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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Toby Helm Observer political editor

Brexit row leaves voters thinking Tories are more divided than Labour

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn
Among their own supporters, Jeremy Corbyn has fared better than Theresa May in new Opinium/Observer poll. Photograph: Sky News

The Tories are seen as more divided than Labour by voters, according to the final Opinium/Observer poll of 2017.

Almost half of voters see the Conservatives as disunited (47%) compared with the 40% who see Labour as split.

The findings come after a bruising period for Theresa May’s party over Brexit. The division were exposed last week when 11 Tory MPs rebelled in a vote over the role parliament should have in approving the final Brexit deal.

Overall Labour holds a two-point lead over the Tories. Labour is down one point on a month ago at 42% while the Tories are also down one point on 39%.

The Liberal Democrats and Ukip are both up one point on 7% and 6% respectively.

After a year in which she called a snap general election only to lose the Tory majority in the Commons – leaving her party dependent on the DUP for support – 44% of those questioned said their view of May had become more negative since the start of 2017, while only 22% said it had become more positive.

However, among Conservative voters, 43% said their opinion of May had become more positive, while 34% said it had become more negative.

Jeremy Corbyn fared better. More than a third (34%) said their view of him had become more positive since the start of 2017, while 22% said it had become more negative.

Among Labour voters, 66% said their opinion of the Labour leader had improved, while only 7% said it had become more negative.

Public approval of how Theresa May is handling Brexit has improved since October, with her net rating improving from -22% to -15%. Currently 30% approve of the way she is handling Brexit and almost half (45%) disapprove.

Leave voters remain evenly divided on whether they approve or disapprove of the way Theresa May is handling Brexit (39% and 38% respectively).

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