Labour has stretched its lead over the Tories since Rishi Sunak announced the date of the general election, according to a new mega poll.
In a hammer blow for the prime minister, the Redfield and Wilton Strategies survey of 12,000 people showed support for Keir Starmer’s party has increased by one point to 46%.
That suggests Sunak has enjoyed no polling bounce since his shock announcement last Wednesday that the country will go to the polls on July 4.
The Conservatives remain on just 23%, leaving them a staggering 23 points behind Labour with a little over five weeks to go until polling day.
Reform UK are on 13% (+1 point) , the Lib Dems are on 9% (-1) and the Greens remain on 5%.
A separate poll published tonight by Survation also showed Labour extending its lead.
It put Labour on 47% (down one point on a week ago), with the Tories down three points on 24%.
The findings are the latest bad news for the Conservatives’ stuttering election campaign, which has so far been beset by gaffes and controversy.
Sunak was left soaked after he announced the election date outside 10 Downing Street in the pouring rain, with the New Labour anthem ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ being played by a protester.
The Tories also suffered a miserable Bank Holiday Monday, with Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker breaking ranks to criticise Sunak’s flagship plan to make all 18-year-olds carry out national service.
Baker then left the campaign train to fly off to Greece for a pre-arranged holiday with his wife.
Meanwhile, outgoing Tory MP Lucy Allan was suspended by the party after she endorsed the Reform UK candidate in her former seat.
However, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones, urged caution over the polling.
He told LBC: “The key message to voters across the country is that polls are a snapshot of today, they’re not a prediction of the future.
“Polling day is on July 4, nothing matters apart from the votes that are cast on July 4. So, for anybody that wants an end to the 14 years of Conservative government in our country, who want brilliant Labour MPs in their constituency, then they need to go and vote for that on July 4.”