Fresh blow for Farage as new poll reveals Ukip is now trailing in THIRD across 10 target seats

Nigel Farage suffered a fresh blow today after a new poll showed Ukip trailing badly in a series of key seats.

Across 10 constituencies targeted by Mr Farage's party, Ukip has fallen 18 points behind the Tories and seven behind Labour.

The revelation came as Mr Farage admitted that he had 'made some mistakes' during the campaign but insisted he was confident he could get it back on track.

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Across the 11 marginal constituencies – including Boston & Skegness, Great Yarmouth and North Thanet – Ukip now trail the Tories by 18 per cent and Labour by 7 per cent 

Tonight's survey for ITV News by ComRes is the latest in a string of polls showing Ukip's support being squeezed by Labour the Tories.

However, speaking to Channel 4 News tonight, Mr Farage insisted he was looking forward to the rest of the campaign and had 'a bit of the old vim and vigour back'. 

He said: 'I started the campaign and think I make some mistakes. My desperation for Ukip to do well meant that I really packed the diary and the day in a way that frankly wasn't very bright. I have now trimmed it back a bit. I'm being a bit more selective.'

Asked if he was 'exhausted' he said: 'No, I'm now actually rejuvenated and enjoying it again.'

But told he had looked 'a bit wonky' earlier in the campaign, Mr Farage said: 'I was. No, no. Hands up I was. I had completely overdone it.

'I wasn't getting it right. I feel a bit of the old vim and vigour back and I'm looking forward to the next fortnight.'

The Ukip leader - appearing on ITV's Lorraine this morning - said he had 'made some mistakes' by trying to do too much and had had to scale back his commitments

Mr Farage insisted he was looking forward to the rest of the campaign and had 'a bit of the old vim and vigour back'

The admission came as the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg accused Mr Farage of being an 'odious Victor Meldrew' character.

In an interview with MailOnline, Mr Clegg said Mr Farage's 'mask is slipping' to reveal a man uncomfortable talking about people who are not white 'lashing out' in a scrabble for headlines.

The Lib Dem leader condemned David Cameron's appeal to UKIP supporters to 'come home', warning the 'bandwagons of the far right' are encircling an 'increasingly hapless Conservative leadership' which is losing all grip on the party.

In an interview with MailOnline, Mr Clegg said Mr Farage's 'mask is slipping' to reveal a man uncomfortable talking about people who are not white 'lashing out' in a scrabble for headlines.

Nick Clegg told MailOnline that Mr Farage was 'odious'

The Lib Dem leader condemned David Cameron's appeal to UKIP supporters to 'come home', warning the 'bandwagons of the far right' are encircling an 'increasingly hapless Conservative leadership' which is losing all grip on the party.

It came after Mr Farage called for any migrants rescued from the Mediterranean to be sent back to Africa.

The Ukip leader said 'millions' of refugees could arrive on boats in Europe over the next few years unless they are intercepted and turned back now.

Mr Farage urged Prime Minister David Cameron to resist pressure at an emergency summit of EU leaders in Brussels tomorrow for Britain to take in large numbers of refugees brought across the Mediterranean by people-smugglers.

He insisted the UK could not take more than 'a few thousand' genuine refugees.

His comments came as experts warned that up to 30,000 migrants, including 2,500 children, could be killed this year unless the crisis is tackled.

Up to 950 people are believed to have drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya on Saturday, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Just 28 people are known to have survived the tragedy, described by UNHCR as 'the deadliest incident in the Mediterranean we have ever recorded'.

However, a major survey published today suggested Mr Farage's hard-line immigration stance was popular with the public.

Barely one in ten electors say they are satisfied with Conservative border policies over the past five years.

The poll by Ipsos MORI suggests this unhappiness may be the key factor behind large numbers of Conservative voters switching to Ukip.

David Cameron and Boris Johnson campaigned together in London with polls showing that the Tories are on course to hold on to a string of key marginals

Of those who supported David Cameron in 2010, but now intend to vote for Mr Farage's party, 94 per cent are dissatisfied with immigration policy.

This compared to 45 per cent of voters sticking with the Tories.

This loss of voters to Ukip could be crucial in deciding the outcome of the General Election on May 7 – with the Prime Minister now facing a race against time to win them back.

For all voters, six in ten electors say they are unhappy about the Tories handling of the nation's borders.

A significant number of voters also insist immigration is still not being discussed enough by the politicians.

During the current campaign, the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats have all avoided talking about the subject.

The poll will now put pressure on the Prime Minister to change course and begin promoting his policies – which are far tougher than any advocated by Labour.

The public considers Labour and the Tories to be just as bad as one another when it comes to getting a grip.

Alarmingly for Mr Cameron, only 27 per cent think the current government's handling of immigration has been better than under the previous Labour government – and 26 per cent say they're handling it worse.

The rest say both are the same. This is despite the fact Labour presided over a policy of open borders in which record numbers were allowed to pour into the UK.