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Jeremy Corbyn could easily hold on to the Labour leadership despite Angela Eagle dropping out of the race, a poll suggested today.

The survey of Labour members put rival Owen Smith 22 points behind Mr Corbyn even if he remained as a sole 'unity candidate'.

Asked to imagine Ms Eagle was off the ticket, 56% said they would vote for Mr Corbyn and 34% chose Mr Smith. Just 10% did not know or would not vote.

YouGov carried out the poll of 1,019 Labour members eligible to vote before Ms Eagle withdrew from the race tonight.

Asked to pick between all three candidates, 54% backed Mr Corbyn compared with 21% for Ms Eagle and 15 % who supported Mr Smith.

Mr Corbyn’s personal ratings climbed by 4% in just two weeks, with 55% believing he was doing well compared with 51% a fortnight ago.

Who would you give your vote for Labour leader? (3 candidates) YouGov for the Times, 15-18 July 2016 Who would you give your vote for Labour leader? (2 candidates) YouGov for the Times, 15-18 July 2016

Meanwhile 69% of members said they knew little or nothing about newcomer Mr Smith - while 1% said the same about his rival.

But in a sign of how the battle has divided the party, 37% of members still said Mr Corbyn should quit as leader now. The figure dropped from 44% last month.

The result came hours before Angela Eagle pulled out of the Labour leadership contest in a dramatic move that clears the way for a two-horse race.

She said it was not "in the interest of the party" to carry on after late challenger Mr Smith leapfrogged her in the battle for nominations from MPs.

Mr Smith won the endorsements of 88 MPs and two MEPS - just days after Ms Eagle made a defiant TV appearance refusing calls for the weaker candidate to drop out.

(Image: Getty Images)

Now she is tipped to be offered the job of shadow chancellor if Mr Smith wins after he told journalists: "If I'm successful Angela will be alongside me as my right-hand woman."

Ms Eagle told journalists in Westminster: "Owen has a lead in this race. I think it's right that we come together so that we have one candidate, so I'm announcing tonight that I'm withdrawing from this race and supporting Owen.

"We need to have a strong united Labour party so that we can be a good opposition and take the fight to the Conservative government.

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"We are going to be in lockstep together, arguing for an effective, united Labour party doing its job as Her Majesty's opposition, opposing this government."

Claiming to be "just as radical as Jeremy Corbyn " in a pitch to left-wingers, Mr Smith vowed to "win back the trust of the British people and get Labour into government".

He added: "It's a night where we can begin the process that's necessary to heal the divisions in our party, to unite our party."

Mr Corbyn, who does not need MPs' nominations after a decision by Labour's ruling NEC, declined to comment.