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Tories target 'extraordinary' win Tories target 'extraordinary' win
(40 minutes later)
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. Polls suggest a first by-election gain since 1982 is possible - Mr Davis said 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". Labour's Harriet Harman said there was no point in "second guessing" the result but admitted their class-based campaign was not the "most positive".
Ed Miliband, for Labour, said the party could turn round poor opinion polls. She said it was designed to boost their candidate, not demonise the Tory one.
Her comments on the BBC's Politics Show came after fellow Labour minister, Ed Miliband, defended the class-based attacks as "typical" of the stunts and "adventurous ways of campaigning" seen in by-elections.
Meanwhile, with the by-election campaign nearing its end, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg told BBC Radio 4 he thought his party could win it.
He said the Labour vote was collapsing and that people were not turning to the Conservatives after asking questions about the "substance" behind their "rhetoric".
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 candidatesWe 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 leader Nick Clegg told the BBC his party could win the by-election as the Labour vote "collapses" and people question whether the Conservatives had "the substance" to go with "their rhetoric".
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, saying: "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. In all there are ten candidates.
Edward Timpson will fight the seat for the Conservatives, while Elizabeth Shenton will stand for the Liberal Democrats. At the 2005 General Election Gwyneth Dunwoody was elected with 48.8% of the vote. The Conservatives came second with 32.6% of votes. The Lib Dems came third with 18.6% of votes.
Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman also sought to talk up the candidate's strength when asked on BBC One's Politics Show about the attacks on the Conservative candidate's background.
Ms Harman, educated at one of the top girls public schools, said the campaign was "not the most positive".
She said it had been intended to highlight the difference between candidates rather than demonise Mr Timpson.
She said she "never made any issue about my background. What we are saying in Crewe is we think Tamsin is the best candidate and we are putting the focus on her."