If floating voters had to choose between the Conservative party and the Liberal Democratic party, a clear majority of them would choose the Lib Dems, according to a poll conducted for The Spectator. And almost half of them believe it likely that the Lib Dems will take over from the Tories within five years.
Floating voters make up as much as 30 per cent of the electorate, while core Tory voters make up about 25 per cent, core Labour 30 per cent, and core Lib Dems perhaps 15 per cent. When floating voters decide whether or not to walk down to the polling booth, they ask themselves two questions: does any party offer me something I really want? And, if so, does it have a chance of winning?
It is crucial to put those two questions together, because polls have often suggested that the Lib Dems are closest to offering consumers what they want; the trouble is that, as only the third largest party, they have been seen as unable to deliver.
