Labour's Outright Majority Not Guaranteed, Warns Polling Expert

Labour's Election Prospects

A Labour outright majority at the next election is not a done deal, a polling guru has warned. Professor Michael Thrasher said Sir Keir Starmer needed to double his performance at the local elections. His projection of the council votes into a national share puts Labour on 36 per cent and the Tories on 27 per cent.

Challenges Ahead

Thrasher emphasized that the gap between Conservative and Labour is currently only seven points and it needs to be at least double that for Labour to secure a victory. He pointed out that it is crucial for Labour to significantly improve its standing in order to win the next election.

A Historical Perspective

Professor Thrasher highlighted the possibility of a scenario where Rishi Sunak could replicate Gordon Brown's performance in the 2010 election. Brown was initially trailing but managed to close the gap and prevent the Tories from securing a majority.

Political Response

Downing Street is holding onto the analysis as evidence that election defeat is not a foregone conclusion. Transport Secretary Mark Harper stated that there is "everything to fight for" at the upcoming general election.