Labour and the Lib Dems are studying which party stands a better chance in crunch by-elections and targeting resources where they are most likely to win, a Shadow Cabinet Minister signalled today.
Labour frontbencher Wes Streeting revealed the parties were taking a “different horses for different courses” approach to the campaigns.
Boris Johnson's leadership will come under renewed pressure if the Tories are defeated in two key ballots this month.
The Prime Minister has lost the support of two-fifths of the Conservative parliamentary party - and will face a fresh backlash if the Tories lose the by-elections on June 23.
Voters will go to the polls in Conservative-held seats, with Labour predicted to win back Wakefield, West Yorks, and the Lib Dems the main challenger in Tiverton and Honiton, Devon.
Asked if “Labour is going to work with the Lib Dems on these two elections”, Shadow Health Secretary Mr Streeting told the Institute for Government think tank, said: “In terms of ‘Lib-Labbery’ we don’t need to.
“It really is a case of different horses for different courses.
“When you look at the electoral map of the country, and the seats where the Lib Dems are in contention against the Conservatives and the seats where Labour is in contention with the Conservatives, they are just different places.”
He added: “It’s not that we sit in Westminster cooking up deals and that Keir (Starmer) and (Lib Dem leader) Ed Davey are sort of busy kind of forging a progressive alliance.
“There are no discussions, no deals, that’s not where we are - it is different horses for different courses and I am sure we are putting as much effort into Wakefield as the Liberal Democrats are into Tiverton.”
The admission comes after the Mirror revealed how political campaign group Best for Britain was ready to “unleash the most powerful tactical voting campaign this country has ever seen” to topple the Government at the next general election.
Chief executive Naomi Smith said: “Labour and the Lib Dems need to think about how to get rid of this Government.
“There is a huge antipathy and push factor away from the Conservatives rather than a pull factor to the other opposition parties.”
