Poll boosts Corbyn’s stance on pay cap for bosses but sounds alarm over Labour and NHS

Jeremy Corbyn has won public backing for his plan to rein in executive pay with the introduction of a cap but received a surprise blow when the same poll showed the Tories more trusted to tackle the NHS winter crisis.

After a rocky week, in which he floated plans for a “maximum earnings limit”, Corbyn was boosted when a poll showed majority support for his proposal for a wage cap.

Some 57 per cent of people supported the idea of a wage cap for bosses of 20 times that paid to the average member of staff, according to a ComRes poll for the Independent and the Sunday Mirror.

Corbyn, who has struck a more populist tone in the new year amid reports of a re-launch to tap into public anger, will claim vindication at the survey, which even showed backing for the idea among Conservative voters, of 49/41 per cent.

He will be disappointed, however, the public’s verdict on who is best placed to manage the NHS this winter. Voters backed Theresa May and the Tories to handle the health service at the busiest time of year by 43 per cent compared to 31 per cent for Corbyn and Labour.

Campaigners have put Labour’s attack on the Tory NHS crisis at the heart of the by-election bid in Copeland. The identity of the party’s candidate to defend Jamie Reed’s 2,564 majority is due to be announced this week.