LABOUR’S lead over the Conservatives in the polls has dropped to its lowest level since last June.

The party now holds a 12-point lead over the Tories, down five points, according to new research by pollsters at Savanta.

The polling has the Conservatives up two points and the SNP up one point.

It means Labour are now on 41% support, to the Tories’ 29% – which Savanta said was the lowest level in seven months.

In total, 2224 UK adults were surveyed between February 9 and 11. 

The drop comes during a tough start to the year for Starmer, after he ended months of speculation by axing the party’s vaunted £28 billion green spending pledge.

He found himself under criticism from all sides after ditching the pledge – which would have been one of Labour’s flagship policies going into this year’s General Election.

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Then he was forced to ditch Labour’s candidate in the upcoming Rochdale by-election at the last moment.

Azhar Ali will still be listed on the ballot paper as a Labour candidate but he has been suspended from the party because of accusations of antisemitism.

At first, the party stood by Ali, but finally ditched him after a newspaper revealed it was publishing more damaging allegations of antisemitism about him.

It led to accusations Ali – seen as being on the right of the party – had been afforded more favourable treatment than left-wing Labour members in cases of antisemitism.

Starmer has made a point of claiming to take a zero tolerance approach to anti-Jewish bigotry after the party found itself continually mired by accusations of antisemitism under his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn.

Another Labour candidate was ditched on Tuesday night after he was recorded referring to “f***ing Israel”.