So how is Jeremy Corbyn doing after his storming re-election as Labour leader?
Some of my friends, and even some members of my family, have been enthusiastic supporters of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party. They pointed out that Corbyn’s meetings attracted huge numbers and that many thousands were flocking to join the party. And, of course, in the recent leadership election, Corbyn was returned with an even biggest mandate.
The problem is that all these facts are irrelevant in the face of the evidence of the views of voters themselves. Labour did appallingly in the two recent by-elections. Of course, Labour started from a bad place in both these constituencies, but the national polling confirms that Labour is trailing the Conservatives big time and that Corbyn is doing much worse even the the party he leads.
The latest polling statistics from YouGov show that the Conservatives currently have the support of 42% of the electorate while Labour has a mere 25%. The Conservative lead is an incredible 17% and Labour’s standing is the worst since 2009.
The same poll reveals that, when asked who would make the best Prime Minister, 49% support Theresa May while a mere 16% back Corbyn. This is a difference of 33 percentage points – twice the difference between the support for the parties that these two lead.
Which part of this analysis do Corbyn supporters not understand and what would it take to rescue the Labour Party?