Keir Starmer cheered as he arrives in Mid Bedfordshire
Bookmakers have slashed Labour’s odds of winning next year’s general election in the wake of its double by-election triumph – with one putting its chances of victory at more than 90 percent.
Sir Keir Starmer was in an ebullient mood today after his party achieved swings in excess of 20 percent in both Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire, where Sarah Edwards and Alistair Strathern respectively were elected.
Paddy Power responded by offering odds of 1/14 on Labour winning an overall majority – equivalent to a 93 percent probability.
By contrast, the Tories are rated at 6/1, with odds of 6/5 on Rishi Sunak being ousted as Tory leader next year, and Kemi Badenoch, at 7/2, favourite to replace him. Punters may also be tempted to have a flutter on Boris Johnson, at 9/1, making a sensational return as party leader.
Referring to Liz Truss, Paddy Power spokeswoman Rachael Kane said: “The recent by-election results are piling more pressure on Rishi and his party, but it’s not all that bad.
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“After all, he’s managed to last a lot longer than his predecessor and her lettuce, and that deserves some credit!
“We see nothing but a Labour win in the next general election.
“But if the unpredictability of the past few years is anything to go by, we’d be foolish to rule anything out – even a return for BoJo.”
William Hill has slashed the odds of a Labour win from 1/4 to 1/9, suggesting a 90 percent chance of victory. The Conservatives are now outsiders, at 11/2.
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Spokesman Lee Phelps said: “After 15 years of Conservative leadership, the UK appears to be set on change as Labour are beginning to look a formality for the next UK General Election.”
Betfair is offering odds of 4/11 on a Labour win, down from 2/5 before the by-election results.
The odds of a Tory majority have drifted to 12/1, along with no overall majority, which is now 4/1, having been 7/2 less than a fortnight ago.
Betfair is also offering odds on the number of seats the Tories will lose, ranging from none (a 99/1 long shot) to 201 or more (15/8).
Spokesman Rosbottom said: “Following the massive swing for Labour in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth, Sir Keir Starmer’s chances of forming a majority government at the next election are higher than they have ever been according to the odds on Betfair Exchange.
“While a Labour majority has been heavily backed in the last several months, the odds for that to happen are now the shortest they’ve ever been at 4/11, and we are seeing them get slashed on a weekly basis, having been 2/5 less than two weeks ago.”
He continued: “It’s been a bruising night for the Conservatives who’s majorities of more than 24,000 and 19,000 have been completely obliterated, and punters are now backing them to lose a record amount of seats at the next election.
“Rishi Sunak’s party to lose 201 or more seats when the country next goes to the polls is just 15/8, suggesting a Labour landslide is very much on the cards.”
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