Johnson’s Tories Set for Solid Majority: U.K. Campaign Trail

(Bloomberg) --

Boris Johnson is on track to gain the biggest Conservative majority since the 1980s, according to the most hotly-anticipated poll of the general election campaign.

The U.K. prime minister is heading for a 68-seat majority, a Tory mandate not seen since the height of the Margaret Thatcher years, according to YouGov. Such a result would allow him to pass his Brexit deal and take the U.K. out of the European Union.

Must Read: We’ve Read the Manifestos So You Don’t Have To. Here’s What They Say

For more on the election visit ELEC.

Coming up:

• 9.30 a.m. The Institute for Fiscal Studies presents its analysis of election manifestos
• 10 a.m. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab debates with Labour counterpart Emily Thornberry
• 11 a.m. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sets out his environmental policies
• 12.30 p.m.Defence Secretary Ben Wallace debates with Labour opposite number Nia Griffith
• 7 p.m. Corbyn, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and other party leaders debate climate change on Channel 4. The broadcaster has threatened to empty-chair Johnson if he doesn’t show up
• 7.30 p.m. Liberal Democrat Leader Jo Swinson interviewed on ITV

Polls:

• YouGov published seat-by-seat details of its so-called MRP poll. In 2017 this predicted the final result more accurately than standard surveys
• Conservatives on course for 43% (359 seats), Labour 32% (211 seats), Liberal Democrats 14% (13 seats), SNP 3% (43 seats), Brexit Party 3% (0 seats), YouGov said
• Latest Savanta ComRes poll for Telegraph: Tories 41% (-1), Labour 34% (+2), Lib Dems 13% (-2), Brexit Party 5% (no change)
• Anti-Brexit group Best for Britain released a separate MRP survey predicting a Conservative majority of 44 seats
• Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson’s favorability ratings have fallen sharply, Ipsos Mori said
• Here’s a summary of recent polls

Catching Up:

• Johnson’s top Downing Street aide Dominic Cummings warned of a very real risk of another hung parliament
• The Telegraph says Jeremy Corbyn has decided not to take part in two upcoming television debates
• Corbyn accused the Tories of secret talks with the U.S. about the future of the National Health Service
• Johnson vowed to take a zero-tolerance approach to racism and apologized for any offense caused by incidents involving its members

The Markets:

• The pound hit a one-week high in the wake of the YouGov poll, briefly touching $1.2951 in Asian trading
• These are the stocks to watch in the U.K. on what could be a busy Thursday
• Bookmaker Paddy Power put the chance of a Tory majority at 75% after the MRP poll was published, up from about 69%.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jessica Shankleman in London at jshankleman@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Adam Blenford

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