Boost for Jeremy Corbyn as Labour surges to seven-point lead over Tories in shock new poll

Liz Bates

Jeremy Corbyn has been handed a major boost as Labour took a seven-point lead over the Conservatives in a new poll.



The study by Survation - commissioned by GMB - puts his party party on 44% - up one point on its previous standing - while the Tories trail behind on 37% after slumping by three points.

The Liberal Democrats are meanwhile up one point with the pollster on 9%.

The new figures mark a boost for Labour as the two main parties have been consistently polling neck and neck in recent weeks.

The findings will meanwhile come as a major blow to Theresa May, with May’s local elections fast approaching.

According to the latest predictions, the Tories are heading for a disastrous performance with the party’s support in London set to collapse.

Frustrated backbenchers have warned Mrs May that the vote will be a test of her leadership and could prompt her removal.

A former Cabinet minister told PoliticsHome in January: "The next hurdle for the Prime Minister is the local elections in May, and they are likely to be very bad.

“We're probably going to lose every seat we've got in Birmingham, for example.

"If it's a complete meltdown, then I think there will be a leadership challenge. But it's like when you're driving and come to one of those yellow boxes - you don't move until you can see that you're going to come out the other side.

“So there needs to be an alternative candidate."

It comes after Tory vice chair for policy Chris Skidmore said Labour had become the "party of hope".