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Labour chiefs are quietly urging voters to ignore Jeremy Corbyn's anti-nuclear views in a crunch by-election.

The Labour leader, a veteran anti-nukes campaigner, faces his biggest electoral test when voters go to the polls in Copeland, Cumbria.

The constituency is home to the Sellafield nuclear plant and next-door to Barrow-in-Furness, home to the shipyard building the Navy's new Trident nuclear submarines.

Labour is defending a slim 2,564 majority in the vote triggered by the resignation of MP Jamie Reed.

The Tories are favourites to win.

Senior Labour figures fear the Conservatives will highlight Mr Corbyn's lifelong opposition to nuclear power and weapons.

(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

The Labour leader will “absolutely” visit the constituency during the campaign, according to party sources.

Copeland council's Labour group leader Lena Hogg, who voted for Mr Corbyn in his successful leadership campaigns, hoped he would accept nuclear was popular locally.

Pro-nukes Mrs Hogg told the Mirror: “We have got it and it's staying and people are quite happy about the fact we have had it since 1952.

“It doesn't matter what people feel about it, it's not going anywhere.”

Asked about suggestions he could be “sidelined” in the campaign, she added: “I really can't see anybody concentrating on anything that Jeremy Corbyn does or says.”

Mrs Hogg was “very positive and confident” Labour would win.

But she admitted “every election battle is a tough battle, especially today when things are in disarray”.

“As far as I'm concerned it's a local election and it will be fought on local issues,” she said.

(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Local Labour councillor Bill Kirkbride believed Cumbria would be “poverty-stricken” without the nuclear industry.

“Provided Jeremy Corbyn doesn't say anything negative we are all right,” he said.

“ Labour Party policy regarding nuclear is written in big, luminous letters.”

He added: “What Jeremy has to say on the price of cheese – well, silence is golden.”

Seizing Copeland would be a major coup for the Tories and a massive blow for Mr Corbyn.

Labour has drafted in elections supremo and north-west MP Andrew Gwynne, who masterminded the successful Oldham West and Royton by-election in December 2015.

(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

He urged voters to focus on Labour's official policies on nuclear rather than Mr Corbyn's personal opposition.

“In terms of energy policy, we support a mix in the energy supply and production. That mix includes offshore wind, it includes nuclear – it has to,” he said.

“Policy on the Trident system hasn't changed since we were in government and started the process on looking at renewal of Trident.

“Party policy is very clear on the jobs in Barrow, very similar to the issue of civl nuclear energy.

“These are hi-skilled, hi-tech engineering jobs and we will always fight to put the interests of those workers in the shipbuilding industry first because those are incredibly important jobs for people living in this part of Cumbria.”

He added: “Jeremy Corbyn understands that is where the Labour Party is at. We all have personal views and opinions on issues but we are a party, we are united around our policy position.”

(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Mr Gwynne admitted the Tories might try to make the by-election a referendum on nukes, but insisted there were “bigger issues in this constituency”.

Labour is desperate to turn the contest into a fight over the NHS, amid controversial plans to downgrade West Cumberland Hospital.

Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth visited Copeland this week in a sign of how the party wants to shape its campaign.

Speaking in the port town of Whitehaven, Mr Gwynne said: “The issue that is really resonating on the doorstep for a lot of people here is their access to NHS services.

“They really are concerned.”

(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

He added: “This by-election is going to send a very clear message to Theresa May that people here do not want their National Health Service stripping back.”

The poll will also be an early test for new UKIP leader Paul Nuttall.

Copeland voted for Brexit by 60% - 8% higher than the national average.

UKIP came a distant third in Copeland in 2015, but Mr Nuttall has vowed to target Labour seats which backed Leave last June as he tries to drum up support in the party's traditional heartlands.

Appealing to Brexit supporters, Mr Gwynne insisted Labour accepted the Leave result – and pointed to Mr Nuttall's previous comments backing greater NHS privatisation.

No date has been set for the by-election but Labour is braced for a long campaign that could see the vote on May 4 - the same date as local elections across the country.

Labour announces its candidate for Copeland on January 19.

What do voters think?

Michael Southward, 47, a Sellafield worker from Mirehouse, said: “I didn’t vote Labour last time.

"I think Jeremy Corbyn coming here would make it more difficult for a Labour candidate because he is anti-nuclear.

"Sellafield is a big employer. I’m not sure if I will vote at all, but it certainly wouldn’t be for Labour.”

(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Tracey Ball, 49, a chip ship worker, of Whitehaven, said: “There are rumours they are trying to move some of the hospital services to Carlisle, which is a big issue here and would be especially bad for young mums and the elderly.

"Labour would do best if it focused on the hospital.”

(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Emily Grey, 16, who runs a market stall in Whitehaven, said: “Downgrading the hospital would be a real, real shame.

"My dad Phil has got a job at Sellafield and people are more likely to support a party that backs nuclear because it’s such a big industry here.”

(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Thomas Barker, 73, a retired security guard, of Egremont, said: “I don’t think a lot of Jeremy Corbyn – but then Theresa May doesn’t strike me as good Conservative leader.”