Nick Clegg visits key marginal seat in Poole

Nick Clegg today visited Dorset’s key marginal seat of Mid Dorset and North Poole, which Vikki Slade is hoping to retain for the Liberal Democrats.

Clegg seemed to be in a relaxed mood as he and Slade played with a group of toddlers at Tops Day Nursery in Corfe Mullen, making animals out of playdough.

The constituency is the second most vulnerable for the Liberal Democrats, after Solihull in the West Midlands. Annette Brooke won by just 269 votes in 2010, meaning the Conservatives need a swing of only 0.6% to win it.

The visit to Dorset followed a trip to Eastleigh in Hampshire, where Mike Thornton managed to hold onto Chris Huhne’s former seat in a 2013 by-election. The Liberal Democrat leader is touring 60 seats that the party is hoping to hold onto or make gains in.

Referring to the party’s record of success in by-elections, a rather tired looking Clegg said: “We will confound the critics in Mid Dorset and North Poole and in Eastleigh and 60 other constituencies that we’re fighting like by-elections.”

The @LibDems are in fine fighting spirit in Eastleigh and Mid Dorset and North Poole and in many seats across UK. pic.twitter.com/Qa9PHw0cSs

— Nick Clegg (@nick_clegg) April 27, 2015