Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson rejects Vince Cable’s election forecast

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson maintains her party will succeed in the West Country in the forthcoming General Election - despite an ominous forecast by her predecessor.

Swinson met with voters in Cornwall and Cheltenham yesterday (November 26) as she and her party brought their campaign to the South West.

It is an area the Liberal Democrats are targeting, having lost a number of key seats in the previous General Election.

But Swinson was dealt a major blow last week after former party leader Sir Vince Cable dismissed her chances of moving in to Number 10.

Sir Cable told ITV News West Country that the Liberal Democrats’ hopes of halting Brexit are “not going to happen”.

Despite the setback, Swinson said she was confident her party’s policies will resonate with West Country voters.

The latest polls suggest Swinson’s popularity has fallen in recent days, while Labour’s has gained.

The Conservatives, meanwhile, are still expected to win a majority - or be the largest party in the event of a hung parliament.

Quizzed why she hadn’t chosen to visit any leave-voting constituencies on her tour of the South West, Swinson rejected claims she had “given up” those areas.