YouGov finds strong public backing Davis to face a Labour challenge

The above is an extract from a YouGov poll carried out for ConHome which sought to test opinion on whether Labour should put up a challenge in Haltemprice & Howden where the former Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis, is fighting a by election over the 42 day detention issue.

As can be seen those in the poll split 51% to 24% in favour of Labour putting up a candidate. The survey was carried out before Labour had made its official announcement that it would not be contest the election.

Even amongst Labour supporters in the survey there was emphatic backing – 48% to 31% – for their party to be fighting the election.

So far Labour’s reasoning for ducking the contest has sounded weak and unconvincing and clearly this won’t helping the party overall. All this reinforces my view that the party has made a very serious mistake and that their refusal to fight will come to haunt them.

Mike Smithson