Blow to Corbyn as Tories post 16-point poll lead – but UKIP struggle to gain ground

The Tories have opened up a 16 point lead over Labour, despite the government’s u-turns over Brexit, a new poll shows.

Labour registered 24 per cent in the YouGov survey compared to 40 per cent for Theresa May’s administration.

With less than a month to go until two crucial by-elections, however, there are few signs that UKIP is picking up support nationally. Paul Nuttall’s party polled 14 per cent while the share of people choosing “other”, 11 per cent, forced the Lib Dems into fifth place on 10 per cent.

The poll, which was carried out on Monday and Tuesday and revealed in The Times’ Red Box email, came before May announced her latest change in position when she used prime minister’s questions to declare that the government would now publish a white paper on Brexit.

Labour last night selected Gareth Snell, a former council leader in Newcastle-under-Lyme, to be its candidate in Stoke-on-Trent as UKIP hope to threaten the party’s 12,220 majority.

The Tories have announced the selection of Jack Brereton, a councillor, in Stoke.