Revealed: The UK national newspapers with most negativity towards Labour

It’s known that most newspapers do not support Labour, but the full extant of Fleet Street’s hostility during the General Election has been laid bare in new research.

Research by Loughborough University shows that only two newspapers out of 10 – the Guardian and the Mirror – featured more positive coverage than negative of Jeremy Corbyn’s party.

Most though featured negative coverage of Labour.

Meanwhile the papers have not, generally, not overwhelmingly backed the Conservatives.

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Loughborough’s analysis showed Theresa May’s party only enjoyed a small difference between levels of positive and negative press coverage.

The Sun and the Express appeared to have relished attacking Labour more than anyone else, found Loughborough.

The Daily Mail has also been on the attack, and at the same time has backed the Tories far more positively.

While some may argue traditionally right- and left-leaning newspapers are doing what they always have, the anti-Labour stance is striking, particularly among newspapers that have been more sympathetic to ‘New Labour’.

One trend appears to be newspapers being more likely to attack the parties they disapprove of than report positively on the parties they support, Loughborough said.

The coverage has also been marked when appearing to back policies endorsed by the Tories that were criticised when put forward by Labour previously.

Conservative and Labour still dominate coverage – between them they commanded 85 per cent of press coverage.