London — British Prime Minister Theresa May’s gamble on a snap election was under question on Thursday after a YouGov opinion poll showed her Conservative Party’s lead had fallen to a fresh low of three percentage points just a week before voting begins. A failure to win the June 8 election with a large majority would weaken May just as formal Brexit talks are due to begin, while the loss of her majority in parliament would pitch British politics into turmoil. In the strongest signal yet that the election is much closer than previously thought, May’s lead has collapsed from 24 points since she surprised both rivals and financial markets on April 18 by calling the election, YouGov data showed. The opposition Labour party polled 39% against the Conservatives’ 42%. A YouGov model based on different data estimated May’s Conservatives would win 317 seats, nine short of an overall majority of 326 seats. After a hectic campaign, which was suspended by a suicide bombing last week, pollsters...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.