Lib Dems fall to seven per cent in new poll, just two points ahead of Ukip.
A year ago even the most ardent Ukip supporter wouldn’t have suggested that their party could overtake the Lib Dems in the polls. But they’re now just a few points between the two. The latest YouGov poll puts the Lib Dems on seven per cent (their joint lowest rating since the election), with Ukip two points behind on five per cent (down from six per cent the previous day). As Europe rises up the political agenda, there’s every possibility that Nigel Farage’s party could eventually overtake Nick Clegg’s.
The main explanation for the surge in support for minority parties (their combined support is 15 per cent) is the entry of the Lib Dems into government, which has left them unable to compete for the protest vote. Their supporters have mainly defected to Labour (backed by 41 per cent of 2010 Lib Dem voters) but also to Ukip (backed by four per cent) and to the Greens (backed by seven per cent).
The problem for Ukip, of course, is that however strong their headline support is, they’ll be lucky to win a seat at the next election. As for the Lib Dems, they may want to reassess their support for proportional representation. As things stand, on a uniform swing, they’d win nine seats.
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