LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's governing Labour Party is still 11 points behind the main opposition Conservatives, according to an opinion poll out Sunday.

The ICM survey in the Sunday Mirror newspaper put the Conservatives on 42 percent (down one percent since last month), Labour on 31 percent (up one) and the opposition Liberal Democrats on 19 percent (up one).

Labour trailed the Conservatives by up to 23 points in the middle of 2008, before the global financial downturn kicked in.

Rumours circled last week that Brown, buoyed by his personal rise in fortunes, would go the polls early next year.

But the Sunday Mirror quoted a senior minister as saying: "It's utterly wrong to suggest Gordon was planning a spring election. The idea was never on the table."

Former home secretary Charles Clarke, who has been a fierce critic of Brown's leadership ? calling in September for him to improve his act or quit ? praised the Scot's handling of the financial crisis.

It is a sign of unity within the Labour ranks over Brown's recent stewardship of the economy, said The Observer newspaper.

Brown had shown "genuine economic and political leadership at a time when it was both desperately needed and difficult to do," Clarke told the weekly.

"It's been a real surprise to me, but, to be fair, Gordon's economic self-confidence has made him more decisive on the political front."

Brown had listened to his critics and had earned the right to support "from across the political and business spectrum.

"I'm not well known for being one of Gordon's biggest fans, but... he's done really well in meeting the challenges of the world financial and economic crisis," he said.

"Winning the general election... remains a really tough call but Labour's obviously back in the race and can do it."

ICM interviewed 1,010 adults at random by telephone on Wednesday and Thursday.