Johnson will deliver say E&S readers as Labour urged to leave Corbyn behind

People in the Black Country and Staffordshire are confident the issue – which has divided the nation – will finally be resolved after three years of delay.

The poll of more than 2,200 readers was launched to gauge the mood of a region weary after three elections in less than five years and endless rows over Brexit.

And after the latest vote delivered a clear victory for the Conservatives, the results show people believe Brexit will finally be put to bed next year.

Nearly two-thirds of people think Britain will be better off after Brexit and that the issue which has divided the country for three years will be sorted by the end of 2020.

After being left with a commanding majority of 80 the Prime Minister will now see a path to delivering Brexit and has already moved to try and stop the transition period after leaving the EU being extended beyond next year.

Many in the region now feel more optimistic about the future and believe Mr Johnson will do a good job as Prime Minister.

Brexit remains the most important issue for families in this region, followed closely by the NHS, according to the survey.

On the issue, 62 per cent of respondents said they were confident it would be fully sorted by the end of 2020.

A total of 63 per cent said they now felt more optimistic, while 61 per cent said they believed Boris Johnson would make an effective Prime Minister.

Clear message for Labour

Readers also delivered a clear message to the Labour Party that it must change course and return to the centre ground if it is to be taken seriously as an electoral force.

And the work must start now if it is to stand a chance to beating the Tories next time around.

A massive 81 per cent said it is time for Labour to abandon the politics of Jeremy Corbyn and move back to the centre ground.

The story of the election was the shift in traditional Labour heartlands towards the Conservatives, which secured historic gains for the Tories in places they would previously have thought unwinnable.

There was a blue surge in the Black Country, with the previously safe Labour seats of Wolverhampton North East, West Bromwich West and West Bromwich East - the former seat of Tom Watson - falling to the Tories.

It chimes with the warnings from the likes of Tony Blair and Wolverhampton’s one remaining Labour MP Pat McFadden that Mr Corbyn’s politics is simply not electable in modern Britain.

Although it was billed as the Brexit Election, more than half of those who took the survey - 53 per cent - blamed Mr Corbyn for Labour’s defeat.

This compared to 23 per cent who said Brexit was to blame for the party’s poor performance. Meanwhile, 14 per cent blamed negative media stories and 10 per cent the manifesto.

Who next?

Almost a quarter of E&S readers - 23 per cent - said they changed the way they voted at the election, which was reflected in the results in some areas.

The question now for Labour is ‘who next?’ but it appears readers are underwhelmed by the shortlist of candidates preparing to take over from Mr Corbyn.

Almost half - 48 per cent - said none of the current favourites should become leader, and that the job should instead go to someone else.

Of those in the running, the most popular choice is Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer, who took 16 per cent of the vote, followed by Birmingham MP Jess Phillips on 14 per cent - hardly convincing numbers for someone who will be tasked with transforming Labour into a party that can be taken seriously at the ballot box.

Emily Thornberry and Rebecca Long-Bailey, both allies of Mr Corbyn, took only five per cent and six per cent of the vote respectively.

Brexit still matters most to people in this region. A total of 36 per cent chose it as their most important issue, closely followed by the NHS on 32 per cent.

Finally, a majority of E&S readers are happy to put aside any reservations about Donald Trump if it means doing deals with America.

Some 56 per cent welcome closer economic ties compared to 39 per cent who don’t trust the President.