Liberal Democrats are running a sweepstake on how many of its 56 seats the party will retain in May’s general election.
At the party’s spring conference, a stall for the Social Liberal Forum – a group affiliated with the Lib Dems and which sits on the left of the party – is charging £1 to bet on the party’s prospects.
On Sunday morning, about 65 people had put their names to guesses ranging from nine to 65 seats. At the top of the sweepstake chart, someone had written “150 – as Nick Clegg promised in 2008”.
The sweepstake has irritated senior party figures, with members of Clegg’s team asking the group to cover up the results with a banner.
The Social Liberal Forum at the Lib Dem spring conf are doing a sweepstake on how many of their 56 seats they'll keep pic.twitter.com/ukQ8eegG3A
— Frances Perraudin (@fperraudin) March 14, 2015
The majority of guesses were in the 30 to 40 range, with a few optimistic members betting that the party would gain seats.
Those taking part in the sweepstake include Lord Roberts of Llandudno, but no MPs were willing to put their name to a figure.
The Lib Dems are gathering in Liverpool for their spring conference as an Opinium/Observer poll put them down one point at 7% of the vote. The poll has Labour up one point to 35% and the Conservative party down one point to 33%.
On Sunday, Clegg will give a speech trying to reassure activists that the party will do better than predicted. He is expected to say: “I’ve heard the predictions. I’ve seen the polls. But let me tell you this: we will do so much better than anyone thinks. In those seats where we are out in force, making our case loudly and proudly, we are the ones making the weather. I’ve seen it for myself in Liberal Democrat seats across the country.”
The speech comes after a source close to Clegg told the Observer that the Lib Dems could lose nearly half their seats and still remain part of the government.
Meanwhile, the MP Tim Farron, a favourite to replace Clegg as party leader, told the Mail on Sunday that the Lib Dems could suffer for a generation as a result of the decision to go into coalition with the Conservatives.
“In 2010, many people said: ‘I am not voting for you because of the (1970s) Lib-Lab pact’, when I was seven years old,” he said. “Just think what going into coalition with the Tories will do to our brand over the next generation.”
The former president of the party told the Mail that the Lib Dems’ U-turn on tuition fees had caused lasting damage. “Integrity is important,” he said. “You must not only keep your word but be seen to keep your word. You can say no.”
