A polling expert has advised the Labour Party to target EU remainers to win back support in rural areas

Joe Twyman, of polling firm Deltapoll, was speaking at a National Farmers Union fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference in Brighton last week.

His analysis found that of the 50 constituencies that identified as ‘most agricultural’, 40 were represented by Conservative MPs and were more likely to have voted leave in the 2016 referendum. None were held by Labour.

But, he noted, remain has since become the more popular option in these areas. ‘In those farming communities, the average level of support for no deal, given a choice between remain, Theresa May’s deal and no deal, was 28 per cent in a survey that we did earlier this year,’

Twyman explained. ‘The percentage of people that favour remain in those farming constituencies was 43%. So, if the Labour Party, or any party, is to increase its support in those areas, it’s among those remain supporting voters that I suggest votes will be found.’

Also speaking at Labour conference was Olivia Bailey of the Fabian Society. She noted that to win back support, Labour had to ‘rural proof’ its policies.

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