Elections
Tories Struggle to Counter Surge Toward Once-Unloved Lib Dems
- Polls show voters looking for best way to oust Sunak’s party
- Davey’s Liberal Democrats gaining in Conservative strongholds
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Keir Starmer becoming UK prime minister next week has long been accepted by Rishi Sunak’s team. But the Conservative campaign fears a heavy election defeat to Labour is morphing into a wipeout due to something all but impossible to counter: tactical voting for the Liberal Democrats.
Conservative strategists have privately conceded for months that the prevailing public mood is a desire to change government. The Tory view is that is less about enthusiasm for Labour and Starmer than it is about ousting Sunak’s party after 14 years dominated by political and economic turmoil.