A week before "Super Thursday" the Conservatives have dismissed suggestions of big gains in England's town halls.

Tory strategists are claiming that Labour's failure to field candidates in next week's local elections could result in Conservative seats falling to the Liberal Democrats.

As the party engages is a last minute effort to talk down its chances, a party source said Labour voters in wards where there is no official candidate would vote Lib Dem.

This, the party claims, could result in a squeeze on Tories in marginal wards.

But privately some Tories are expressing confidence that they will make serious gains.

In public they are lowering their expectations in a bid to safeguard Iain Duncan Smith's leadership.

Some analysts suggest Duncan Smith may be set to see as many as 400 gains as opposition to Labour's national policies is expressed locally.

But nervous strategists are said to fear that Labour may rally at the last minute as a "Baghdad Bounce" takes hold.

By talking down their expectations - with predictions of as few as 30 gains - the party's high command hopes to be able to hail more substantial gains as a victory for Duncan Smith.

Although his MPs believe Duncan Smith has acquitted himself well during the war, some have stressed that they will be looking for positive signs of a recovery next week.

But a failure to make significant gains - and put the party back on the map in Scotland and Wales - could prompt fresh speculation about the leadership issue.

The Conservative Party is contesting 83.5 per cent of the seats up for election in England on May 1 - with 13 candidates chosen as a result of local advertising. This is compares to 65.6 per cent by Labour and 63.2 per cent by the Liberal Democrats