The leader of Ukip has said his party “really fancies our chances” in several Labour-held seats as senior figures called for Ed Miliband to take a tougher line on immigration to counter the threat.
Labour MPs believe that Ukip, led by Nigel Farage, will seize Heywood and Middleton in Greater Manchester unless the shadow cabinet “bombards” the seat with visits over the next fortnight. The by-election is being held after the death of Jim Dobbin.
Ukip would need to overturn a majority of more than 6,000 to win. The party is already expecting to win the Clacton by-election on Oct 9, the same date, after Douglas Carswell, a Tory MP, defected.
Mr Farage said his party was doing well in Heywood and Middleton but refused to predict the outcome. “We’ve been coming second for the last two or three years in Labour seat after Labour seat. I know there’s a big difference between second and first but I look at Rotherham and constituencies like that, I look at Great Grimsby for arguments sake and these are now already among some of our key target seats in the country.
“They’re two very good examples of Labour-held seats in which we really fancy our chances.” He said that Ukip’s potential in the north “is huge”, as there is “a gap in the market”.
Mr Farage has repeatedly said that Ukip represents as much of a threat to Labour as it does to the Conservatives. Telegraph.
