Downing Street advisers are growing increasingly alarmed that the Prime Minister may be losing his "compassionate" image with key groups of women voters.

The disclosure of the polling results helps explain why Mr Cameron has apparently sought to reach out to women over the past few weeks - apologising for making sexist remarks in Parliament and promoting more women to senior Government positions.

The Conservatives private polling shows that Mr Cameron is being rejected in increasing numbers by women in skilled manual jobs. It found that 25 percent more women than men believe the economy is going in the wrong direction and ten percent more women say that public spending cuts are being made in an unfair way.

Women are also said to be far more concerned about an apparent hidden "motive" behind Conservative plans to reduce government borrowing to cut public spending.