SUPPORT for Labour has dropped to the lowest level under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership, a new poll has revealed, while the Conservatives have been handed a boost thanks to the vaccine programme.

A YouGov poll for The Times has indicated that the Tories have extended their UK lead over Labour to 14 points - the biggest gulf since last spring – placing the party less favourable than it was under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.

The study comes as a blow to Sir Keir as he hits the campaign trail in Edinburgh today as part of Anas Sarwar’s Scottish Labour election push – with a focus on the party’s jobs recovery programme.

The poll shows UK-wide support for Labour has slipped to just 29%, with the Tories now polling at 43%. The 5% drop in support for Labour has contributed to the surge in voters backing Boris Johnson’s party, but the Liberal Democrats and the Greens have also both seen their support rise by 2% apiece.

READ MORE: Study finds majority of UK Labour activists back indyref2 vote

The study was conducted before the Greensill lobbying scandal was exposed and participants were quizzed the week the lockdown was ended in England.

The YouGov poll found that 34% of Britons believe Boris Johnson is best suited as Prime Minister compared to 26% who believe Sir Keir would make a better leader of the UK Government. More than one third are undecided.

The positive polling for the Conservatives is likely to be down to a bounce in support from the successful rollout of the vaccine programme by the UK Government, which Sir Keir has previously acknowledged could happen, and Covid-19 restrictions being allowed to ease.

Yesterday, as part of the Welsh Senedd election campaign, Sir Keir insisted that three Labour candidates who support Welsh independence should instead focus on the pandemic recovery.

Asked whether he was comfortable with pro-independence candidates being allowed to stand for the party, Sir Keir said: “I want to see a strong Wales in a fair United Kingdom. I think at the moment the absolute focus in politics has to be on the recovery.

“That’s why it’s core to what Welsh Labour are saying going into this election.

“I know people will have different views on independence. But I think most people would say that coming out of this pandemic the simple and core focus should be on the recovery.”

He denied he could be a “liability” to Welsh Labour’s election campaign, with Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford receiving better approval ratings in recent polling than those for Sir Keir by UK voters.

Welsh Labour has three pro-independence candidates standing for the election, but Mr Drakeford has ruled out a Welsh independence referendum as part of any coalition deal between his party and Plaid Cymru if Labour fails to secure a majority.