‘Pact’ could unseat Blackford
THE Liberal Democrats are ‘within touching distance’ of ousting SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, party leaders claim.
Mr Blackford’s lead over Lib Dem candidate Craig Harrow in the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency has been cut to only seven percentage points, according to forecasting by Flavible Politics.
Lib Dems are ploughing resources into the seat – and believe they are on track to secure a major SNP scalp if they can persuade Tory and Labour voters to lend them their vote.
It comes amid signs that the Tories and Labour may support an ‘informal pact’ in which they would not put significant resource into trying to win votes in the constituency.
The seat was won by Mr Blackford in 2015 following a bitter battle marred by allegations that his team relentlessly hounded rival candidate Charles Kennedy, the former Lib Dem leader, in the weeks before his death.
Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Lib Dem campaign chairman, claimed that ‘poll after poll’ has shown the party is ‘within touching distance’ of the SNP in the constituency. He said: ‘ Ian Blackford has a lot to worry about. I was campaigning in the constituency and it was incredible the fondness held for Charles Kennedy. People remember years of dedicated service by Charles and many of them also remember how vicious the Nationalist campaign against him was.’
According to Flavible, the SNP is currently on 38 per cent in the seat, with the Lib Dems on 31 per cent, the Conservatives on 16 per cent and Labour on 6 per cent.
Speaking of a possible ‘pact’ between the pro-Union parties yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said: ‘I am confident that Ian Blackford will see that off without too much difficulty.’