Lynton Crosby tells Tory MPs to attack Labour

Lynton Crosby masterminded Boris Johnson's London mayoral victory

David Cameron's campaign strategist has told backbench Tory MPs to step up their attacks on Labour.

Lynton Crosby told a meeting of the backbench 1922 committee Labour's lead in the opinion polls was weak and the party was vulnerable to attack.

Mr Crosby was drafted in earlier this year to sharpen up Tory campaigning ahead of the 2015 general election.

The Australian spin doctor ran the 2005 Tory election campaign and Boris Johnson's London mayoral campaign.

At the private meeting at Westminster on Tuesday evening, he gave a presentation on private polling which he said showed Labour was weak on welfare, deficit reduction and Europe.

Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne also attended the meeting. The prime minister told his MPs Labour's policies would mean more spending, more borrowing, and more debt, Tory sources told BBC political correspondent Carole Walker.

Mr Crosby said Labour leader Ed Miliband and shadow chancellor Ed Balls were considered weak by some floating voters and Conservative MPs should attack them for what he said was their responsibility for the country's economic problems.

A senior party source said the Conservatives believe Labour have made a "huge mistake" in suggesting pensioners should lose their winter fuel allowance and be included in a cap on welfare spending.