More than half of those who voted Labour and Leave have abandoned the party
Labour has lost the support of more than half of those who voted Labour in 2015 and Brexit in 2016, according to new Times/YouGov polling.
Just 48 per cent of Brexit-backing Labour voters said they would stick with the party in the next election. Nine per cent said they would switch to the Tories and eight per cent to UKIP.
Since 35 per cent of 2015 Labour voters also voted Leave, this is a serious threat to the party’s voteshare, and MPs are scrambling to find the right answer on Brexit.
Only a third of Labour voters support leadership contender Owen Smith’s proposal of a second referendum or general election on whatever Brexit deal is negotiated by the government. 47 per cent think Labour should accept the result but pursue a close relationship.
Among Labour’s Leave voters, 49 per cent want a stricter system of immigration controls, reinforcing the opinion that on immigration the leadership is out of touch with the members.
Yesterday, Chuka Umunna told the Huffington Post that ‘if continuation of the free movement we have is the price of Single Market membership then clearly we couldn’t remain in the Single Market.’
He echoes another former frontbencher Rachel Reeves, who has said that ‘immigration controls and ending free movement has to be a red line post-Brexit — otherwise we will be holding voters in contempt.’
However, the poll suggest that immigration is not the most significant reason for Labour voters jumping ship. Of those who have abandoned the party since 2015, 71 per cent give Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership as their number one reason.
Polls in the leadership contest closed yesterday and the results will be announced tomorrow. Corbyn remains the overwhelming favourite.
See also: Labour shouldn’t fall into the Leave campaign’s trap on immigration
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10 Responses to “Brexit voters are ditching Labour”
NHSGP
Yep.
Nothing but abuse back.
When Labour come campaigning for votes, I’ll certainly repeat what Labour members have been posting online back.
Duckman
This is not surprising in the slightest;
A lot of these Labour voters are older and more socially conservative and so a Corbyn victory repels them from the party. Only socially conservative policies will able to save Labour from political oblivion; policies such as cutting benefits for those who refuse to work, reducing immigration, promotion of patriotic values, national service and the like. Labour offers this or it will never win again in history and will become a political party for the history books
Roy Butler
Labour continue their efforts to remain within in the EU whilst trotting out the same condescending tripe about Brexit voters not knowing what they were voting for. I would never vote for the likes of Owen Smith in a million years, whatever people may say about Mr Corbyn he does appear to have Socialist principles.
Imran Khan
Roy Butler. Can you not see the total contradiction which is your post?
Oliver Olivagi
Labour Party is dangerous to our British democracy, freedom, confidence and future prosperity.
Its no good blaming J. Corbyn for the unpopularity of the party. British people are still hurting very much for crash of the economy, resulting in osterity measurws imposed by Tories and Libdems.
Labour allowed collapse of manufacture and mining companies, opened borders, handing over control to the EU, Iraq war and many more. As ling as the Kinnocks and EU-maniacs are still active we all know our Great Britain Independence is not safe.
For them to think they can get back to power so soon is a wishful thinking. The Labour party has at least 15 yrs before the British public will begin to trust them again.
The surge of new interest in past year is only due to genuine spirit of Jeremy Corbyn.
People all round the world do not trust Politicians who are so dis-connected with the public and reality on the ground.
J. Corbyn is one of those rare politicians who are still in tune with normal ordinary people. Thats why people like him and given enough time, he can resurrect Labour even as earlier as 2025.
The Labour brexiters or Leave politicians will have safe passage in future elections. But those extreme EU-Remainer politicians need to start looking for alternative career outside politics. THEY WILL BE VOTED OUT!!!
The same goes for LibDems.
In the meantime Brexit Britain is going ahead to becoming Great again.