Conservative polling shows they’d lose seats heavily to Lib Dems
I’ve covered previously how worried Conservative MPs have been lobbying Theresa May against holding an early general election. Now comes news that Conservative Party polling is painting a very grim picture for the party in seats taken from the Liberal Democrats in 2015:
A survey conducted by Crosby Textor showed the party would lose most of the 27 gains they made from the Lib Dems in 2015, including all those in south London, all those in Cornwall and most of those in Devon…
Since their general election nadir, the Lib Dems have risen to double figures in national polling and now boast 87,000 members (more than double their low point under the coalition). Tim Farron told the New Statesman last week that only his party could deprive the Tories of their slim majority of 15 seats. [New Statesman]
Anecdotal evidence would seem to agree.
It bears out what I am hearing on the doorstep in Barnstaple. Many people are telling me that they were Conservative members until June last year but no longer recognise the party they once supported and are voting for the Lib Dems. The Tories must be getting worried. Its the same message I was hearing on the doorsteps of Richmond last November.
I can’t see the Tories support increasing between now and 2020 though, unless Brexit goes fabulously well..
Where I live the husband of a Tory Cabinet member in our council has joined the
Libdem’s, likewise a former Labour member who has stood in elections for Labour several times