‘That’s an annihilation’: Labour’s poll lead spikes alarmingly, increasing Tory pressure for government U-turn

Published

2 years ago

September 29, 2022

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You have to go back to Tony Blair’s honeymoon period after his 1997 landslide general election victory to find a Labour opinion poll lead as massive as 33 points.

All those critics of Sir Keir Starmer – mostly on the Corbynista left-wing of the party, who’ve claimed with the Tories in turmoil, Labour should be 20 points ahead – have their answer now.

Even after a successful Labour conference, the results of YouGov’s poll for The Times are stunning. “You’re joking! That’s an annihilation!” one senior Tory MP told Sky News.

Potentially, yes. One estimate suggested, on that showing in a general election, the Conservatives would be left with just 61 seats in the Commons. That’s fantasy, however. It’s a very, very crude calculation. So dream on, Labour MPs!

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Opinion polls are a snapshot and this is just one poll and the next general election could be more than two years away.

But YouGov’s findings are damning for Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng. They will also bring smug smiles to supporters of Rishi Sunak, who will no doubt say privately: “Told you so.”

Chancellor urged to bring forward statement – follow live economy updates

Asked whether Mr Sunak would have made a better or worse PM than Ms Truss, 44% said better and 13% said worse. And among Tory supporters, 36% said better and 29% worse.

The Times reports support for the Tories has fallen by seven points, from 28% to 21%, amid fears the government’s plans will lead to spiralling interest rates.

And it appears it’s largely those “Red Wall” voters who handed victory to Boris Johnson in the 2019 general election who are deserting his successor, Liz Truss now.

A mini-budget, not a Budget

Some 17% of those who backed Mr Johnson in 2019 said they would vote Labour now and only 37% of 2019 Tory voters said they were planning to stick with the party, suggesting a Tory wipeout if an election were held now.

But it won’t be held now. And the veteran Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale correctly pointed out on Sky News that even if Mr Kwarteng’s “Growth Plan” was voted down in the Commons in a major backbench mutiny, the Truss government would not automatically fall.

That’s because, wisely, Mr Kwarteng insisted that despite his tax cuts, his statement last Friday was not a Budget. So the constitutional convention that a defeat on a Budget means a government falls, does not apply.

In a big boost for the Labour leader, allies of Sir Keir will be delighted almost three times as many voters said he would make a better PM than Ms Truss. Her support has fallen 10 points in four days.

The poll, based on a survey of 1,712 voters on 28 and 29 September, was published shortly after Mr Kwarteng issued a desperate plea to Tory MPs to back him.

“I understand your concern,” he said in a letter to his backbenchers, coming after he failed to reassure many of them in a phone call earlier this week. “We are one team and need to remain focused.”

He concluded: “We need your support to do this, as the only people who win if we divide is the Labour Party.”

Well, Labour is winning at the moment. And this devastating opinion poll will trigger more demands from apoplectic Conservative MPs for a U-turn in policy.

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‘This lady’s not for turning’

But for the time being at least, Ms Truss and Mr Kwarteng remain defiant. Margaret Thatcher famously said in her 1981 Tory conference speech: “U-turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning.”

This lady Prime Minister is not for turning, either, yet.

But there may come a point – if the money markets continue to plunge and interest rates soar, placing thousands of families at risk of losing their home – where a U-turn may be the only way out of the crisis for the PM.

Alarming levels

In one of her regional TV interviews, Ms Truss was challenged by an interviewer who claimed she seemed to be saying: “Crisis, what crisis?”

She replied: “I’m not saying that at all.

“I think we’re in a very serious situation.”

That’s as close as she’s likely to come to admitting she is facing a crisis. While polls are indeed just a snapshot, there’s a trend now, with Labour’s poll lead growing to alarming levels for the Conservatives.

Political parties usually get a boost in the polls from the publicity their conference brings, as Labour has spectacularly this week.

Anything less than even a modest poll recovery for the Tories after their Birmingham conference next week will plunge the morale of Conservative backbenchers to potentially perilous levels for the PM and her chancellor.

UK

Meet the last man standing on UK’s loneliest housing estate

Published

2 hours ago

December 29, 2024

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Meet the last man standing on UK's loneliest housing estate

A pensioner who is refusing to leave what’s being branded Britain’s loneliest housing estate has told Sky News he is facing bullying and intimidation tactics to force him out.

Nick Wisniewski’s ex-council flat in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire is set to be demolished because the local authority wants to redevelop the area, which has become a derelict eyesore.

The vast area on the outskirts of Glasgow used to have almost 1,000 properties, but slowly the bulldozers have moved in, creating huge mounds of rubble where homes once stood.

The land is overgrown, with all remaining properties boarded up – apart from the retired bank worker’s home, which demolition teams have been unable to touch as he refuses to budge.

‘They’ll basically need to drag me out’

The 68-year-old, whose neighbours were all rehomed in 2023, bought the flat in 2017 under the discounted right-to-buy scheme and is now mortgage-free.

He told Sky News he rejected an initial offer from North Lanarkshire Council of £35,000 plus two year’s rent as it would not be enough to buy a new place.

Contemplating a time in the future when he is forced out, he said: “By law they can smash my door down, they can come in here, manhandle me to get me out. That’s the law, and they’ll basically need to drag me out.”

Asked if he is prepared to go to that length to stop himself being removed, he said: “I am hoping it doesn’t come to that, but if it does then so be it.”

He reveals a compulsory purchase order process is now under way.

A compulsory purchase order is the legal power given to a local council to buy a property without the owner’s consent.

The legal battle will now be resolved by the Scottish government in due course.

