Then there were four: Poll predicts massacre for Tories in London

THE Conservatives face close to wipeout in London at the election, according to a new poll which showed them with just four seats left as they are hit by a Reform and Labour pincer movement.

- Nicholas Cecil

The MRP poll by Ipsos has Rishi Sunak's party seeing its seats in the capital reduced to just Orpington, Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, Romford, and Sutton and Cheam. The first three of these Tory holds were classed by the pollster as "toss-ups" as they are too close to call given the small leads, with Labour possibly gaining them. The most solid Conservative seat appears to be Sutton and Cheam, in south-west London, though this could be affected by tactical voting.

The grim outlook for the Tories is due to them being down 20 points in the 20 seats they currently hold in the capital, Labour rising by 12 points, and Reform on 10 per cent, according to the poll. The Liberal Democrats are down six points in these constituencies, which suggests some tactical voting may impact these areas.