THE MP leading Labour’s Brecon and Radnorshire campaign has said the party’s supporters have voted for the Liberal Democrats.
Wayne David, the veteran MP for Caerffili, said Labour candidate Tom Davies has been well received on the doorstep but unable to win voters due to supporters voting tactically to defeat Conservative Chris Davies.
The MP said he found the Labour town councillor, from Brecon, to be a good candidate but said that has been unable to cut through in the contest between the Lib Dems and Conservatives.
He said: "I have to say this but I have genuinely found Tom Davies to be an exceptionally good candidate.
"I think Tom is a class act. I have been to a lot of by-elections and he is one of the best candidates."
Asked if voters also had a similar opinion Mr David replied: "I think so but it’s true a lot of Labour supporters have voted tactically in this election. People have said, ’Tom I think you’re a great candidate but the most important thing is to beat the Conservatives and therefore I will vote Lib Dem’."
There have been predictions Labour could lose its deposit but Mr David denied he was getting his excuses in early.
"That’s the refrain on the doorstep (tactical voting). It is genuinely the case. Labour voters will tell you the same thing, it’s not a state secret."
Mr David also dismissed concerns at an ITV Wales/Cardiff University poll, published this week, that showed the party trailing the Conservatives in Westminster elections, in Wales, and Plaid Cymru for Welsh Assembly elections.
He said the same poll had predicted Labour losing 11 seats in the 2017 snap election when the party actually won three.
He added: "I’ve been around quite a bit in this by-election and the last 30 years and this is clearly the most volatile period in modern British political history."