Yahoo News Jeremy Corbyn’s popularity within the Labour Party has plummeted over anti-Semitism and Brexit
Jeremy Corbyn’s popularity among the Labour Party grassroots has plummeted, a poll has revealed.
Criticism of the party leader’s handling of the ongoing anti-Semitism row and Labour’s muddled stance on Brexit has seen his support tumble.
A survey by YouGov for The Times said 43% of 1,100 party members feel Mr Corbyn is doing a bad job.
The poll revealed that confidence in his leadership has fallen by 24% since March last year.
Seventy percent said anti-Semitism is a "genuine" problem in the party, more than half were dissatisfied with the way he has handled Brexit, and one in four wanted him to step down immediately, the poll found.
The survey revealed that shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has the most support within the party to succeed Mr Corbyn - 68% said he would make a “good” or “very good” leader.
But deputy leader Tom Watson’s support has fallen, perhaps own to his criticism of the leadership, with half of members saying he would make a “poor” replacement.
Almost one in five party members (18%) say Mr Corbyn is doing “very badly” as leader.
Mr Corbyn will face MPs as he addresses a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday.
Labour peers are also due to discuss a motion of no confidence in Mr Corbyn, with a ballot to be held on Tuesday or Wednesday if it is passed.
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Over the weekend Labour's main Jewish group wrote to every member of the shadow cabinet urging them to show "real resolve" to end what it claims is institutional racism against Jews in the party.
The Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) said the Opposition is "sorely in need of real leadership on anti-Semitism", telling the front bench: "This is your chance to lead."
Labour has been rocked by a Panorama programme which claimed senior figures, including Mr Corbyn's communications chief Seumas Milne and general secretary Jennie Formby, interfered in anti-Semitism investigations. The party has denied the claims and written a complaint to the BBC.
On Sunday, the party published education materials to help its members and supporters understand anti-Semitism.
The party has provided members with "basic tools" to identify and call out anti-Semitic stereotypes and conspiracy theories in a bid to defeat the problem.
The materials, published on the party's website, include guidance on how to avoid anti-Semitism when criticising the Israeli state, and explanations of terms such as Zionism.
