UK opposition sees rise in poll support

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON

Just over two weeks from the British general election, latest opinion polls suggest opposition parties are gaining ground against the ruling Conservatives.

A poll published at the weekend puts Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party at 35 percent -- a four-point rise since the snap election was announced.

Labour is now only nine points behind Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party, which the poll put at 44 percent, only days after the main parties launched their manifestos.

The YouGov poll also says the pro-EU Liberal Democrats are at nine percent with a one-point rise.

However, the support for the populist U.K. Independence Party has shrunk to three percent -- a drop from six percent in previous polls.

The quick jump in Labour support came shortly after the launch of the Conservative manifesto in which the party revealed post-election policies for the social care system.

Under the current law, the expenses of people living in residential care are met by local authorities and recovered from the sale of the family assets after death.

But according to the Tory manifesto published last week, this will be the arrangement for those who prefer to receive care in their own home and they will have to pay their own expenses until they are reduced to their final £100,000 ($130,000).

However, speaking on Monday, May said her party would “make sure nobody has to sell their family home to pay for care”.

“We will make sure there’s an absolute limit on what people need to pay,” she added.

The opposition has focused on the Conservatives’ social policies. The party’s cut in free school meals suggested in their manifesto saw Conservatives accused failing to show fairness. Labour said more than 900,000 children would be affected by the move.

Pressure on Corbyn over IRA remarks

Meanwhile the pressure on Labour leader Corbyn is building after he was accused of failing to condemn the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in a recent interview. Conservatives accused Corbyn of “siding with Britain’s enemies”.

During a television interview, Corbyn refused to “unequivocally” and specifically condemn the group.

Corbyn, who attended rallies and protests by the Irish republican-backed Troops Out Movement in 1980s, said he condemned all bombings during Northern Ireland’s ‘Troubles’.

"In the 1980s, Britain was looking for a military solution in Ireland. It clearly was never going to work. Ask anyone in the British Army at that time," Corbyn told Sky News on Sunday.

"Therefore you have to seek a peace process. You condemn the violence of those that laid bombs that killed large numbers of innocent people and I do," he added.

The snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May will be held on June 8 and a deadline to register to vote will be reached at midnight.

Brexit negotiations with the EU are expected to start shortly after the new government is formed.