Speaking to The Times Red Box, the Times writer claimed constituencies like Rotherham and Doncaster North – where Labour’s Ed Miliband is running – may abandon the Labour Party after years of “ancestor worship”. She argued the cities and towns in the north-west of England that voted overwhelmingly in favour of Brexit will be prepared for the first time in decades to support Boris Johnson and his party’s pro-Brexit message. Ms Turner said: “A couple of years ago I was following Sarah Champion around Rotherham when she was on the doorsteps and there was this kind of ancestor worship like ‘my granny was spinning around if I voted anything but Labour’.

“And I’ve noticed over the course of visiting there both for personal reason and for work that that kind of ancestor worship seems to be eroding.

“Previously, there was a lot of people like my late father who would never vote Conservative for real basic class reasons.

“But we’re attracted by this kind of populist leaders.

“Doncaster was the first place that had an English democrat mayor long before Ukip took hold.

“And I’ve seen this whole populist right-wing theme rumbling down the line from a long way away but it was just whether it would ever manifest itself in anything other than local election terms.

“These are big majorities but when I was there in August and Boris had this kind of impromptu visit and went around Doncaster market and talked to all the Brexity butchers and the fruit sellers, I noticed… if Theresa May would have been there there would have been no kind of response whatsoever to her.

“They would have been like ‘why is she here, even?’

“But with Boris it was like ‘come on, lad, get it done’.”

The Times writer went on to compare Boris Johnson to Winston Churchill as she claimed the Tory leader “speaks” to north-western working-class people despite his “posh” appearance. 

She added: “He speaks to them even though he is incredibly posh and dissolute and all these private issues, they see somebody who has been hemmed in Parliament.

“This has really penetrated. The idea that he’s trying every which way to get through, to get this thing passed, and he’s been stopped.

“I think that if they do give their votes to the Tories this time – and I think it’s highly possible – I think it’s a one-off deal.

“I think it’s like Churchill during the war and then when it’s peace time they dump him.”

Echoing Ms Turner’s comments, BBC’s Claire Hamilton told Electioncast she believed Barrow could also abandon the Labour Party in favour of the Conservative candidate at the upcoming election.

She said: “Barrow is the one that has been mentioned to me. It’s a slightly odd seat, it’s been represented by Labour for a long time.

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“John Woodcock who was the incumbent is standing down, he has become an independent and he has endorsed the Conservatives in this election campaign.

“So that’s certainly one that it’s within the Conservative sights.

“And Burnley – this would be a very long shot – but in the last couple of days, it’s a seat that I understand the Conservatives are talking about in a positive light.

“Burnley last returned a Conservative MP in 1910. But on the streets, it seems that the Conservatives are more optimistic in those seats.”

The Labour Party has vowed to deliver a revised Brexit deal with the EU within three months from winning the general election. 

The red party has also pledged to put its renegotiated deal in a referendum against the option of remaining in the EU – something that Labour Leave voters have adamantly condemned. 

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