BOOKIES have slashed the odds on a General Election being held in 2018 after yesterday’s chaos in Westminster.
Katie Baylis of Betfair said: “In one of the most tumultuous 24 hours for the Tories this year, Theresa May faces a party in turmoil and the odds of an election being called this year have been slashed from 5/1 to 6/4.”
Oddschecker’s George Elek said that 90 per cent of bets placed on when the next election will be had backed it taking place before 2019. He said: “Punters are sensing that a coup could be on the horizon, and it could be yet another walk to the polling station for UK voters.”
Ladbrokes slashed its odds from 11/2 on Sunday night to 5/2 for another vote before the year is out and then reduced it AGAIN down to 7/4.
Alex Apati from Ladbrokes said: “It’s all change in the Conservative camp and our traders now make a 2018 General Election more likely than ever as a result.”
However, the 2011 Fixed-term Parliaments Act, make it tricky for an election to be called unless MPs are willing to unpick the legislation as they did in 2017.
With Survation yesterday putting Labour on 40 per cent, with the Tories on 38 per cent, May’s backbenchers might be unwilling to take the risk.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here