On the train to join the Conservative campaign today, I’ve
been speaking to a few Tory candidates about their reaction to Grant Shapps’ warning
about a Labour “supermajority.”

It’s a striking shift in the Conservative’s messaging.

One senior Tory figure, and a candidate in a Labour target
seat, says Shapps was “just telling it how it is”.

“There is no love for us,” they told me, adding “there is no
love for Starmer either”.

“We are now having to fight to stop it being a massive
Labour majority.”

This particular candidate adds that the most effective message
they had found on the doorstep was: “You are going to have a Labour prime
minister – who do you want to have holding him to account – me or a Labour MP?”

Another Tory candidate in another Labour-facing seat agreed
with Shapps’ messaging.

“It’s what I say locally too,” they say when asked about
the argument that people should vote Conservative not to get a Tory government
but to limit the size of a Labour majority.

Another Conservative candidate in a Liberal Democrat target
seat also agreed, saying they had “no issues with his [Grant Shapps’] comment”.

They said they were hopeful about limiting Tory losses.

“I certainly don’t think there will be the monster majority
some are predicting,” they said.