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Labour 'could lose 60 seats as Ukip voters switch to the Tories'

Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader - AFP
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader - AFP

Labour could be decimated in its heartlands on June 8 as Ukip voters switch to voting Tory, according to reports.

Meanwhile, party staff will consider going on strike if Jeremy Corbyn tries to stay on as leader after a heavy General Election defeat.

The party is currently lagging far behind the Tories in the polls with a survey published on Wednesday putting the Conservatives on 49 per cent and Labour on 26 per cent.

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Meanwhile, a separate poll suggested Mr Corbyn’s popularity had dipped to a new low.

There is now speculation that the party could be on course to lose 60 of its seats, including those with large majorities, with a Ukip shift potentially in play.

A senior shadow cabinet source told The Mirror: “The message on the doorstep so far has been terrible.

“All the Ukip voters seem to be flocking to the Tories and it is going to hit us like nothing before.”

UK General Election 2017 polling

Elsewhere there are fears within Labour that Mr Corbyn could refuse to quit even if he leads the party to a devastating defeat.

As a result, workers at the party’s headquarters in London are reportedly considering strike action as a way of forcing Mr Corbyn to step down if he loses.

Two sources told The Times that the possibility of strikes has been discussed.

One source told the paper: “We have got this far but if he loses the election he has to go.

“If he doesn’t, I think the time will be to do something drastic like striking.”

A YouGov poll published on Wednesday showed that with six weeks to go until June 8 Mr Corbyn has a net favourability rating of minus 42 - his all time low.

Nearly two thirds of people now have an unfavourable view of the Labour leader compared to just 22 per cent who hold a favourable view.

Mr Corbyn has a net negative rating in every demographic group, according to the poll.

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