Exclusive: Labour members still favour radical Corbynite policies, poll finds

Labour members are overwhelmingly in favour of the radical policies contained in the 2017 and 2019 general election party manifestos developed under Jeremy Corbyn, YouGov polling has found.

LabourList can exclusively reveal the results of internal polling conducted by YouGov for the Rebecca Long-Bailey campaign during the Labour leadership election, which closed at noon today.

The weighted group of 1,055 party members surveyed expressed significant support for left-wing policy commitments – from public ownership of key industries to introducing a four-day working week.

The research also found substantial support for nuclear disarmament, which was personally advocated by Corbyn but not adopted as party policy and not included in the 2017 or 2019 manifestos.

Commenting on the findings, Jon Trickett, currently shadow minister for the Cabinet Office and a key supporter of Long-Bailey’s leadership bid, said: “Whoever the next leader is will have the support of our membership to build on the past four years.

“This polling shows there’s no support for turning back on what the members have won these past few years. Our party will have a great future if we are proud of who we are, our working-class politics, trade union link and common sense socialist policies.”

YouGov survey results:

Nationalise mail, rail, energy and water:
Support: 91%
Oppose: 3%

Scrap tuition fees:
Support: 84%
Oppose: 5%

Cutting the substantial majority of carbon emissions by 2030:
Support: 96%
Oppose: 1%

Free broadband for all:
Support: 56%
Oppose: 13%

Abolish private schools:
Support: 48%
Oppose: 18%

Remove tax breaks from private schools:
Support: 89%
Oppose: 4%

Four-day working week:
Support: 61%
Oppose: 11%

Compensating the WASPI women:
Support: 80%
Oppose: 6%

Scrapping laws that restrict the power of trade unions:
Support: 67%
Oppose: 13%

50% top rate of tax on income over £125,000:
Support: 90%
Oppose: 3%

A pay ratio of 20:1 for all employers:
Support: 80%
Oppose: 4%

Open selections for parliamentary candidates:
Support: 57%
Oppose: 12%

Nuclear disarmament when Trident reaches the end of its life:
Support: 65%
Oppose: 15%

1,055 Labour Party members. Fieldwork: February 7th-10th, 2020.

The poll also indicated that Labour members do not believe it to be important that the next leader is female, from the North of England or working-class. Most did, however, say that it was important for them to commit to Labour’s 2019 policies.

Those surveyed said they thought of leadership candidates Lisa Nandy and Long-Bailey as more “in touch with the concerns of ordinary people” than Keir Starmer, but of Starmer as more capable of offering an “effective opposition”.

Over the other candidates, they described Starmer as a “strong leader”, a good media performer, someone who unites the party, and the candidate most able to take “tough decisions” and to win an election.

Voting in Labour’s leadership and deputy leadership elections closed today, and the results will be announced by the party on Saturday morning.