Politics

Brexit Party to ‘undermine’ Jeremy Corbyn in at least 3 traditional seats, pollster claims


Brexit Party leader announced on Monday he will call off 317 prospective MPs in areas the Conservatives won or held in 2017 to help Boris Johnson secure a strong-enough majority to take Britain out of the European Union. Mr Farage confirmed his candidates will still challenge the Labour Party in key areas in the December 12 in an attempt to reduce their majority and attempt to deliver a blow to leader . Leading pollster Lord Hayward told Express.co.uk the Brexit Party could indeed succeed in some traditional northern Labour seats due to the strong support among local communities for Brexit. 

Discussing the impact the Brexit Party could have on Labour, the Tory peer said: “I think it varies from one part of the country to another. In the south of England, in places they may be a threat in terms of eroding the Conservative Party vote.

“But all the evidence in the Midlands, in the North and in Wales is that, in 2017, when Ukip went down very heavily from 2015, it was actually the Labour Party that benefitted.

“Many of the people outside the southeast who vote the Brexit Party are – white, working-class, middle-aged or more elderly men. They are absolutely rock-solid Labour people.”

Lord Hayward continued: “If you look at where the Brexit Party has local councillors from earlier this year and did well in the Euro election it’s heavily in the traditional Labour areas so it’s likely they’ll undermine the Labour vote in large parts of the country.

“Certainly, looking at constituencies like Keighley, Stockton South, High Peak, Warrington North, – where the Labour Party gained in 2017, it took seats off the Tories because of a fall in the Ukip vote and a rise in the Labour Party vote.”

Labour regained Keighley, West Yorkshire at the snap election Theresa May called in 2017 and is considered a swing seat due to the several changes the constituency has undergone to either main parties since 2005.

Stockton South also turned red in 2017, with incumbent MP Paul Williams holding a marginal majority of 888. Warrington South returned under Labour control two years ago when both parties considered it to be a key marginal while Warrington North is a key Labour stronghold since the creation of the constituency in 1983.  

The Labour Party suffered a severe electoral loss at both the local and earlier this year amid growing anger at Brexit being delayed and due to the party’s confusing policy. 

In October, an Ipsos MORI poll found Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was the most unpopular Opposition party leader of the past 45 years.

The poll gave Mr Corbyn a net satisfaction rating of -60, with just 17 percent of voters pleased with him and a whopping 76 percent said they were unhappy with his leadership.

Polling expert Sir John Curtice said it was “pretty clear” the Tories will benefit from Mr Farage’s move, although he conceded it may not be “as big a boost as we might imagine”.

Sir John said Mr Farage’s strategy would not provide assistance to the Tories in marginal seats they are hoping to take off Labour.

He told BBC News Channel: “Nigel Farage’s offer doesn’t really give the Prime Minister the price he would really want, which is a free run against the Labour Party.”



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