Ladbrokes Predict LibDem Hold for Bristol West

By Al_Shaw | Thursday, March 11, 2010, 10:45

Ladbrokes, Britain's largest bookmaker, is predicting a LibDem victory for Bristol West in this summer's general election, a result which would see current MP Stephen Williams returned to Parliament for a second term.

Is the Future Yellow?

Ladbrokes have published odds of 1/4 (at the time of writing) in favour of a LibDem victory in the poll, widely predicted for May 6th. A Labour victory in Bristol West is quoted at 4-1 and a Conservative win at 10-1. The Green Party has a 100-1 chance of victory, according to Ladbrokes.

By the time of this year's general election, and following changes to the constituency by the electoral Boundary Commission, Bristol West will contain the wards of Redland, Cotham, Clifton and Clifton East, Bishopston, Ashley, Easton, Lawrence Hill and Cabot. Despite the loss of Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westbury on Trym (changes which might be considered beneficial to Labour) the bookies are still predicting that the Labour Party will fail to overturn the LibDem majority - which was 5,000 at the 2005 election in the "old" Bristol West constituency.

Bristol West was a Conservative stronghold for over 100 years before being won by Labour's Valerie Davey in the landslide 1997 general election. The LibDem victory in 2005 represented a swing to them of 8% and was believed to have been influenced by the votes of the large student population in Redland and Cotham, many of whom were opposed to the Labour Party's policy of top up fees.

Nationally, Ladbrokes are offering odds of 7/4 for there being no overall majority in the House of Commons following this year's general election.