Conservatives’ alarm grows over threat of tactical voting in safe seats

Last week's byelection losses saw huge swings to the best-placed Tory opponent - without any formal electoral pact

On one of the final days of campaigning in Honiton last week, a Liberal Democrat canvasser found himself on the horns of a dilemma as he scrambled for every vote.

I saw this house and there was a huge Labour poster on the railings outside. I was thinking do I or don't I?' If I try, she's just going to say: Can't you see? Can't you read?'"