Tories are the bookies favourites

THE Conservatives are odds-on to making sweeping gains across the Westcountry, according to bookmaker Ladbrokes.

New betting odds released last night suggest the Tories are on course to take eight key seats in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, largely at the expense of the Liberal Democrats.

Nick Weinberg, Ladbrokes spokesman, said: "The South West promises to be a key battleground and interest amongst political punters is growing by the day."

If replicated on polling day, the results would mean a dramatic redrawing of the political map in the Westcountry.

The Tories have made clear that they need to make significant gains in the Westcountry in order to deliver a Commons majority for David Cameron. One in 10 of their targets seats is in the region.

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In early election skirmishes, senior figures from each of the main parties have made a pitch for the region's support.

Former Lib-Dem leader Paddy Ashdown is spearheading the campaign in the Westcountry, sparking claims from Tory party chairman that he had been "got out of mothballs".

Gordon Brown last week brought the entire Cabinet to Exeter in what was seen as a thinly-veiled political stunt to bolster support for Labour ahead of the election.

According to Ladbrokes' odds, the Tories are favourites to beat the Lib-Dems in some of their former strongholds.

In St Austell and Newquay, the new seat covering the area largely held by veteran Lib-Dem Matthew Taylor, the Tories are 4/6 favourites to win.

The South East Cornwall seat – being vacated by Lib-Dem Colin Breed – has the Tories favourites at 8/11. The Lib-Dems and Tories are neck-and-neck, both on 5/6, in the North Cornwall seat currently held by Lib-Dem MP Dan Rogerson while Lib-Dem Nick Harvey is predicted survive as MP in North Devon.

The Tories are favourites to win Torbay, from Lib-Dem whip Adrian Sanders.

According to the betting market, Lib-Dem frontbencher Julia Goldsworthy is on course to retain Camborne and Redruth on odds of 2/5, just ahead of former Tory spin doctor George Eustice, at 7/4.

The Labour Party has made clear the seat is their key target, but Ladbrokes is offering long odds of 33/1 that they will win back the seat lost in 2005.

There is also bad news for Labour in Plymouth, where bookies predict Linda Gilroy could lose her Sutton and Devonport seat. Tory candidate Oliver Colville is 2/5 favourite to win.

In Exeter, where Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw is reportedly the target of a Tory "decapitation strategy", Labour is 5/6 to hang on to the seat, with the Conservatives evens.

The Tories are also predicted to oust Somerset Lib-Dems Jeremy Browne (Taunton) and David Heath (Somerton and Frome) and defeat Jim Knight, the South West minister, in his South Dorset seat.