One of Rishi Sunak’s top Cabinet allies admitted on Wednesday that Labour appears to be heading to a “massive majority”, but urged voters to elect a viable opposition.
In a clear admission of looming defeat, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride told Sky News: “I’m extremely worried for the future if we have a Labour government, particularly if we have one that is totally unrestrained because it has a massive majority, which is what we appear to be heading towards, with very little opposition in Parliament.”
The senior Tory added: “I would just say to people on that score that I think it’s really important that we think very carefully about holding Labour to account, if they are to win this coming General Election, and that people do vote Conservative so that we have a decent opposition at least to an overweening Labour Party.”
In the face of polls pointing to Labour winning a record-breaking number of seats in the Commons, leading Conservatives have taken to warning voters of the dangers of untrammelled power for one party. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps was the first when he imported the US term “supermajority” in the Westminster context.
The latest Ipsos survey for The Standard put the Tories on a joint record low of just 19%, down four points, with Labour on 42%, down one point, for an overall lead of 23 points.
Large-scale MRP polls have translated the parties’ ratings into seat numbers, with YouGov projecting Labour to win 425 to 108 for Mr Sunak’s party. That would be the lowest number of seats won by the Conservatives in their near 200-year history of contesting British elections.
Tory troubles have deepened with the Gambling Commission investigating bets by party insiders on the timing of the election, before Mr Sunak announced on May 22 that he was going for July 4.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack became the first Cabinet member to acknowledge betting on the timing - but insists he placed his three wagers weeks before May 22 and had no insider knowledge.
Mr Stride defended his colleague, telling Times Radio: “The important thing with Alister I think, is the fact… the bet or bets or whatever it may have been that he placed did not occur in May.
“He’s very clear that he has not broken any of the rules and is not indeed being investigated by the Gambling Commission.”
The Work and Pensions Secretary said there should be a debate about a possible ban on betting by politicians.
He added: “But let me be very, very clear: by saying that, I totally recognise that using inside information, as may have been the case for certain individuals in this way, is utterly wrong.”
