Yahoo News Most Tory members would sacrifice Brexit to stop Corbyn becoming PM
Conservative party members would be willing to give up on Brexit if they felt it would stop Jeremy Corbyn getting into Number 10, according to a new poll.
That is the only one of a series of politically groundbreaking scenarios that they would be willing to countenance rather than getting the UK out of the European Union.
51% of members would rather Brexit didn’t happen than the leader of the Labour Party winning the next general election.
Also notable was members’ willingness for Nigel Farage to lead the Tory party, with 46% saying they would be happy for the Brexit Party leader to take the role.
Asked by pollsters YouGov whether they would rather see Scotland leave the United Kingdom than Brexit not take place, almost two thirds (63%) were willing for the union - which has existed since 1707 - with the Scots to come to an end. Only 29% would rather Brexit didn't take place.
For example, 51% of Conservative party members say they have more in common with supporters from other parties that think the same way on Brexit than they do with fellow Conservatives who take a differing Brexit view https://t.co/9iJKlB292v pic.twitter.com/7GDge4Rddl
— YouGov (@YouGov) June 18, 2019
Which leads to a situation that would once be thought unimaginable. Almost half (46%) of Tory members would be happy to see Nigel Farage - the leader of a rival party - take over the their leadership of their own party https://t.co/9iJKlB292v pic.twitter.com/yYH0XAFYqJ
— YouGov (@YouGov) June 18, 2019
Similarly with Northern Ireland, where 59% were happy to see the region leave the UK - presumably to join a united Ireland - and only 28% willing to put off leaving the EU.
When asked whether they would be happy to see significant damage done to the British economy in order to leave, 61% agreed against 29% who wouldn't.
And in a sign of how existential the threat for the Tory party is if they defy the will of their members, more than half of the party members polled (54%) were happy for their party to be destroyed if it meant Brexit was achieved versus 36%.
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Party members also believe that leaving the EU with or without a deal will increase the electoral chances of the party in future polls, but that even committing to a second referendum on Brexit could put the party out of power forever (31%).
And the membership of the party is so all-consumed by the issue that they no longer regard Labour as their main opponent - 87% see the Brexit party as a big or moderate threat, against 79% for Labour.
