Labour pulls level with Tories in latest opinion poll

Labour has pulled level with the Conservatives, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer that suggests significant potential support for a new party.

Jeremy Corbyn’s party had trailed the Tories by seven points two weeks ago. However, the result proved to be a blip and both parties are now on 37% of the national vote. It marks a return to the tight poll results that have been a feature in recent months.

Approval of the Labour leader’s Brexit response has gone up slightly over the past fortnight. The poll found that 17% approve of his Brexit response, while 57% disapprove – a net approval rating of -40%. It is an improvement from the -45% recorded a fortnight ago, in which 16% approved of his performance and 61% disapproved.

The poll confirmed that a large proportion of the public are disillusioned with the two main parties. Almost half (41%) think that both Labour and the Conservatives have become extreme, with 39% of Tory voters and 37% of Labour voters agreeing with this. A similar number (42%) think neither party stands for anything.

Two-fifths (40%) think a new political party would be the best way for people like them to be represented, while 59% would consider voting for a new centre-ground party.

Support for Theresa May’s Brexit deal remains low after the prime minister’s latest Commons defeat on Thursday. Only 12% think May’s EU withdrawal deal is good, while 48% think it is bad. Half (51%) of voters who backed the Tories in 2017 think their MPs should back the deal, down from 55% two weeks ago.

The public remains deeply divided over what should happen if MPs cannot agree a Brexit deal. While 42% think Brexit should be delayed and a public vote held, the same proportion think Britain should simply leave the EU with no deal in March.

If a referendum was held between remaining in the EU and leaving on the terms of May’s deal, 46% would vote to remain while 35% would vote for the deal.

Expectation that Britain will leave with a deal has remained consistent over the past fortnight, with 21% thinking it is the most likely outcome. More than a third (36%) believe we will leave without a deal, while a quarter (24%) think Britain will not leave the EU in March.

Opinium polled 2,005 adults online between 13 February and 15 February.