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| Tories target 'extraordinary' win | Tories target 'extraordinary' win |
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| The Conservatives are "pulling out all the stops" to win Thursday's Crewe and Nantwich by-election, shadow home secretary David Davis has told the BBC. | The Conservatives are "pulling out all the stops" to win Thursday's Crewe and Nantwich by-election, shadow home secretary David Davis has told the BBC. |
| Mr Davis said it was going "quite well" as polls suggested the party could make its first by-election gain since 1982. | Mr Davis said it was going "quite well" as polls suggested the party could make its first by-election gain since 1982. |
| But he cautioned that "in a mile race the lap that matters is the last lap" - he said it would be "hard fought" and a win would be "quite extraordinary". | But he cautioned that "in a mile race the lap that matters is the last lap" - he said it would be "hard fought" and a win would be "quite extraordinary". |
| Ed Miliband, for Labour, said the party could turn round poor opinion polls. | Ed Miliband, for Labour, said the party could turn round poor opinion polls. |
| We have got to get Britain through the economic difficulties it faces and we have got to go out and fight for what we believe in Ed MilibandCabinet office minister In full: By-election candidates | We have got to get Britain through the economic difficulties it faces and we have got to go out and fight for what we believe in Ed MilibandCabinet office minister In full: By-election candidates |
| But Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne told the BBC's Politics Show many Labour voters were planning to vote for his party. | |
| Mr Davis told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "We have got a 7,000 majority to overturn. | Mr Davis told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "We have got a 7,000 majority to overturn. |
| "We haven't won a by-election from Labour in 30 years. But we are pulling out all the stops." | "We haven't won a by-election from Labour in 30 years. But we are pulling out all the stops." |
| Asked about the broader political picture, and Mr Brown's difficulties, Mr Davis said he had been surprised. | Asked about the broader political picture, and Mr Brown's difficulties, Mr Davis said he had been surprised. |
| "I was the Jeremiah in the Tory party. I said, 'watch this man, be careful, he's dangerous'. And for the first three months it looked like I was right. | "I was the Jeremiah in the Tory party. I said, 'watch this man, be careful, he's dangerous'. And for the first three months it looked like I was right. |
| "But actually the number of unforced errors he has made has been quite extraordinary in truth - quite extraordinary." | "But actually the number of unforced errors he has made has been quite extraordinary in truth - quite extraordinary." |
| Mr Davis was speaking after an ICM poll for the News of the World suggested that 45% of people in Crewe and Nantwich were planning to vote Conservative, with 37% for Labour. | Mr Davis was speaking after an ICM poll for the News of the World suggested that 45% of people in Crewe and Nantwich were planning to vote Conservative, with 37% for Labour. |
| Meanwhile a national YouGov poll for the Sunday Times put the Conservatives on 45%, with Labour on 25% and the Liberal Democrats on 18%. | Meanwhile a national YouGov poll for the Sunday Times put the Conservatives on 45%, with Labour on 25% and the Liberal Democrats on 18%. |
| 'Adventurous campaigning' | 'Adventurous campaigning' |
| Cabinet Office minister Ed Miliband said that the polls were bad, but insisted that Labour could turn them round. | Cabinet Office minister Ed Miliband said that the polls were bad, but insisted that Labour could turn them round. |
| He told Sky's Adam Boulton: "We have got to get Britain through the economic difficulties it faces and we have got to go out and fight for what we believe in. | He told Sky's Adam Boulton: "We have got to get Britain through the economic difficulties it faces and we have got to go out and fight for what we believe in. |
| "I am confident that if we do that, we can turn round the opinion polls." | "I am confident that if we do that, we can turn round the opinion polls." |
| Ministers and shadow ministers are expected to keep up their visits to the constituency this week ahead of voting. | Ministers and shadow ministers are expected to keep up their visits to the constituency this week ahead of voting. |
| Mr Miliband insisted Labour had fought a good campaign, dismissing the "class war" attacks on the Conservatives as typical of the "stunts" and "adventurous ways" of campaigning used in by-elections. | Mr Miliband insisted Labour had fought a good campaign, dismissing the "class war" attacks on the Conservatives as typical of the "stunts" and "adventurous ways" of campaigning used in by-elections. |
| "Our central campaign in Crewe and Nantwich is about Gwyneth Dunwoody being a unique MP and Tamsin Dunwoody (her daughter) being the best person to take forward Gwyneth's legacy." | "Our central campaign in Crewe and Nantwich is about Gwyneth Dunwoody being a unique MP and Tamsin Dunwoody (her daughter) being the best person to take forward Gwyneth's legacy." |
| Edward Timpson will fight the seat for the Conservatives, while Elizabeth Shenton will stand for the Liberal Democrats. | Edward Timpson will fight the seat for the Conservatives, while Elizabeth Shenton will stand for the Liberal Democrats. |