Top Labour MPs ‘will lose votes unless they back new referendum’

Jeremy Corbyn and key shadow cabinet members risk shedding votes to Greens and Liberal Democrats in their constituencies unless they oppose Brexit outright, polling revealed today.

The Labour leader’s vote share in Islington North would drop from 78  per cent to 52 per cent if his party ends up voting with the Conservatives to leave the EU.

The Lib Dems would surge from 12th to second place in the seat with 30 per cent, the research by YouGov and Populus for People’s Vote found.

Overwhelming opposition to Brexit and support for a second referendum was revealed in Mr Corbyn’s constituency and those of shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer and shadow home secretary Diane Abbott.

Seven in 10 people in Mr Corbyn’s constituency want a second referendum, the polling found. Eight in 10 would vote to Remain, excluding non-voters and don’t-knows.

The survey suggested that all four Labour figures had lost between three per cent and seven per cent of their local vote share since the general election, which researchers put down to the Lib Dems and Greens benefiting from pro-EU campaigns.