Party was right to fight Richmond Park despite defeat – LabourList survey results

LabourList readers backed the decision to fight the Brexit by-election in Richmond despite the party slipping to a heavy defeat and losing its deposit.

Just over half, 51 per cent, said Labour was right to take on Zac Goldsmith while 43 per cent said the party should have sat out the contest. A further 5.5 per cent said they did not know.

The Lib Dems ultimately took the seat and Labour’s candidate, Christian Wolmar, trailed in third despite a strong local campaign.

Readers’ majority support for fighting the seat was wider when the first LabourList survey on the subject was carried out, in early November, when the result showed 53/36 backing for taking part with 11 per cent answering “don’t know”.

It comes after three high profile MPs used a LabourList article to call for Labour to stand aside and support the Lib Dem candidate as part of the progressive alliance. Lisa Nandy, Jonathan Reynolds and Clive Lewis argued that the party should consider the departure from tradition.

This week readers expressed some confidence that Labour’s parliamentary wins over Brexit – with Theresa May forced to pledge to reveal basics of her plan to withdraw from the EU – will lead to a boost to weak poll ratings. Nearly half, 46 per cent of readers, think it will boost the polls but 32 per cent of people believe it will have no impact. A further 22 per cent of people said they didn’t know either way. Time will tell if it does, but polling numbers out last week suggested Labour is in the worst shape since 2009.

There is greater confidence that Labour’s campaigning push on the NHS will help – with 54 per cent of respondents agreeing that it will help in key target seats while 29 per cent of people think it will not. Around one in six, 17 per cent, answered “don’t know”.

2,130 people voted in last week’s survey. Thanks to everyone who took part.