Labour ‘less electable under Jeremy Corbyn’

At last week’s meeting, Mr Corbyn was criticised over his approach to tackling terrorism and the Paris attacks.

Director at BMG Research Dr Michael Turner said: “These results support an emerging trend in the polling since Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader of the party in September. The evidence appears to converge on an image problem for the party, which is failing to gain any real traction with voters.”

More than 1,500 people were questioned for the survey, carried out for the Standard, which asked: “Do you believe the Labour party is becoming more or less electable by the changes it is going through?”

Once “don’t knows” were excluded, 65 per cent of respondents believed the party was becoming less electable.

Asked if people “believe Left-wing activists are infiltrating the Labour party” under Mr Corbyn’s leadership, 48 per cent said “yes”.

The same proportion said “yes” when asked if they thought “Labour MPs are in danger of being pushed from their seats by Left-wing activists”.

Even among people who did not vote in May’s general election — often cited as prime targets for Mr Corbyn’s Labour — some 62 per cent felt the party is becoming less electable.

Of those identifying themselves as “centrist”, a group including just over half of all voters, 71 per cent believed Labour is becoming less electable. Only among 18 to 24-year-olds did more people — 53 per cent — think Labour is becoming more attractive, compared with 47 per cent who did not.

It comes after shadow business secretary Angela Eagle, who deputises for Mr Corbyn, failed to fully endorse her leader.

Asked if she thought he and shadow chancellor John McDonnell are suited for high office, she said: “I work with people the party gives me to work with.”