Millions of Labour voters think Theresa May would be a better PM than Jeremy Corbyn
New PM is also winning support from Ukip voters and Brexiteers
MORE than two and a half million Labour voters at the last election believe Theresa May would make a better PM than Jeremy Corbyn, a new poll revealed today.
Two separate opinion polls show a widening gap between the two party leaders in a damaging blow to Mr Corbyn as he embarks on a fresh leadership campaign.
A YouGov survey for The Times showed that 29 per cent of those who voted Labour in the 2015 General Election think Mrs May would do a better job than the embattled hard left leader.
That could spell disaster for Labour if the new PM called a snap general election with up to 2.7million of Labour’s 9.3million voters jumping ship to the Tories.
Some Tory MPs believe Mrs May should be prepared to use that option although she is understood to have dismissed it in private.
The survey also reveals Mrs May is winning over Ukip voters, with 21 per cent of people who voted for the anti-EU party at the 2015 election now backing the Tories.
Mrs May, who had a quiet pro-EU campaign, is also popular among Brexiteers with 69 per cent of Out voters saying she is the best choice for PM.
The poll puts Labour at 28 per cent compared to the Tories at 40 per cent - the largest gap since the Tories came to power in 2010.
A separate ICM survey of voting intentions puts Labour's share of the vote at 27 per cent, down by two per cent compared to its last poll two weeks ago, - its lowest result since before the 2010 election.
It found the Tories ahead by 16 points with a 43 per cent share, up by 4 per cent.
ICM's Martin Boon said: "Clearly, the relative calm associated with the handover of power from David Cameron to Theresa May, allied to the current Labour leadership challenge weighs heavily on electors' minds."
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Mr Corbyn is embroiled in a leadership contest with Owen Smith which will come to a head in September.
He is also being challenged through the courts after Labour's ruling body controversially ruled that his name could automatically be on the ballot paper without having to secure the backing of MPs.