Method of making a negative-working heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor

A method of making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of:

• image-wise exposing a lithographic printing plate precursor to heat or infrared light;
• and removing non-exposed areas of the image-recording layer with an aqueous alkaline solution, wherein the lithographic printing plate precursor is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:
• (a) preparing an aqueous dispersion comprising particles of a hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer A which is not soluble or swellable in an aqueous alkaline developer and particles of a polymer B which is soluble or swellable in an aqueous alkaline developer but not soluble or swellable in water, wherein the glass transition temperature of polymer A is higher than the softening temperature of polymer B;
• (b) applying the aqueous dispersion on a lithographic substrate having a hydrophilic surface, thereby obtaining an image-recording layer;
• and
• (c) overall heating the image-recording layer at a temperature which is higher than the softening temperature of polymer B without inducing coalescense of the particles of polymer A.