Betting on politics: some safe Labour bets
Matthew Partridge outlines a few flutters on what should be safe Labour seats in the general election.
With the general election taking place on Thursday 12 December, I think you should bet on Labour to retain Edinburgh South at 2/7 (78%) with Bet365. While Labour is set to do badly in Scotland, the SNP is unlikely to overturn a majority of 15,514 in a pro-union constituency. I also think you should bet on Labour to retain Birmingham Egbaston at 4/9 (69.2%) with Bet365, especially as it would require a large Conservative swing in an area that narrowly voted to remain in the European Union.
While the Conservatives came within inches of ousting the then-MP Glenda Jackson in 2010, Hampstead and Kilburn is now a safe Labour seat. Given that the area voted heavily to remain in 2016, and the Liberal Democrats are going nowhere, the 1/4 (80%) with Bet365 on Labour looks very good value. Similarly, Westminster North, where Labour MP Karen Buck (pictured) has a majority of 11,512, is another London seat that Labour should retain, so you should take them at 1/6 (85.7%) with Bet365.
I'd also take Paddy Power's 1/5 (83.3%) on Labour to retain Bristol West. While the Lib Dems won this seat in 2005 and again in 2010, Labour's Thangam Debbonaire captured it in 2015, and then retained it two years later with a majority of more than 37,000 with the Lib Dems behind both the Greens and the Conservatives. Finally, I'd bet on Labour to win Leicester East at 2/9 (81.8%) with Bet365 as this is one of the safest seats in the country with a majority of 22,428.