"This Is Jeremy Corbyn's Time" Says Iain Dale

31 March 2017, 16:34 | Updated: 31 March 2017, 17:08

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is losing support in the capital - but Iain Dale thinks his time to shine could be just round the corner.

A poll referenced in the Evening Standard has revealed that Jeremy Corbyn's popularity in London has dropped once again - and even Labour supporters from his home city have lost confidence. 

But following a recent interview, LBC Drive Presenter Iain Dale thinks his time to shine could be just round the corner.

He said: "You would think that in the middle of a Tory government, the Labour opposition ought to do well in these elections. But of course, in Scotland, it's very complicated because the Tories have overtaken Labour in Scotland to second place. 

"The SNP's electoral support seems to be holding up rather well, though polls show that Theresa May is actually more popular in Scotland than Nicola Sturgeon, which is a sentence I never thought I would hear myself say. 

"But in London, it's very interesting. The Evening Standard have quoted a poll today, by Queen Mary University London, which doesn't make very happy reading for the Labour party.

"Because it seems as though Ukip Leader Paul Nuttal is actually more popular than Jeremy Corbyn in London. 

"Eighteen per cent of Londoners think that Jeremy Corbyn is doing well, while 62 per cent think that he is doing badly. It's a negative score of -44. Paul Nuttall, I think, scores -34. 

"Theresa May is +9, Tim Farron I think is -8, Caroline Lucas +13."

He went on: "However, 58 per cent of Londoners say Sadiq Khan is doing well, a mere 23 per cent think that he is doing badly. That's a plus score of 35. 

"Even Conservatives rate Sadiq Khan rather highly. So I wonder what Jeremy Corbyn can learn from Sadiq Khan. 

"But having said all of that, I wonder whether this is Jeremy Corbyn's time? 

"I don't know if you saw his interview with Andrew Neil on the television on Wednesday evening, exclusively to do with Brexit.

 "I saw a different side to Jeremy Corbyn in that interview. I saw somebody who was eloquent, informed, knew his subject, was well briefed, and articulate. 

"Now even his strongest supporters I don't think could say that that is the general impression that Jeremy Corbyn gives in every interview that he does. He doesn't actually do that many interviews. 

"But I think having done that interview with Andrew Neil, who is one of the toughest interviewers on television, I think Jeremy Corbyn ought to take confidence from that. 

"He ought to come out and do a lot more interviews, dare I say it, on this radio station too, because he came over rather well in that interview. 

"It doesn't matter whether you actually agreed or disagreed with him, he actually came across well. He came across as a political leader."