Does Tactical Voting Spell More Trouble For The Tories?

As the first postal ballots are cast, there seems little doubt that, if the polls are correct and remain roughly where they are until polling day, the Labour Party will command a majority in the new House of Commons.

- SEAN O'GRADY

Such is the prospective scale of the swing from the Conservatives to Labour since the 2019 general election that it seems a foregone conclusion, a factor that may affect turnout and, thus, the size of that majority. Yet such is the antiConservative mood that there are also strong indications that more of the electorate are prepared to vote tactically at this general election than at any since the New Labour triumphs in 1997 and 2001. It could yet have a significant impact once again…

What is the evidence that tactical voting is growing?

The clearest evidence of tactical, ie anti-Conservative, voting behaviour can be seen in the succession of spectacular byelection results over the past couple of years or so. Such patterns have also been observed in local council elections.

Does tactical voting work?