Labour would be clear favourites to take the most votes in the European Elections if it became pro-Remain and promised a second referendum.
A ComRes poll revealed that Jeremy Corbyn’s party would receive 38 per cent of the vote in that eventuality, putting it eight points ahead of the Brexit party and 27 points ahead of the Conservatives.
The research, published by Remain United utilising the expertise of Electoral Calculus, predicted that with no change to its position on Brexit, Labour would win only 20 seats in the EU Elections, with the Brexit Party taking 28, six for the Conservatives, and 11 for the Lib Dems.
But, if Labour were to come out with an unambiguously pro-Remain position which involved backing Remain in a second referendum, its seat share would rise dramatically to 35 out of the total of 70 – overtaking the Brexit Party’s who would return just 23 MEPs.
Gina Miller, the founder of Remain United, tells The New European: “Our research shows clearly that Mr Corbyn’s unwillingness to get off the fence on Brexit is causing real damage to his party’s electoral prospects. By refusing unequivocally to changed its official policy to back remaining in the EU, and promising to hold a second referendum on whether to stay in or leave the EU, he is massively out of step with his own Labour MPs, party members, supporters and – crucially – with Labour voters.
“If Mr Corbyn did what these poll findings clearly tell him he should do, Labour would transform its electoral performance in every region of Great Britain, including its Northern England heartlands. To turn his back on these findings is a gross dereliction of duty and an unforgiveable betrayal of the legitimate hopes and aspirations of Labour voters.”