Labour running scared of the Liberal Democrats

1.59.29pm GMT Fri 10th Dec 2004

Cabinet Minister Peter Hain Senior has predicted that disillusioned Labour voters will defect to the Liberal Democrats at the General Election

Peter Hain, Leader of the House of Commons, revealed his fears that former Labour supporters who opposed the war in Iraq could back the Liberal Democrats at the next General Election when speaking to The Birmingham Post.

He said the loss of votes to Charles Kennedy's party, which opposed the Iraq war, was "the most dangerous thing" threatening Labour's majority.

The comments followed an analysis by academics at Strathclyde University of voting patterns across the country.

Mr Hain said a swing to the Liberal Democrats of 8.5 per cent would cost the party 12 seats in the West Midlands.

Mr. Hain was reluctant to be drawn on the reasons why former Labour supporters might defect but said "Iraq is an issue. There might be others. If you have been in power for nearly eight years then it is bound to happen. It is the lot of Government that you become less and less popular."

Liberal Democrat MP Matthew Green (Ludlow) said "In the Hodge Hill by-election Labour voters switched to us and we almost won while the Tories were pushed right down to third place."