Bookies slash odds on Labour victory following boundary review
By Ian Dunt Follow @IanDunt
Bookmakers have made Labour favourites to win the general electionb afrter appraising the changes to constituencies in the boundaries review.
The development will surprise many political observers, who had assumed that the Tories would be the big winners from the review, given Labour's reliance on small seats in highly-populated urban areas.
But analysts at William Hills did not take the same view, making Labour 6/4 favourites from 15/8 to win the next election with an overall majority, while the Conservatives were lengthened from 11/8 favourites to 7/4.
“In our opinion the proposed boundary changes were expected to affect Labour worse than they appear to have done and they do not seem to have done the Tories any great favours”, said spokesman Graham Sharpe.
Labour have repeatedly complained of gerrymandering over the boundary review, saying that the redrawn constituency map robs them of MPs and conspires to boost the Conservative vote.
The bookies offered 2/1 that the election will produce another hung parliament while the Lib Dems remain 100/1 to win an overall majority.
