck a chord with voters disillusioned with politicians after a scandal over MPs' expenses which has hit the two biggest parties hardest. The party has also criticised banks and bonuses paid to senior executives - another target of public ire after the credit crisis.
The party leaders will participate in another live televised debate on Thursday.
Reuters