NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS HIGHLIGHT ST ALBANS AS PROBABLE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT GAIN FROM CONSERVATIVES

12.45.07pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 29th Apr 2010

- "…the Lib Dems could hope to win some seats, such as St Albans, from third place." (The Guardian - 29 April 2010)

- "Cam[eron] could also lose seats such as… St Albans." (Daily Mirror - 24 April 2010)

Today's front page story in the Guardian by Julian Glover headlined "Lib Dems set for most MPs since 1923 - poll" reports on the newspaper's polling carried out on Tuesday this week, showing swings from Labour to the Liberal Democrats in key marginals.

The poll also shows a swing from Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats in the seats where polling was carried out. "On yesterday's results the Lib Dems could hope to win some seats, such as St Albans, from third place," the Guardian writes. St Albans was one of only six constituencies from across Britain mentioned by name in the article.

This echoes the story carried by last Saturday's Daily Mirror headlined "Tories in Double Trouble". In that story, Kevin Maguire writes: "Cam could also lose seats such as Croydon Central (infighting) and St Albans (expenses)." In this article St Albans was one of only four seats highlighted.

Commenting on these newspaper stories, Sandy Walkington commented: "We all know something is happening in St Albans. These articles by political experts simply reinforce what we are seeing on the ground. We are easily winning the poster war in St Albans, the response on the doorstep is very warm, and many Labour, Conservative and Green voters have switched to the Liberal Democrats."