Jeremy Corbyn is today revealed as the first choice of ordinary Londoners to lead the Labour Party — defying claims that his appeal is limited to Left-wingers and trade unionists.
An exclusive YouGov poll for the Evening Standard reveals he has more support among the London public than his nearest rivals, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper, put together.
Moreover, he is more popular with the better-off ABC1 social classes, among both younger and older people, and those who voted Ukip or Liberal Democrat at the general election.
YouGov found 46 per cent of Londoners with an opinion thought Mr Corbyn would make the best Labour leader.
Shadow health secretary Mr Burnham came second on 21 and Ms Cooper, the shadow home secretary, third on 20 per cent. Liz Kendall, the Blairite candidate, trailed at 12 per cent.
Among people who voted Labour at the May election, Mr Corbyn enjoys a clear majority with 52 per cent.
That mirrors closely a YouGov survey of 1,400 entitled to vote in the leadership contest earlier this week, which suggests similar levels of support among members and wider supporters.
Fellow Left-winger Diane Abbott said the poll proved Mr Corbyn had broad support across London: “I think it shows that what he says resonates with a lot of ordinary people, above all, life-long Labour supporters.”
YouGov today said it believed the late surge of new registered Labour voters this week was likely to have increased Mr Corbyn’s share to about 57 per cent. There had been speculation that the flood of applications, which crashed the party’s website, might have been a backlash.
New rules have seen more than 120,000 people pay £3 to qualify for a vote alongside long-standing members and trade unionists. But it has raised fears of infiltration and sabotage.
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