Dismay for Labour as polls put Tories on course to be largest party in hung parliament

Jeremy Corbyn has slipped behind Theresa May according to projections of who would win the most seats in a general election.

Labour would return 275 MPs, 20 fewer than the Tories, according to an analysis published today.

Electoral Calculus said the “slightly surprising” figures reflected a decline in Labour’s position when looking at polls conducted in November, when two cabinet ministers were forced to resign.

The researchers looked at surveys published by the major polling firms and reported that Labour’s average lead had fallen from three per cent in October to “around zero”.

Even if Corbyn agreed a deal with the SNP then the two parties would still be short of an overall majority

Labour has pushed back the deadline for selecting candidates for 75 target seats from Christmas to April, LabourList revealed today.

Electoral Calculus seats projection

Conservatives: 295

Labour: 275

SNP: 45

Lib Dems: 12

Plaid Cymru: 4

Greens: 1

UKIP: 0