Poll shows Theresa May attracting 2015 Labour voters

Theresa May - credit dods MEP awards

Almost a third of Labour voters from the 2015 election would rather see Theresa May as Prime Minister than Jeremy Corbyn, according to a new poll.

The YouGov survey for The Times put the Conservatives 12 points ahead of Labour, their biggest lead since Gordon Brown was toppled at the 2010 general election.

It follows a similar poll by ICM yesterday which put the Conservatives 16 points ahead.

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Labour MPs trying to oust leader Jeremy Corbyn have been quick to blame the polls on his performance.

However ICM's Martin Boon said Labour would continue to poll badly until it got its "house in order" following Brexit.

“We’ve long known that nothing deconstructs a party’s support more substantively than consistent infighting and leadership challenges." 

He added: "Clearly, the relative calm associated with the handover of power from David Cameron to Theresa May, allied to the current Labour leadership challenge weighs heavily on electors' minds."

The results have led to suggestions the new Tory leader could try to force a snap general election to capitalise on her post-coronation bounce, although Mrs May has repeatedly stated she does not intend to do so.

Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act it is no longer in the gift of the Prime Minister to call an election, so she would rely on two thirds of MPs voting in favour of going to the country.

The fact boundary changes which look likely to favour to the Tories have yet to be completed further complicates the situation.

YouGov’s headline figures put the Tories on 40 points, with Labour on 28, Ukip on 13 and the Liberal Democrats on 8.

Asked who they preferred as Prime Minister, 29 per cent of Labour voters from 2015 opted for May, equivalent to around 2.7 million people.

The poll also found that one in five Ukip voters had now switched allegiance to the Tories, as the party enters its own leadership election.

Despite campaigning for Remain, May is still popular with those who voted to leave the EU, 69 per cent of whom think she is the best choice for Prime Minister.

Yesterday's ICM survey put the Tories on 43 per cent - four points up on a fortnight ago - and Labour down 2 points to 27 per cent.

Ukip were in third place on 13 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats behind them on 8 per cent.

Interestingly, the SNP polled 13 per cent in the North of England despite never putting forward candidates there.