The new Independent Group of MPs is already polling high - and more are expected to join it

<em>The new Independent Group of MPs has already polled with 14% of voters’ support, according to YouGov (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)</em>
The new Independent Group of MPs has already polled with 14% of voters’ support, according to YouGov (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

The new Independent Group of MPs has already won the support of 14% of voters, a new YouGov poll has revealed.

The YouGov voter intention poll asked the public how they would vote if the Independent Group became a political party and put up candidates at the general election.

It found that 14% would support the new group, while the Conservatives had 38% of the vote, Labour 26% and the Liberal Democrats 7%.

The difference is not necessarily down to voters switching allegiance to the new, as-yet unformed, political party, YouGov said, but because many Labour voters said they didn’t know who they would vote for in that situation.

YouGov also said it was important to bear in mind that the poll was carried out on Monday and Tuesday when the Independent Group was made up only of former Labour MPs and the defection of several Conservative MPs on Wednesday could affect how the group is seen.

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Tweeting the results of the poll, Henry Zeffman, political correspondent at The Times, also pointed out that one in five people who voted for Labour in 2017 had said they would switch to the Independent Group.

The poll results come as turbulence was set to continue in Westminster, with warnings that more people could join The Independent Group.

Former Conservative Sarah Wollaston claimed that a third of the Cabinet could walk out if it appeared that Theresa May could steer Britain towards a no-deal Brexit.

South Cambridgeshire MP Heidi Allen agreed, saying that around 100 of her former Tory colleagues were as frustrated as she was, telling ITV’s Peston that “a third of the party” shared her views.

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