Where the Liberal Democrats are hoping to swing seats and take support from the Tories
The Liberal Democrats will be hoping that a combination of decline in support for the Conservatives and increased interest in tactical voting will help more than triple the party’s seat total at the general election.
Latest polling predicts the Lib Dems could gain 50 seats, and even take out some big Tory names such as challenging Jeremy Hunt’s seat in Godalming and Ash and Justice Minister Alex Chalk in Cheltenham.
In 75 constituencies the Lib Dems came in second place in the 2019 general election and had more than 20% of the vote, while in 16 of these the winning party held a majority of less than 10%.
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey is targeting ‘Blue Wall’ seats in the hope of winning over disenfranchised Conservative voters, particularly in the South West where the party has been capitalising on sewage concerns and the wave of discontent for the Conservative Party.
Constituencies in areas like Oxfordshire and just places just outside of London that have historically been Tory now also seem achievable for a Lib Dem takeover, such as David Cameron’s ex-seat in Witney.
Along with seats that require the smallest swing, the party is also targeting constituencies in Devon and Somerset and along the A30 such as Yeovil and Winchester. The Lib Dems are now predicted to overturn sizeable Conservative majorities, proving just how seismic this general election could prove in changing the face of Parliament.
Here are the ten closest swing seats from 2019 that the Lib Dems could snatch.
| Ranking | Constituency name | Swing required |
| 1 | Carshalton and Wallington | 0.64% |
| 2 | Fife North East | 0.70% |
| 3 | Wimbledon | 0.74% |
| 4 | Sheffield Hallam | 0.92% |
| 5 | Cambridgeshire South | 1.25% |
| 6 | Cheltenham | 1.25% |
| 7 | Dunbartonshire Mid | 1.69% |
| 8 | Cheadle | 2.09% |
| 9 | Eastbourne | 2.11% |
| 10 | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | 2.64% |
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
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