Corbyn is the most unpopular opposition leader ever

JeReMy Corbyn’s party conference preparations got off to the worst possible start last night when a poll showed he is the most unpopular opposition leader on record.

Just 16 per cent of voters are satisfied with the Labour leader and 76 per cent dissatisfied, according to Ipsos MORI.

The net satisfaction rating of minus 60 is even worse than the minus 56 recorded by Michael Foot following the Falklands war. The survey, for the London evening Standard, found that just one in five voters see Mr Corbyn as a good representative of Britain, and almost half view him as out of touch with ordinary people.

even Labour supporters are exasperated with his vacillation on Brexit – with more saying he is doing a bad job on europe than a good one. ‘Corbyn’s historically dire personal poll ratings will concern Labour supporters as the party heads into an expected general election,’ said Keiran Pedley of Ipsos MORI. ‘When Tony Blair and David Cameron assumed office from opposition, both had positive net satisfaction scores and Corbyn’s currently stands at minus 60.

‘However, he was able to significantly improve his personal poll ratings during the 2017 general election campaign so perhaps he will again.

In an interview with ITV, Mr Corbyn denied his party’s position on Brexit was ‘ muddled’ even as he failed to answer eight times if he supported Leave or Remain. Denying he was sitting on the fence, he said: ‘I’m pro the British people.’

Mr Corbyn wants to try to strike a different agreement with Brussels before putting it to a referendum during which he would remain neutral.

But activists have put forward a series of motions demanding he unequivocally back Remain.

Mr Corbyn later told the BBC that if he loses a vote at the conference, which starts in Brighton today, and activists tell him to commit to Remain, he would do so.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Miss Thornberry told The Guardian that Labour could vote for a Boris Johnson ‘deal’ in exchange for the promise of a second referendum, saying: ‘It’s something we would have to consider.’

But Mr McDonnell told the Daily Mirror that Labour would not back any agreement brought back by Mr Johnson, saying: ‘We’ll look at what he brings back but the reality is it’s not going to be what we sought.’ Asked whether he would seek to replace Mr Corbyn, the Shadow Chancellor said: ‘It isn’t going to happen. If Jeremy got hit by the No 57 bus, or whatever it is, there’s the next generation coming through. And the reality is the next leader should be a woman. It’s high time to have a woman.’ Mr Corbyn’s minus 60 rating is the lowest since the question was first asked by Ipsos MORI in 1977.