Support for Tories rising in latest poll

TORY morale was boosted yesterday by a poll showing the party and Theresa May have seen an increase in public support.

Both widened their advantage over Labour and Jeremy Corbyn, the survey taken earlier this week revealed.

The findings, which come in the wake of better-than-expected local election results for the party, will help to steady already-frayed Conservative nerves.

When asked how they would vote if there was an election tomorrow, 43 per cent of 1,648 people questioned by YouGov said the Conservatives, up one from last week.

Support for Labour was unchanged at 38 per cent, while the Lib Dems were up from seven to nine per cent.

Asked who would be the best Prime Minister, Mrs May extended her lead over Mr Corbyn from 10 to 14 points.

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Some 39 per cent – up two points from last week – would prefer to have her in No 10, while the number of those who would rather see Mr Corbyn in charge was down two to 25.

It was the fourth survey in a row in which the Tories have had a four or five-point lead over Labour.

A Conservative source said: “This is starting to look like a trend. In my view, Jeremy Corbyn has peaked and is almost certainly a liability.

“Unless the Conservatives make a huge Horlicks of everything, I don’t think British people are daft enough to vote for him.”

Activists also hope such positive surveys – which come despite a series of rows among Conservatives over Brexit and the Windrush scandal – will help restore Mrs May’s confidence to push forward with her agenda.

But there are concerns she will face a dangerous autumn if Brexit talks seem to be doomed.

Labour’s failure to tackle anti-Semitism and Mr Corbyn’s public statements about Russian aggression are likely factors in his not doing better at the polls.