Alarm growing among Labour as Jeremy Corbyn lags behind Theresa May in polls The Labour leader has failed to see a rise in popularity despite months of chaotic Brexit negotiations

Alarm is growing in senior Labour circles over the party’s weak opinion poll ratings, suggesting that it has failed to take advantage of Theresa May’s agonies over Brexit.

A new YouGov poll for the Times put the Conservatives on 41 per cent support, six points ahead of Labour on 35 per cent. The Liberal Democrats were on 11 per cent and Ukip on 4 per cent.

A BMG Research survey this week put the Tories and Labour level-pegging on 36 per cent, with the Lib Dems on 12 per cent and Ukip on 6 per cent.

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A poll of polls for i, calculated by Sir John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, revealed that average Labour support dropped by three points during 2018, while backing for the Tories was down by one point.

Flat-line

Labour’s flat-lining poll performace is causing dismay on the Jeremy Corbyn’s frontbench.

One shadow cabinet member told i: “We should be miles ahead, but we’re paying the price for sitting on the fence on Brexit while the public seems to have a grudging respect for Theresa May.”

The slight recovery in Lib Dem support in recent months suggests Sir Vince Cable’s party is attracting some backing from pro-Remain voters.

Ukip fortunes are marginally picking up but are still far below their pre-Brexit referendum high.

Council results

Mr Corbyn last month pointed to local council gains and argued that his party had only received “anything like a fair hearing” during the election campaign and since then had faced “unremitting hostility from most of the media”.

His allies also argue that Labour started the last election campaign around 20 points behind the Tories and recovered to almost close the gap by election day.

Prof Curtice concluded that the image of both the party in general and Mr Corbyn in particular have taken a knock in recent months.

The biggest test of opinion this year will take place on 2 May when elections are held in 270 councils in England and Northern Ireland.

There are currently no parliamentary by-elections in the pipeline, though Labour says it is preparing for one in Peterborough after MP Fiona Onasanya, who has been excluded from Labour, was found guilty of lying about a speeding ticket.