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Conservatives have no chance, claim Lib-Dems
Reporter: Election 2011
Date online: 20 December 2010
The Liberal Democrats have claimed the Tories have no chance of winning the forthcoming Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election.
Business Secretary Vince Cable believes it is a straight forward fight between his party and Labour.
Mr Cable made the comments in an interview at the weekend. He also denied David Cameron would hold back in the contest not to humiliate the party.
Mr Cable said: “I think people in Oldham can do the arithmetic and can see that this is a straight fight between the Liberal Democrats and Labour.”
It is largely believed in Westminster the Tories will fight a weak campaign to avoid polling more votes than their coalition partners. The Prime Minister fuelled more speculation after he wished Elwyn Watkins, the Lib-Dem well and said he hoped for a “friendly” campaign.
Mr Cameron has confirmed he will visit the constituency to campaign for Kashif Ali, who he described as “a very strong candidate”, and insisted Tories would be “fighting for all the votes”.
Labour has selected Debbie Abrahams as its candidate.
Former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said it was too close to call.
He added: “The impact on the individual parties is extremely unpredictable, which is why in another three weeks we will all be discussing the result of the Oldham by-election.”
Comments
Surely the LibDems are guilty of misrepresentation here. The Conservative candidate can't be happy at them denigrating his chances when he put up a good show last time. At least he hasn't got to apologise for breaking election promises, which must count in his favour with the electorate. You know what to expect from the Tories even if you don't support them.
well i have to agree with vince on this. the tories may not win here. they'll still get my vote though.
but judging by the easy way his party has backed down on several policys they had i feel the fibdems may be even lagging in third place behind the tories now.
i think the top three parties will all be suprised at how many votes go to the other candidates.
This must be one of the most stupid political statements in recent times. I think the Lib Dems will finish third this time with massively reduced support. And how unashamedly arrogant to make such a forecast, especially with the recent public loathing of the Lib Dems.
The Tories have no chance so vote for us and you'll get...er little snivvelling Tory lapdogs. No thanks, Vince.
Face facts, whether you vote Tory or Lib Dem you get Tory, irrespective of what Vince Cable has to say. This is a Tory led coalition with the Lib Dem's following in their path.
There's already rumours that Cameron is quite happy for the Lib's to take the seat - they are all in this together - it's just the rest of us that are a little deeper in it!
My prediction for the Bye Election
1 Labour
2 Conservatives.
3. Green Party
$ Liberals to loose Deposit The student fees finished the Liberal Party and the change of mind re student Fees which Mr Watkins stated he would change is mind and would agree to student feesa being incrested, this his against that manifesto, so the cannot be trusted.
Minerva, you know what you get with the Tories? Like when they reneged on their election manifesto commitment to jail anyone carrying a knife, the commitment not to make any cuts to the NHS.
I remember the leaders debates, with Cameron talking about how easy it would be to find a 1% saving, and that turned into 40%. The one thing I'd like to see them do is to stop the political correctness, but there's not much sign of that
May 2010:
Labour 14,186
Lib Dems 14,083
Conservatives 11,773
With the Tories vote holding up nationally, and the Lib Dems falling, this is either a 3 horse race or an old fashioned Labour-Tory battle.
I hope you're right Michael. The Libs have been getting away with promising things they would never be in a position to deliver and couldn't deliver even if they were.
If one good thing can be said for the coalition, it's exposing the Lib Dems for what they truly are, jumping in to bed with anyone in order to gain any sort of power - the hussy's of British Politics.
Hi Flake - among other things I expect broken manifesto promises!
Have Your Say
OH I think the Tories have every chance of winning. With the only Moslem candidate of the big three, a public dissillusioned with the Fib Dems breaking their signed pledge, and a Moslem electorate which Labour claimed were determined to vote them out, I'd say Kashif Ali is very well placed to collect all those votes.
If you don't want the Fib Dems or Liebor, who else is going to stand a chance? Having said that it now turns out the Cameron has lied about cuts to the NHS.
By Flake @ 20/12/2010 15:38:35