Lib Dems upbeat on election prospects
The Liberal Democrats will make “significant gains” at the next election, according to the party’s campaigns director.
Lord Rennard said the nation’s third party was enjoying its best position in the polls for more than 20 years.
The peer said his party would be targeting Labour and Conservative seats at the general election.
The Conservatives under Michael Howard, he argued, were doing less well than under William Hague or Iain Duncan Smith.
On the other hand, the Liberal Democrats were “doing better” under Charles Kennedy than under predecessor Paddy Ashdown, he said, and would give the Tories a run for their money at next year’s poll.
“While not forecasting it, it’s not at all impossible that the Liberal Democrats will overtake the Conservatives in sharing the vote.
“We could well overtake them in sharing the vote but suppose they get more seats than we do, I think people would think that was perverse and not right.”
