Poll shows PM faces battle to keep power

The United Kingdom's Prime Minister Boris Johnson is forecast to lose more than 100 seats at the next general election, according to a poll.

A survey found 49 percent of voters in the 57 Labour Party heartland constituencies that were gained by the Conservatives in 2019 said they would vote Labour if there was a general election now. It found only 33 percent of voters in those areas would support the Conservatives.

If repeated nationally, such results would wipe out Johnson's majority and likely make Labour leader Keir Starmer the prime minister, said the company that conducted the research for the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Deltapoll.

The research found that 38 percent of these voters agree Starmer would make the best prime minister, while 33 percent favor Johnson.

The data shows how support for the Conservatives has fallen in large parts of the country that has traditionally favored Labour, known as the "Red Wall".

The polling company added that to take power, Labour would still likely need to forge a deal with the Liberal Democrats or the Scottish National Party, because it probably would not secure an overall majority.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Labour is ahead in the predicted nationwide share of the vote by five points, with 40 percent versus 35 percent.

The Mail on Sunday said that public dismay over revelations of Christmas parties held at Downing Street in an apparent breach of COVID restrictions has particularly impacted voting intention in Red Wall seats.

It said only 16 percent of voters in the Red Wall seats think Johnson obeyed the rules over the matter, while 72 percent think he did not. The poll found 65 percent of respondents believe Johnson should resign if he was found to have broken the law over COVID restrictions.

Lee Anderson, Conservative MP for Red Wall seat Ashfield, wrote in the Mail that voters in his constituency were having doubts abut the party and said they are also concerned about "the huge rises in the cost of living coming down the track, through higher energy bills".

Some backbench Conservative members of Parliament are now discussing whether to force a leadership challenge, with a no-confidence vote in Johnson, reported the Mail.

The research showed just 24 percent of voters in the seats gained by the Conservatives believe Johnson will still be prime minister one year from now. A majority of 58 percent think he will be replaced, noted the Independent newspaper.

The Deltapoll survey of 1,567 British adults between Dec 23 and 30 showed Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is the favorite to succeed Johnson.