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Labour support at a record low joint with Gordon Brown post 2008 crash

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Labour support at a record low joint with Gordon Brown post 2008 crash

Labour descended into panic today as a poll found its support has slumped to 18 per cent – equalling a joint worst under Gordon Brown during the financial crisis.

Shock research by YouGov put the party in fourth place after dropping two points in a week – behind the Tories, Brexit Party and Lib Dems.

The dramatic findings will heap pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to shift position on Brexit, after months spent desperately flannelling over whether to support a referendum or honour the 2016 national vote.

Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth delivered a stark warning that the leader’s dithering had now reached the ‘end of the road’.

‘We’ve come out in favour of a public vote on whatever deal, but I think we need to clarify that the Labour Party would campaign for Remain if there is a public vote,’ he said. 

According to the poll for The Times, only 25 per cent of Remain voters say they will back Labour, compared with 40 per cent at the end of April and 48 per cent at the start of 2019.

Jeremy Corbyn managed a smile as he left his London home yesterday but a YouGov poll has underlined Labour’s grim position with just 18 per cent support

The poll found that Labour had fallen by 2 percentage points since last week, suggesting its Brexit stance is inflicting damage

Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth delivered a stark warning that the leader’s dithering had now reached the ‘end of the road’

Their Brexit strategy has also alienated Leave voters, with only 8 per cent backing Labour in comparison to the 21 per cent who backed them in January.

The Conservatives have gained six points on Labour, with 24 per cent, claiming the sole lead and polling 2 points ahead of last week.

Voters think Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage ‘is more honest’ than Boris AND Hunt, poll reveals 

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage is more ‘honest’ than any of his rivals for Number 10 including Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, a new poll suggests.

More than a third of voters (34 per cent) thought that the MEP was ‘more honest than other politicians’, narrowly ahead of Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn on 32 per cent.

Mr Hunt and Mr Johnson, who are vying for the leadership of the beleaguered Conservative Party, lagged behind on 31 per cent and just 25 per cent respectively.

But the poll was turned on its head when voters were asked who would be a good prime minster, with Mr Johnson coming out on top on 34 per cent, ahead of Mr Hunt (31 per cent), Mr Farage (24 per cent) and Mr Corbyn last on 22 per cent.

Despite the low score, three in five Labour supporters (60 per cent) think Mr Corbyn ‘has what it takes to be a good PM’, up eight points from March, according to pollster IpsosMORI.

The Brexit Party, which was previously on an equal footing to the Conservatives last week, is a close second position with 23 per cent. 

The Liberal Democrats, who were lagging behind Labour by one point last week, have now surpassed the Labour Party with 20 per cent. 

Labour’s embarrassing figures highlight increasing discontent with the party’s indecisive stance on Brexit and its ever-growing anti-Semitism crisis.

Mr Ashworth told ITV’s Peston programme Labour’s equivocal position on Brexit had been ‘honourable’, but had now reached the ‘end of the road’.

Referring to the leadership shifting position to full-heartedly back Remain, he said: ‘I would hope it happens soon.

‘I think a lot of the people who voted for us in 2017 are probably showing up in that opinion poll as supporting the Liberal Democrats.’ 

The Labour civil war has been raging on a series of fronts as the hard-left and moderates vie for control.  

Yesterday Mr Corbyn’s deputy Tom Watson put pressure on him to take a stand against the bullying and possible de-selection of pregnant Labour MP Ellie Reeves.

The MP for Lewisham West and Penge spoke out against the readmission of her Labour colleague Chris Williamson, who was suspended from the party after saying they were being ‘too apologetic’ over allegations of anti-Semitism.

Watson, who also wants Williamson banned from the party, said: ‘A small group of members are trying to bully another pregnant MP out of the party.’

Nigel Farage’s Brexit party is currently polling on 23 per cent, the second highest behind the Tories on 24 per cent 

Jeremy Hunt (pictured at a hustings event in Belfast on Tuesday) yesterday accused Corbyn of ‘turning a blind eye’ to the issue 

Boris Johnson is pictured at a Tory leadership campaign event in Reading yesterday, as the Tories only just manage to stay above the Brexit Party 

‘This reprehensible behaviour cannot be tolerated. We will not accept bullying and threats in our ranks.

‘The entire shadow cabinet will want to publicly condemn this too.’ 

Meanwhile at an event yesterday Tory leadership hopeful Jeremy Hunt accused Corbyn of turning a ‘blind eye’ to the issue.

Recalling a trip to the concentration camp, Hunt said: ‘When I went to Auschwitz I rather complacently said to myself, ”thank goodness we don’t have to worry about that kind of thing happening in the UK” and now I find myself faced with the leader of the Labour Party who has opened the door to anti-Semitism in a way that is truly frightening.’ 

He (Corbyn) has turned a blind eye to anti-Semitism, and I think he has crossed the line from criticising Israel and its foreign policy – which everyone has a legitimate right to do – to criticising the Jewish people. 

‘I think some of his comments, for example about Jewish people not understanding English irony, betray some deeply-held prejudices which ought to worry people.’

Corbyn has repeatedly and strenuously denied being an anti-Semite, saying that he opposes racism ‘in all its forms’ and has a long track record of campaigning against discrimination. 

The last time Labour’s ratings were at 18 per cent was when former leader and PM Gordon Brown battled with the aftermath of the financial crisis 

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