From an “exclusive” by David Parsley in today’s i:

“After speaking with 6,000 constituents in the Devon seat over the weekend, pollsters for the Lib Dems put their candidate Richard Foord on 45 per cent of the vote, level with the Tories’ Helen Hurford.

“This latest survey of voting intentions suggests the Lib Dems have closed the two-point gap between themselves and the Conservatives that existed at the same point last week.”

Richard Foord said:

This by-election is a very close fight between myself and Boris Johnson’s candidate.

David Parsley continues:

“If the Lib Dems do reverse the huge Tory majority, it would be the largest by-election turnaround since Labour won Liverpool Wavertree from the Conservatives in 1935.”

A spokesman for the Lib Dems is quoted as saying:

With just four days to go it’s neck and neck. We’re now level pegging with the Conservatives and it all comes down to these final days.

Voters are fed up of being taken for granted by the Conservatives and are rallying behind the Liberal Democrats. We are the only party that can beat Boris Johnson’s candidate. We’re fighting hard for every vote and to bring real change to Devon.

Ed Davey, who was in the constituency all weekend, is expected to be knocking on more doors in the final two days of the campaign, along with Tim Farron, Christine Jardine, Munira Wilson and Wendy Chamberlain.

Labour’s Liz Pole said she was fighting for every vote. The Conservative had not requested to a request for comment at the time of publication of the article.

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