Yorkshire MPs among top contenders for Labour leadership, poll reveals

The study by YouGov lists Yvette Cooper, Hilary Benn and Dan Jarvis as possible candidates for the position, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan coming out top.

The findings come amid the final hours of campaigning for by-elections in Stoke and Copeland, which are being heralded as a crucial litmus test of Mr Corbyn’s leadership.

The polling firm has said that with “rumours mounting” of a third leadership election in as many years, it wanted to see how the bookies favourites “stack up in the eyes of the general public”.

The results rank 20 Labour MPs based on how well-known the politician is among voters and whether they are “liked”.

Mr Jarvis, the MP for Barnsley Central, comes top overall for “likability”, but is seen as one of the least well-known candidates. Mrs Cooper, meanwhile, enjoys a higher profile but is less “likable”. And Mr Benn is seen as both well-liked and fairly well-known.

Mr Khan, the former MP for Tooting, scores best for both measures, and is described as the candidate who could have “the greatest impact”. And shadow chancellor John McDonnell comes bottom of the rankings, emerging as the least well-known and least likeable.

Commenting on the findings, YouGov research executive Chris Curtis suggested the party might be better off choosing a candidate who “[isn’t] yet well known” and therefore less likely to generate “negative feelings”.

“Being largely unknown may give them the opportunity to shape their own image and give them more space to rejuvenate the Labour brand,” he said.