Labour's poll deficit is the 'worst party has experienced in opposition'

Under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership the party has slipped to an average of 11 points behind the Conservatives

Labour’s current opinion poll ratings are the worst the party has ever experienced in opposition, one year on from choosing a new leader.

On the first anniversary of Jeremy Corbyn's election, Labour is trailing the Conservatives by an average of 11 points.

Not since modern polling techniques began in the 1950s has the party suffered such a deficit 12 months on from a leadership contest.

It is also the second largest deficit for any major opposition party in modern history.

Only the 25-point lead enjoyed by Labour over the Conservatives in June 1998 was bigger, one year on from the election of William Hague as Tory leader.

The Press Association has compiled the data using figures from the Nuffield series of British general election studies, which have been published since 1945.

They show that when the previous Labour leader Ed Miliband reached his first anniversary in the post, the party was ahead of the Conservatives by an average of three points.

And one year into David Cameron's stint as Tory leader, his party had already opened up a five-point lead over the then Labour government.

The Labour leader with the next worst poll deficit in opposition after Corbyn was Neil Kinnock.

One year into Mr Kinnock’s stint in the job, in October 1984, Labour lagged behind the Tories by an average of five points.

By contrast, the biggest average poll lead for Labour 12 months after electing a new leader was 26 points. This was enjoyed by Tony Blair in July 1995.

PA