Labour’s performance in polls since the General Election is its worst since the late 1940s, according to analysis of polls
Labour's performance in the polls since the General Election has been its worst since the 1940s, according to an analysis of the polls.
An ICM poll’s findings were crunched by the Press Association, revealing that the stewardship of Jeremy Corbyn has done nothing to revive Labour in the intervening months, with the party trailing the Tories by an average of eight points.
That's the biggest deficit recorded for Labour at this stage in the electoral cycle since regular opinion polls commenced in the late 1940s.
Read more: How Labour has performed in by-elections since Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the Labour party
It compares to the 10 point lead Labour enjoyed after the 1992 General Election, which Labour lost under Neil Kinnock.
Even after 2010 when the Conservatives joined forces with the Liberal Democrats and Gordon Brown left office, a five point lead had opened up at this stage of the cycle.
And going further back, Labour was just four points behind the Conservative party after the 1983 General Election and five points behind the Tories after the 1987 General Election.
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The analysis comes after it was found that Labour has done poorly in by-elections in most regions outside London since Corbyn took the reins of the party.
However, in the only Westminster by-election of this parliament so far Labour won resoundingly, holding the seat of Oldham West and Royton.
Meanwhile, Labour languishes behind the Scottish National Party in Scotland, which looks set to dominate the Holyrood elections this summer.