UK Labour keeps big lead over PM Truss's Conservatives, poll shows

Britain's opposition Labour Party has retained a huge opinion poll lead over Prime Minister Liz Truss's Conservative Party, which has failed to stage a recovery after its annual conference this week, a poll showed on Saturday.

The YouGov poll, carried out on Thursday and Friday for The Times newspaper and based on a survey of 1,737 British adults, showed support for Labour at 52%, down two points from a poll by the same organisation in late September, while the Conservatives were up just one point at 22%.

The poll was conducted after Truss, speaking at her first party conference since becoming Conservative leader in early September, defended her decision to cut taxes which sharply pushed up the cost of borrowing and split her own party.

Truss and her finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng subsequently dropped one of the more controversial measures, to scrap the top rate of income tax.

Britain's next election is expected to take place in 2024.

Labour leader Keir Starmer held a commanding lead - of 43% versus 13% - over Truss in terms of the party leader who voters thought would make the best prime minister, YouGov said.