Tories could come sixth in European elections, officials fear

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. This would mean coming behind UKIP

I doubt it'll go that far. The Brexit Party (ie Nigel Farage and followers)are odds-on favourites to get the largest vote (ugh), and Labour 2nd. At the moment the Tories are 3rd, but dropping; it's quite possible they'll end up behind the Lib Dems in total votes (but maybe not in terms of seats won - regional differences might affect that). Then we have the Greens, Change UK (the new party of pro-EU ex-Tory and Labour MPs - no party organisation, so they may well fail) and UKIP - the increasingly far-right group, rebranding as an anti-Muslim movement like the German AfD.

The desertion of UKIP is one good point in all this, even if Brexit Party is only a little better. But I doubt the Tories will drop below 4th. A poll I saw showed many voting for Brexit Party in this election intend to go back to the Tories in a general election - this is a special issue vote.