He said: “It’s been all intimidation, bullying, lies. They offered me £40,000 over a year ago. I thought they’d have offered me a wee bit more. I would accept, probably, £60,000.

“They had a meeting a couple of weeks ago saying that they are starting legal, which means compulsory purchase order.

“There’s so many stages to that and it’ll take a while for that to come in to force.”

North Lanarkshire Council told Sky News it “completely refutes” any allegations of bullying or intimidation.

A spokesman said: “We are continuing to try and engage with the remaining resident and our focus is on progressing our ambitious plans to transform this area of Gowkthrapple for the benefit of the local community.”

UK

More flights disrupted by thick fog on Gatwick’s busiest day of Christmas holiday period

Published

4 hours ago

December 29, 2024

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More flights disrupted by thick fog on Gatwick's busiest day of Christmas holiday period

Thick fog could delay more flights across England today, disrupting Gatwick Airport’s busiest day of the holiday period.

The UK’s main air traffic control provider, Nats, said temporary restrictions will continue on Sunday because of low visibility in airfields.

Gatwick confirmed to Sky News that flights may still be delayed and advised passengers to contact their airline for further information.

The continued disruption follows two days of delays and cancellations at the UK’s busiest airports.

Tens of thousands of passengers saw their Christmas travel disrupted as thick fog descended on airports from London and Cardiff to Edinburgh and Teesside

Patches of thick fog could reduce visibility to just 100 metres in some areas, the Met Office said.

Kiera Quayle and her husband are still stuck on the Isle of Man after visiting his family for Christmas.

On Friday night, their Easyjet flight back was delayed and then cancelled due to Gatwick’s fog.

Their new flight isn’t scheduled to get them back to Gatwick until 5pm on Sunday.

“We’re lucky that we have family we can stay with, but it has been difficult organising travel and where we are staying,” she told Sky News.

“Luckily for us our neighbour has agreed to look after our cat for a few extra days, and we can swallow the extra car park charge at Gatwick,” she said.

The weather is expected to brighten around the UK later on Sunday, according to the Met Office, ahead of a blast of snow and rain towards New Year’s Eve.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for snow and rain in Scotland next week, warning that heavy downpours may bring “significant disruption” in the build-up to Hogmanay.

A yellow weather warning for wind has also been issued for northern England on Monday – with gusts of up to 60mph possible.

The warning is in place from 11am to 6pm and covers areas including Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire.

UK

UK weather: Warning over flight delays as fog forces ‘air traffic restrictions’

Published

1 day ago

December 28, 2024

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UK weather: Warning over flight delays as fog forces 'air traffic restrictions'

Flight delays are expected as the UK sees more heavy fog.

It comes after 20,000 people were affected by airport disruption on Thursday, according to travel journalist Simon Calder.

“Temporary air traffic restrictions have been put in place due to fog causing poor visibility. Some flights may be delayed throughout the day,” a spokesperson for Gatwick Airport said.

“London Gatwick apologises for any inconvenience. Passengers should contact their airline for further information,” they added.

At Gatwick 35 departures scheduled up to 11am are delayed and 26 flight arrivals are delayed up to the same time. Two flights are cancelled. At Heathrow 20 flight departures scheduled to leave before 11am are delayed. At Manchester airport 16 arrivals are delayed up to 11am.

Speaking to Anna Jones on Sky News Breakfast about the disruption yesterday Mr Calder said: “We had at London City Airport, at London Heathrow, the busiest in Britain, at London Gatwick, the second busiest, more than 40 cancellations in and out from each of those airports.”

The thick fog will continue on Saturday according to the Met Office, with some areas seeing visibility reduced to just 100 metres.

Get the weather forecast where you are

The worst of the fog is forecast to hit the South East and central England, while East Anglia and parts of South Wales will also be affected.

Forecasters have not issued any fog weather warnings yet but the Met Office said it will monitor the situation across the weekend.

Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick said: “It’s that time of year when people are travelling around the country a lot and there are a lot of people on the roads.

“There is a lot of fog covering much of England, mainly the South East and central England, but the rest of the country is seeing quite a bit of thick fog too.

“It will be pretty murky on Saturday morning and there will still be fog patches that will take a little longer to clear.”

Meanwhile, there is a yellow warning in place for heavy rain in parts of Scotland for Monday and New Year’s Eve on Tuesday, leaving the start of 2025 “distinctly unsettled”.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations could face “significant disruption” from rain, with organisers warning audiences to “prepare for all weather, wrap up warm and double-check with your travel operator for the latest updates.”

The yellow warning could see as much as 140mm (5.5in) of rain in places, as other parts of the UK will likely see rain, wind and possibly even snow later on next week.

The Met Office added that “more warnings are likely to be issued”.

At Heathrow, British Airways was forced to cancel a handful of flights due to fog on Friday, while others were delayed.

Flights at both Gatwick and Manchester Airport were disrupted, with delays of up to three hours at Gatwick, and some passengers were diverted to other airports.

“The diversions were absolutely extreme,” said Mr Calder. At Teesside Airport, flights were diverted to Newcastle, Aberdeen and even Dublin.

This could continue into the weekend if the misty weather persists.

A spokesperson for the UK’s main air traffic control provider Nats said it had implemented “temporary air traffic restrictions” at several airports on Friday due to the fog.

Can I get compensation if my flight is delayed?

If your flight is affected by the disruption, you won’t be able to get any cash back, according to Mr Calder, as “bad weather is beyond the airline’s control”.

“However, every airline that cancels a flight is obliged to find for its passengers an alternative flight as soon as possible,” he said.

While the fog likely won’t remain past the weekend, people should not hold out hope for sustained sunshine with wet and windy conditions expected for much of the country, the Met Office said.