Order Order as UK set to go to the Polls

By Simon Wright, Last updated Feb 26, 2021

The UK parliament is at the fourth time of asking in recent weeks, set to approve a General Election, to once and for all, hopefully solve the impasse which is the hot topic of Brexit.

Putting politics aside for a couple of minutes and the fiery held views on both leave and remain when it comes to leaving or not leaving the European Union, bookmakers are gearing up to make a potential Christmas bonus, on the soon to be approved December election.

Whilst at the time of writing, it is still being debated in the House of Commons whether a national poll can be approved, especially considering opposition parties are looking at adding amendments to the bill’s passage, such as allowing 16 and 17 year olds the vote. ( At time of publication, this proposed amendment has not been picked ).

However, whether the green light is given for a December election, bookmakers are already providing odds, on what the as of yet unconfirmed General Election will see.

Priced with most bookmakers, Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party are now odds on at 10/11 to secure a majority after polling day. However, with Brexit likely to be the main issue, it is possible that should a pact with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party not be made, the ‘leave’ vote could well be split.

That said, with polarised opinions in the UK, the ‘remain’ vote could also be split, which in turn could aid the Conservatives in gaining a majority. Although there are reports of discussions between the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru and the Greens, entering into an unofficial pact, to form a remain alliance of sorts.

The odds of a Labour majority, led by Jeremy Corbyn, are priced at a long 23/1 and to be honest, in the current climate it appears only the Conservatives have a chance of gaining a Common’s majority.

Other bets that may be of interest concerns the party who will secure the most seats, with Betfair rating the Conservatives at 2/13, with Labour priced at 9/1. If you like an outsider, then Jo Swinson’s Liberal Democrats to win most seats are priced at 35/1.

So what about Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, who took the European elections back in May by storm, securing 29 seats in the European parliament and in doing so becoming the joint largest party in Brussels?

Well it looks at the moment that like UKIP before them, the Brexit Party are unlikely at the moment to transfer their success in the European elections to the UK national elections. Certainly a large portion of their support has come from disaffected Tory voters, so it remains to be seen whether they can even get 1 member of parliament elected, under the UK’s first past the post system.

But if you want to have a novelty bet, Nigel Farage is currently priced at 25/1 to be the UK’s next Prime Minister!

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