Even senior Tories think their election campaign is making people vote Labour indy100 indy100 Indy100 logoNewsletter sign upRegister/Sign inTop 100NewsViralPoliticsCelebritiesScience & TechVideoWishlistWishlistBooksFashion & BeautyFood & DrinkHome & GardenKidsSports & FitnessTechTravel & OutdoorsMoreScience & techVideoConversationsSportIdentitiesLifestyleShowbizTVSearchxNews

Even senior Tories think their election campaign is making people vote Labour

Andrew Grice (editedApr 25, 2015 Lord Ashcroft, a senior Conservative peer, has blamed David Cameron for the party’s failure to open up an opinion poll lead over Labour. In a column for the i paper, the former deputy Tory chairman, who is now a pollster, says that some people who prefer Mr Cameron to Ed Miliband are deciding to vote Labour, as the Labour leader performs better than voters had expected. Far from crumbling, Miliband has shown a good deal of resilience in the face of some rather unseemly attacks. Too much emphasis on the opposing leader’s weaknesses (or, in this case, the deals he may or may not do to get himself into office) suggests to voters that a party can’t have much to say for itself. Lord Ashcroft lays the blame at Mr Cameron’s door: Rather than relying on the identity of their leader and the risks of change, the Tories over the last five years ought to have laid the foundations for a campaign in which they could talk confidently about their plans for public services and describe a Conservative vision of opportunity and prosperity for all. The Tories’ hopes of a breakthrough were dashed by the latest “poll of polls” for the i paper, which shows the two biggest parties are deadlocked on 33 per cent. As the electoral map favours Labour, such a result would give the party 293 seats to the Tories’ 270, putting Mr Miliband in pole position to become prime minister in a hung parliament. More: Here's who Nigel Farage wants to win the election (Hint: it's not Ukip)Keep reading...Show less

US actors Reynolds and McElhenney to be honoured by people of Wales

How will the next prime minister and Tory leader be chosen

Ellis-Bextor to get the party started at new show for Edinburgh s Hogmanay

Please log in or register to upvote this article

Top 100

The secret codes to unlock hidden categories on Netflix

netflixtvviralhalloweennetflix13m

How likely is it that Boris Johnson could be prime minister again

Boris Johnsonboris johnsontory leadership contesttory leadership racetory leaderTory leadershiptory leadershipConservativesconservative partyConservative Partyconservative leadership raceconservativesBoris Johnson20h

The Rocky career of Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnsonthe rockblack adamwweDwayne Johnson17h

This old quote from Boris Johnson feels very relevant right now

boris johnsonboris johnsonconservativespoliticstories16m

Man endures ' 29 hour flight' with screaming kids for the entire trip

flightplanechildflightOct 12, 2022

Lorraine Kelly hits out at Madonna' s ' boiled egg' face

madonnamadonnalorraine kellygmbshowbizplastic surgeryOct 11, 2022

Elon Musk is actually selling a ' Burnt Hair' fragrance

elon muskthe boring companyperfumeelon muskburnt hairOct 12, 2022

Jon Stewart slams Arkansas attorney general for her ' anti-trans law'

lgbt+transgenderlgbt+jon stewartapple tvarkansasus newsnewsOct 11, 2022

Just Stop Oil protester praised for ' great' explanation of soup stunt

just stop oilOct 19, 2022

Couple spark debate for ' scandalous' wedding cake topper

wedding cakeOct 12, 2022

Love Island star shows extent of how far influencers edit photos

Love IslandOct 11, 2022

Steven Seagal describes Putin as one of ' greatest world leaders'

steven seagalOct 10, 2022

Lizzo wears empowering shirt after being fat-shamed by Kanye West

lizzoOct 10, 2022

A lettuce just outlasted Liz Truss' stint as prime minister

Liz TrussOct 20, 2022The Conversation (0)