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New analysis claims Nick Clegg is among three senior Liberal Democrat MPs who could lose their seat at the next election due to a swing in the student vote.
Analysis by Professor Stephen D Fisher of Trinity College, Oxford, for the Higher Education Policy Institute claims that the outcome in 12 constituencies could be determined by students in May.
Given the likelihood of a close election in 2015... that means students could wield sufficient electoral power to influence the Parliamentary arithmetic and even which party or parties form the government.
- Higher Education Policy Institute
Lib Dems who could lose their seats
Party leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg in Sheffield Hallam
Justice minister Simon Hughes in Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Energy secretary Ed Davey in Kingston and Surbiton
John Leech in Manchester Withington
Simon Wright in Norwich South
Mike Hancock (formerly a Lib Dem) in Portsmouth South
Tories who could lose their seats
Education secretary Nicky Morgan in Loughborough
Matthew Offord in Hendon
Eric Ollerenshaw in Lancaster & Fleetwood
Karl McCartney in Lincoln
Oliver Colvile in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Simon Kirby in Brighton Kemptown
The Lib Dem student vote has slumped dramatically since 2010 due to the party reneging on a promise to campaign for an end to tuition fees and instead backing the introduction of the new fees regime of up to £9,000 a year.
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