Norwich South MP Clive Lewis criticised over polling tweet

Norwich South MP Clive Lewis has been criticised after tweeting a poll which the agency credited as its source has denied producing.

The Labour MP tweeted a bar chart along with a plea to 'Help me get re-elected and keep the Tories out of Norwich South!'

A graphic attached to the tweet stated that 'only a vote for Clive Lewis and Labour could stop the Tories in Norwich South', with Labour put at 36pc, the Conservatives at 28pc, the Lib Dems at 16pc, UKIP at 12pc and the Greens at 8pc.

The data was attributed to 'an ICM poll of Norwich South conducted in January 2017'.

But Martin Boon, director of polling agency ICM, took to Twitter to say he had no knowledge of the poll.

Mr Boon tweeted to Mr Lewis: 'Neither I, nor anyone at @ICMResearch has any knowledge of this poll. Please withdraw our name from it.'

A spokesman for Mr Lewis said: 'The graph is based on projection and analysis of polling of all Labour held-seats commissioned from ICM in Jan 17 by Represent Us.

'Analysis of the implications for each Labour-held seat - including Norwich South - was done by Represent Us based on publicly available analysis of EU referendum results by respected polling expert Chris Hanretty of the UEA.

'So both independent polling analysis and election results both show the same thing - it's a choice between Clive Lewis and the Tories in Norwich South.

'If you don't want a Tory MP in Norwich, only a vote for Clive Lewis and Labour on June 8 can stop it.'

The graphic on the tweet, which is pinned to Mr Lewis's Twitter account has subsequently been amended to state 'Recent polling analysis for Norwich South'.

Mr Lewis, who will appear on BBC One's Question Time tomorrow was elected in 2015 with a 7,654 majority.

His confirmed opponents for the Norwich South seat at the general election are Richard Bearman (Green Party) and James Wright (Liberal Democrats). The Conservatives and UKIP have yet to announce their candidates.