Ex-shadow cabinet members including Sadiq Khan, Hilary Benn, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper would stand the best chance in a fresh Labour leadership contest, a poll has found.
A YouGov survey showed that the four politicians are the most liked and well-known, and are favourites to replace Jeremy Corbyn if he were unseated.
Speculation is mounting about a possible fresh challenge to Corbyn’s leadership, with suggestions Labour may hold its third contest in two years this Summer.
If Labour suffers one or two defeats in the byelections it is contesting today in Stoke and Copeland, as the incumbent party, a change in the leadership could happen even sooner.
Corbyn polled joint lowest of the 20 politicians members of the public were surveyed on, showing a net favourability rating of -40. He tied with Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.
Keir Sarmer, the Shadow Brexit Secretary, and Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, both tipped as potential successors to Corbyn, polled favourably but scored low on awareness.
YouGov’s Chris Curtis said of the pair: “Although they aren’t yet well known, those who have heard of them don’t have the overwhelmingly negative feelings about them that plague many of their better-known colleagues.
“Being largely unknown may also give them the opportunity to shape their own image and give them more space to rejuvenate the Labour brand.”
But he cautioned that whoever replaces Corbyn will first have to win over the Labour ‘selectorate’ - the members who vote for the party leader.
Curtis said: “While this research gives us some indication of how successful each candidate might be if they became leader, they would still need to get elected by the Labour membership to get there.
“If the past two summers have taught us anything, we should perhaps expect the unexpected and keep our eyes on a maverick outsider.”