The odds of the Labor party snatching victory from the ruling Conservatives in an election expected to happen sometime this year are now shorter, according to U.K. bookmakers, SBC News reported February 16.
The odds improved for Labor after two by-elections that went Labor’s way on February 15. That shortened the odds to 1/4 for Labor, according to Betfair Politics. That translates into Labor, led by Sir Keir Starmer, having an 80 percent chance of winning and the Tories having a 5 percent chance of winning (17/1).
Betfair also projects by 6/5, or 54 percent that the Conservatives—led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak —will lose more than 200 seats in the 650-seat parliament.
Most observers think that the government will call the election for this November, although a few think it might be as early as May.
Betfair sets the odds of Sunak remaining head of the Tories at 2/13 with Betfair Politics’ Sam Rosbottom telling SBC, “It’s another disappointment for Rishi Sunak, who recently has had to fight off rebels from his own party who have described the next election as ‘impending annihilation.’ ”
Rosbottom added, “Odds on a Tory wipeout continue to shorten, and they are now just 6/5, from 5/4 yesterday, to lose 201 or more seats when the country next goes to the polls. Despite all of that, Sunak is still favored to be the leader when the next election takes place, and he is odds-on at 2/13 to be in charge when the nation votes.”
