News / Politics

YouGov poll places Keir Starmer ahead in Labour leadership contest

Thursday, 02 January 2020 6:12 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 02 January 2020 6:21 PM ]

A former barrister and director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer has a legalistic approach to politics

The shadow business secretary, Keir Starmer, has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, despite the fact that he has yet to formally declare his candidature in the Labour leadership contest.

Flush with confidence, Starmer told Sky News earlier today that the Labour party needs to be “rebuilt” and “transformed” following its historic election defeat at last month’s general election.

Starmer also told Sky News that he is consulting with “MPs, trade unions and party activists” throughout the UK to plot a credible way forward.

Starmer, 57, who is widely perceived to be a centrist, is expected to steer the Labour party away from its left-wing positioning under outgoing leader Corbyn.

Starmer’s growing confidence is not entirely misplaced as the latest poll by YouGov places him in first place with 31 percent of the vote in the Labour leadership contest, ahead of another favourite, Rebecca Long-Bailey, who polled 20 percent.

In third place is Jess phillips, the MP for Birmingham Yardley, who secured 11 percent of the vote. Yvette Cooper (MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford) and Clive Lewis (MP for Norwich South) are joint fourth at 7 percent.

Shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, is in fifth place at 6 percent, whilst Lisa Nandy (MP for Wigan) is last with only 5 percent of the vote.

The YouGov poll was conducted in the last ten days of December and is based on a sample of more than 1000 Labour party members.

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