A new surge in popularity for the new Independent Group would see it overtake
Labour in the Commons - if it joined forces with the
Lib Dems.
TIG, made up of Tory and Labour defectors, is on 18 per cent, up four per cent in a week since the breakaway was launched, stunning Westminster.
But the poll also puts the Lib Dems on six per cent, down one per cent, meaning that an alliance between it and TIG could see the newcomers on the block transformed into part of the main opposition force if there was a General Election.
The YouGov poll for Tuesday's Times showed that an agreement between TIG and the Lib Dems could see them leapfrog Labour, providing a headache for Jeremy Corbyn's embattled leadership
A picture posted on Twitter by Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger showed TIG MPs eating out at a Nando's restaurant after its first official meeting as a group. Gavin Shuker (far left) was voted its 'convener' but said he did not want to be its full-time leader
However, how the voting intention translated into seats would depend where TIG votes were cast in the country.
The figures present a headache for Mr Corbyn as he seeks to stem the flow of MPs from his party.
Nine MPs have left in the last week after making withering assessments of his leadership over Brexit and anti-Semitism faced by Jewish MPs, with eight going on to join TIG.
The Lib Dems under Sir Vince Cable have failed to recover any ground with voters but has deliberately left the door open to a link-up with TIG, currently made up of eight ex-Labour rebels and three former Tories.
YouGov’s standard poll of voting intentions, which did not give a TIG option, saw the Tories remain on 41 per cent. But Labour haemorrhaged another three per cent, falling from 33 to 30 per cent.
The 11-point Tory lead is the largest in this Parliament, and the first time the Conservatives have led Labour by double digits since before the 2017 general election, YouGov said.The Lib Dems remained unchanged on 10 per cent.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson said on Monday she was expecting to meet with the new group later this week, saying her party was ready to "work with" its MPs.
But she played down suggestions of a formal pact between the parties, insisting she had no fixed blueprint for how they should co-operate.
"I think we need to be working together with the Independent Group MPs but we need to find a 2019 way of doing that and I'm open-minded about how that looks," Ms Swinson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Asked if that could include Lib Dems agreeing not to stand candidates against the 11 TIG MPs, Ms Swinson said: "I don't think we should be taking any of these things off the table."
Last night the TIG members enjoyed a cheeky Nandos after holding their first official meeting as a group - without choosing a full-time leader.
They posted pictures on Twitter as they enjoyed a meal at the popular chicken and chips restaurant after little-known Luton South MP Gavin Shuker was named interim ‘convener’ of the group.
YouGov's standard poll of voter intentions, which does not include a TOG option, gave the Tories their largest lead over Labour in this Parliament, at 11 per cent
But he went on to tell reporters that he did not want to lead any nascent political party that emerges from what is at the moment a rebel collective.
It came the day after after fellow TIG member Chuka Umunna, a media-friendly former shadow minister, said that he would like ‘the biggest role in this group’.
The group, comprising eight Labour deserters and three defectors from the Tories, also announced they planned to back a rebel amendment that would force the Government to delay Brexit to avoid a no-deal exit, in a Wednesday vote.
The YouGov poll for Tuesday's Times showed that an agreement between TIG and the Lib Dems could see them leapfrog Labour, providing a headache for Jeremy Corbyn's embattled leadership
A picture posted on Twitter by Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger showed TIG MPs eating out at a Nando's restaurant after its first official meeting as a group. Gavin Shuker (far left) was voted its 'convener' but said he did not want to be its full-time leaderHowever, how the voting intention translated into seats would depend where TIG votes were cast in the country.The figures present a headache for Mr Corbyn as he seeks to stem the flow of MPs from his party.Nine MPs have left in the last week after making withering assessments of his leadership over Brexit and anti-Semitism faced by Jewish MPs, with eight going on to join TIG.The Lib Dems under Sir Vince Cable have failed to recover any ground with voters but has deliberately left the door open to a link-up with TIG, currently made up of eight ex-Labour rebels and three former Tories.YouGov’s standard poll of voting intentions, which did not give a TIG option, saw the Tories remain on 41 per cent. But Labour haemorrhaged another three per cent, falling from 33 to 30 per cent.The 11-point Tory lead is the largest in this Parliament, and the first time the Conservatives have led Labour by double digits since before the 2017 general election, YouGov said.The Lib Dems remained unchanged on 10 per cent.Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson said on Monday she was expecting to meet with the new group later this week, saying her party was ready to "work with" its MPs.But she played down suggestions of a formal pact between the parties, insisting she had no fixed blueprint for how they should co-operate."I think we need to be working together with the Independent Group MPs but we need to find a 2019 way of doing that and I'm open-minded about how that looks," Ms Swinson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.Asked if that could include Lib Dems agreeing not to stand candidates against the 11 TIG MPs, Ms Swinson said: "I don't think we should be taking any of these things off the table."Last night the TIG members enjoyed a cheeky Nandos after holding their first official meeting as a group - without choosing a full-time leader.They posted pictures on Twitter as they enjoyed a meal at the popular chicken and chips restaurant after little-known Luton South MP Gavin Shuker was named interim ‘convener’ of the group.
YouGov's standard poll of voter intentions, which does not include a TOG option, gave the Tories their largest lead over Labour in this Parliament, at 11 per centBut he went on to tell reporters that he did not want to lead any nascent political party that emerges from what is at the moment a rebel collective.It came the day after after fellow TIG member Chuka Umunna, a media-friendly former shadow minister, said that he would like ‘the biggest role in this group’.The group, comprising eight Labour deserters and three defectors from the Tories, also announced they planned to back a rebel amendment that would force the Government to delay Brexit to avoid a no-deal exit, in a Wednesday vote.
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