Poll gives Tories 14 point lead over Labour

A new poll puts support for the Conservatives at 41 per cent, with Labour lagging 14 points behind on 27 per cent.

The survey comes after Diane Abbott said yesterday that she expects Labour will turn around its poor ratings performance in the next 12 months.

The Lib Dems and UKIP are both up two points, to nine and 14 per cent respectively, with the Conservatives down three points and Labour down one point from the same polling two weeks ago.

The polling, conducted by ICM for The Guardian, also asked whether some alternative Labour leaders would be doing better. If Ed Balls were Labour leader, the party could expect 30 per cent support – up three points from under Corbyn.

After his long-running appearance on Strictly Coming Dancing, former shadow chancellor Balls is also one of the most popular former politicians mentioned in the polling, with a net favourability of plus three – whereas former Labour prime minister Tony Blair has slumped to a a score of -40 points.

In recent electoral tests, Labour have faired poorly – with a fourth place in the Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election and a mixed bag of results in council by-elections last Thursday. Earlier in the year though it won the London mayoralty convincingly as well as recording by-election victories in Tooting and Oldham West and Royton.