Sir Keir Starmer is voters’ preferred choice to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader

In polling carried out by BMG Research Sir Keir topped the list with 9% of favourability, just one point ahead of fellow Remainer Jess Phillips MP, and three points ahead of Yvette Cooper (6%).

He ranked more favourably than other possible leadership contenders including Lisa Nandy (4%), Emily Thornberry (3%) and Angela Rayner (3%).

Rebecca Long Bailey, the favourite to replace Jeremy Corbyn, received just 2% of support while Richard Burgon and Clive Lewis were on just 1%.

It means Starmer and Phillips currently have four times the support of Momentum’s favoured candidate Long-Bailey.

It is a similar picture among Labour voters with Starmer with 16% of support, Phillips with 11% and Cooper with 7 well ahead of Rayner on 5% and Long Bailey on 2%.

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Starmer could receive a boost from new members joining the party after the Mirror reports that Labour has seen an increase of 30,000 in the last week are mostly deemed to be moderate Remainers.

The source told the newspaper: “Anyone who joins within three weeks of the leadership ­election will get a vote.”

Bookmaker Coral is still offering 7-4 for Rebecca Long Bailey to win the leadership race – ahead of Sir Keir on 5-2 and Lisa Nandy on 4-1.