Diane Abbott and Ken Livingstone give Jeremy Corbyn 12 months to turn Labour Party’s fortunes around
The Labour Party's national approval rating reaches an all-time catastrophic low since dark days of 1983
TWO left wing big beasts have given Jeremy Corbyn just 12 months to improve Labour’s dire poll ratings.
The party sank to just 25% of the nation’s support in a survey three days ago – its worst showing in opposition since 1983.
Putting their leader on warning, longterm ally Ken Livingstone told BBC1’s Sunday Politics: “If it’s as bad as this in a year’s time, we would all be worried”.
The former London mayor added: “I don’t think it will be, because Jeremy and his team are going to focus on the economy, and that’s what wins every election”.
Another ally, Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, added pressure by saying she expects Mr Corbyn to close the 17 point gap with the Tories “within the coming 12 months”.
The Labour leader risked upsetting mainstream party members again last night by having a dove of peace on his official Christmas card instead of any seasonal images.
The card’s front picture only shows a squiggle of the bird on a red background.
It also emerged yesterday that leftwingers are lining up young shadow business secretary Clive Lewis to replace Mr Corbyn.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell blamed a coup attempt on Mr Corbyn for the party’s poor polling, saying: “People won’t vote for a divided party”.
But while internal attacks on Mr Corbyn ended two months ago after he won a second leadership contest, the party’s ratings have sunk further since.