Lib Dems are the most popular second preference for Labour voters

An important snippet from Lord Ashcroft’s final national telephone poll of the year:

Four in ten of those who named Labour as their first choice gave their second preference to the Lib Dems. The Greens were the next most popular destination for Labour second preferences (19%), followed by UKIP (14%) and the Tories (13%).

That’s important for two reasons. The tactical: it shows the big scope still there for Liberal Democrats up against Conservatives to put the tactical squeeze on Labour voters. The strategic: it is a reminder of how much the next general election isn’t Labour vs Tories but a series of other two-way battles, such as Labour vs Lib Dems and Tories vs UKIP.