Polls confirm the scene is set for a historic victory: Bridget Fox and the Lib Dems are the only challengers to Gordon Brown's Labour party in Islington.

10.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 13th Oct 2009

Bridget Fox: encouraged by latest polls

Recent opinion polls show the Liberal Democrats are edging ahead in the key parliamentary battleground of Islington South and Finsbury.

A recent national poll has put the Liberal Democrats on 25% with Brown's floundering Labour party on just 24%. The well-regarded poll, done by the leading market research company IPSOS MORI, and reported in the Daily Express, shows the Labour party in third place while the Liberal Democrats have gained 8%. Such a swing which would see the Liberal Democrats gaining 12 seats, including Islington South and Finsbury, at the next general election.

Another poll, of marginal seats, carried out by YouGov, confirms that the Liberal Democrats are tipped to take Islington South & Finsbury.

In recognition of these developments, Bridget Fox, Islington South and Finsbury's shadow MP, was one of a handful of key campaigners chosen by party leader Nick Clegg to join him on stage during his conference speech. Just 484 votes separated Bridget from the Labour MP last time; with just a 0.8% swing needed to win, the stage is set for a historic result next time.

The party's internal polling confirms that disaffected Labour voters are switching to the Liberal Democrats, while the Conservatives are failing to capture ex-Labour votes.

Bridget Fox, Islington South and Finsbury's shadow MP said:

"It's an exciting time to be a Liberal Democrat! Our own polls and the message from the doorstep is that we are edging ahead. It's great to see independent national polls reflecting that.

"Brown and Blair have taken people for granted for far too long. Local people in Islington South and Finsbury are telling me they are ready for a change; they trust the Liberal Democrats to make a positive difference, and they know the Conservatives cannot win here."

Whitecross Street resident Maria Alexandrou is one of the voters switching from Labour to Liberal Democrats. Maria says, "The other two parties have gone stale, and we need fresh blood. We need the Lib Dems. They promise to deliver policies for a fresh start and a fairer future."

ENDS

1) IPSOS-MORI poll can be found here: http://www.fastbrowsersearch.com/results/results.aspx?q=ipsos+mori&c=web&s=DSP&v=18&tid={639209F6-6854-4eb5-B7E1-AAF6A6F7C93F}

Also it was reported here: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/130680/Labour-behind-Lib-Dems

2) YouGov poll http://www.libdemvoice.org/yougov-marginals-poll-what-it-means-for-the-lib-dems-16395.html

3) Leading Conservatives concede the Islington South seat. ConservativeHome: "Ms Thornberry holds a majority of just 484 over the Liberal Democrats." http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/islington-south-and-finsbury/

Daily Telegraph columnist Ed West on Islington South: "For the Tories to ever win here the Great Reform Act would have to be repealed" March 2009

Related Link:

IPSOS-MORI poll report.