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Sir Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats are hurtling towards a victory in both Godalming & Ash and Chichester, hoping to end the Conservatives’ cumulative 140-year reign across both constituencies, according to the bookies.
The Lib Dems have been the third-most backed party across all markets since they opened and have since flown even further into favouritism for the Godalming & Ash seat at 2/11 from 8/13 earlier this month in a bid to overthrow Jeremy Hunt (7/2).
Likewise in Chichester, a constituency that the Conservatives have held since 1868 (bar one year in 1923), Davey’s party have been backed into 4/7 favourites ahead of Gillian Keegan and the Tories at 2/1.
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William Kedjanyi, Political Betting Analyst at Star Sports, said: “Much like their bungee-jumping party leader Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrats’ odds to win seats in both Godalming & Ash and Chichester have plummeted which puts them on course to usurp current Conservative MPs Jeremy Hunt and Gillian Keegan.
“The Lib Dems have seen plenty of support in Godalming & Ash, a seat which they were 5/4 for when markets opened, but have since been backed into 2/11 with a strong hold on the market over Conservative MP Hunt, who’s drifted to 7/2 from his 6/5 price tag in early June.
“It’s a similar story over in Chichester where Conservatives have reigned supreme since 1924, as candidate Keegan who has held the seat since 2017 is struggling to maintain her support at 2/1. Davey’s party however have seen their odds slashed from 6/4 into sole favouritism at 4/7 to make a real statement come Thursday and steal the seat off the Tories.”
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