Tories take poll lead over Labour for the first time since the election after Theresa May’s Brexit breakthrough
A new YouGov study for The Times shows the Conservatives pulling ahead to 42 per cent, and Mrs May's personal ratings shooting ahead of Jeremy Corbyn's
A FRESH poll has the Tories pulling ahead of Labour for the first time since the General Election after Theresa May's Brexit breakthrough.
YouGov's latest survey shows the Conservatives on 42 per cent, compared to 41 per cent for Labour - and Mrs May's personal ratings over Jeremy Corbyn doubling.
This is the first YouGov poll since June's election which gives the Tories a lead over Labour.
It's just one of a handful of polls that have had the Tories ahead - most since the shock election result have seen Labour take the lead.
A second survey released today from ICM puts the Conservatives on 42 per cent with Labour on 40 per cent in another boost for the Government.
Theresa May's ability to secure a Brexit agreement with Brussels last week has gone down well for her personally - as she doubled her lead over Jeremy Corbyn in the YouGov poll.
She successfully managed to negotiate an agreement which means trade talks should finally begin in the new year.
EU chiefs agreed that enough progress has been made on the Irish border, citizens rights and our divorce bill payments.
The voters were quizzed on Sunday and Monday - after Mrs May secured her breakthrough in Brussels.
When asked who would make the best PM, 37 per cent said Mrs May, up from 34 in last week's survey.
But 28 per cent said Mr Corbyn, down from 30 per cent last week.
And 32 per cent of voters said they trusted Mrs May most to negotiate Brexit, compared to just 16 per cent for Mr Corbyn.
The polls mark a shift for Mrs May after a survey for Survation gave Labour an eight point lead at the beginning of the month.
Today former Tory leader William Hague said the Cabinet should demonstrate their "common ground" now they are starting to discuss trade deals.
And he urged her to hold a reshuffle as soon as possible and to bring fresh talent into the Tory party to get her government back on track.
He wrote in the Telegraph: "It is a great strength that excellent new MPs were elected in the last three elections - advancing five or six of them into the public gaze would be a service to party and country."
Britain's trading relationships will be weaker after Brexit, US thinktank fears
RELATIONSHIPS between Britain and the EU will suffer no matter what the Brexit outcome, a US think tank has warned.
The Rand Corporation said the worst option would be a no-deal scenario - which would leave the UK 4.9 per cent poorer by 2029.
However, it would have a relatively "minor" effect on the EU economy.
The report said that Brexit would be "mostly negative" for the US - despite Donald Trump's promises to sign a "big, beautiful trade deal" with us when we leave.
It argued that leaving the bloc would "create barriers" for American companies.
But it did advocate a three-way free trade deal between Britain, the US and the EU which would leave the UK better off.
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Last night MPs lined up to praise Mrs May for last week's agreement, and one former minister said it was a performance worthy of legendary ex-England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott.
Even rebel remainers Anna Soubry and Nicky Morgan backed her - although some other MPs were concerned about further payments to Brussels continuing after we leave the EU.