Liberal Democrats set for gains at the General Election

The Liberal Democrats average poll rating (21.6%) in January was the highest ever since polling began at the start of an election year - eight points above their average rating in January 2001 and nine points above their average rating in January 1997.

A new poll has found the Party would nearly double support if voters thought they could win in their area. 29 per cent of current Labour supporters, 19 per cent of Conservatives and one-third of those backing other parties agreed "I would vote for the Liberal Democrats if they had a realistic chance of winning in my constituency". If people voted along these lines in winnable constituencies, Charles Kennedy would become Prime Minister with a majority of 126 over Labour, and the Conservatives would be reduced to a rump of 56 seats.

Peter Carroll, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Folkestone and Hythe, has welcomed the poll as backing up the welcome he is receiving on the doorstep. The poll predicts that as long as people think we could win, Folkestone and Hythe would be amongst the seats to fall to the Liberal Democrats. Folkestone and Hythe is a clear contest between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, with Labour trailing in all recent polls.

Peter said:

"What is even better is that we are doing doing particularly well among students and younger people. Two recent polls have put the Liberal Democrats ahead among students. Our policy of scrapping tuition fees, our opposition to the Iraq war, and our support for the environment are proving particularly popular.

"The majority of people in Britain now see the Liberal Democrats as the Real Opposition. We are on course to gain votes and seats from both Labour and the Conservatives at the general election."