Odds shorten on Nick Clegg losing his seat

The odds on Nick Clegg losing his seat and leaving the House of Commons in the forthcoming General Election shortened today following the publication of a Lord Ashcroft poll that predicts a Labour victory in Sheffield Hallam.

Leading bookmaker Coral slashed the odds on Labour winning Sheffield Hallam to 6/4 from 15/8, and eased the odds on Nick Clegg retaining his seat to 8/15 from 2/5, meaning he remains a lukewarm favourite to hang on to his job.

“If the odds are right then Nick Clegg will hang on to his seat by the narrowest of margins, but the market is now moving in favour of Labour in Sheffield Hallam, and with five weeks to go there is plenty of time for the odds on Labour winning the seat to shorten even more,” said Simon Clare, Coral Spokesman.

Lord Ashcroft released poll results for eight marginal constituencies.  In Torbay, Ashcroft predicts a victory for the Liberal Democrats but Coral can’t split the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats making them both 10-11 joint favourites to win the seats. The betting on all eight constituencies polled by Lord Ashcroft is below:

ENDS

** Coral Betting on the eight constituencies polled by Lord Ashcroft with his prediction in brackets

Sheffield Hallam (Lab gain)

8-15 Lib Dem, 6-4 Lab, 25 Con

Camborne and Redruth  (Con hold)

1-8 Con, 10 Lib Dem, 14 UKIP,

North Cornwall (LD hold)

5-6 Lib Dem, 10-11 Con, 25 UKIP,

North Devon (Con gain)