[Shasown]

The News of the World has announced it is backing the Tories in the general election - after supporting Labour in 1997, 2001 and 2005.

In its leader column, the paper said the country is "crying out for change. Which is why, after much soul-searching, the News of the World believes that David Cameron and the Tory Party must now be given the chance to run the country.

"Right now, they are our best hope for a brighter, saner, safer, more honourable future."

The tabloid, the country's biggest-selling Sunday newspaper, said Mr Cameron still has much to spell out and prove, but it added that Britain deserves better after the "nightmare we have all suffered".

"We certainly do not deserve a headlong return to the days of Old Labour, of division, strikes and lost opportunity.

"This paper backed New Labour to rid the nation of such a blight. Now, confronted with a renewed threat from old ways, the modernised Tories can be a force for good.

"It is time to give change a chance and move forward with fresh vigour and hope."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100327...s-6323e80.html

Britain's biggest selling Sunday newspaper, the News of the World, has come out in support of the Conservative Party at the next election.

The paper says it is "time for change and time for hope" after supporting Labour in 1997, 2001 and 2005.

It claims the modernised Tories can be a force for good and Britain does not deserve a headlong return to the division, strikes and lost opportunities of old Labour.

The news follows promises by Gordon Brown to fire cabinet ministers who fail to meet their targets.

But the Conservative Party leader David Cameron accused the Prime Minister of taking "people for fools" and the Liberal Democrats described the pledges as "meaningless".

In its leader column, the tabloid says: "After much soul-searching, the News of the World believes that David Cameron and the Tory Party must now be given the chance to run the country.

"Right now, they are our best hope for a brighter, saner, safer, more honourable future."

The paper says Mr Cameron still has much to spell out and prove, but it adds that Britain deserves better after the "nightmare we have all suffered".

The move comes as an ICM poll for the newspaper showed the Conservatives were up one point on last week, on 39%, with Labour down one on 31%.

The News of the World said the poll margin would give the Tories 309 seats, 17 short of an overall majority but still 44 more than Labour.

However a YouGov survey for the Sunday Telegraph found that despite dissatisfaction with the Budget, Labour had narrowed the gap, up one on 32% against the Conservative's drop to 37%.

Sky News.