The scale of the next Labour leader’s challenge was laid bare today after YouGov released its first Westminster voting intention of the new Parliament.
The barometer gives Boris Johnson a 20 point lead over the outgoing Jeremy Corbyn.
It is broadly reflective of the general election results, which handed the Tories a landslide win.
Labour not ready for government
There was also an increase in the number of people who said they believed Labour was not ready for government.
Before the election just 62 per cent of respondents held that belief. That has increased to 71 per cent today.
Interestingly Corbyn’s favourability has improved from record lows ahead of the election – highlighting the impact of the media smear campaign against him at the time.
Academics at Loughborough University hostility towards the Labour Party in the mainstream media doubled during the 2019 election compared to 2017.
The Conservatives, conversely, had negative coverage about them halved in the week before the election.
Leadership contest
The results come as the race to succeed Corbyn as leader of the Labour party heats up.
Keir Starmer outlined his recipe for winning over Tory voters in his first day back to campaigning.
Answering a question at Stratford’s Old Town Hall about how Labour could win over Tory voters, Sir Keir said Labour needed to offer a more inspiring vision for future generations.
The Holborn and St Pancras MP said: “We’ve depicted the public as either elitist at the top or downtrodden, without regard for the middle where there are lots of people who want opportunity and we need to be making the case for solidarity and opportunity.
“I’m not sure we have been making both those cases powerfully enough. And I think if we do, we have the chance to bring over votes that we don’t have at the moment.”
Related: Nandy angling for second preference heaven – and it could prove to be decisive
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