Lib Dems make last-minute pitch for Yorkshire votes

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post during a fly-by visit to Sheffield, Mr Farron stressed that the region remains “massively important” to him and he is optimistic tomorrow’s vote will see the party “going forward”.

His comments come ahead of the final day of campaigning, with the leaders of all major parties expected to tour the country in a last-ditch attempt to rally support.

Mr Farron is due to deliver his final stump speech in Oxford, where he will warn voters not to write Theresa May a “blank cheque” for Brexit and further funding cuts.

Yesterday, the Lib Dem leader visited the Gripple factory in South East Sheffield to highlight the risks posed by a so-called Hard Brexit to local businesses.

The factory sends half of its exports to countries within the Single Market, which he argues demonstrates the importance of maintaining a free deal with Europe.

The trip marks only he second time Mr Farron has been to Yorkshire since the campaign started, despite initially setting out to target five Tory and Labour-held seats in the region.

However, he was quick to dismiss the suggestion that this was a sign of waning ambitions.

“Yorkshire is still massively important to us and I hope you don’t think I’m not still enthusiastic,” he told this paper.

“Here in Sheffield there are great opportunities for us with Nick [Clegg] and Shaffaq [Mohammed] ... and we very positively expect to go forward.

“I am bound to observe that the Labour party has generally speaking taken much of South and West Yorkshire for granted over the years.

“And the Conservatives generally speaking when talking about the North see it as something to patronise.”

The polls currently have the Lib Dems steady at around 8-9 percent of the vote, which could translate to a total of around 12 seats. However, election model ling by YouGov suggests the party could lose both its Sheffield Hallam and Leeds North West constituencies to Labour.

In his speech today, Mr Farron will argue that every vote for the Conservatives “is a vote for the dementia tax, NHS cuts, sacked teachers and a bad Brexit deal”.

He will urge Tory supporters “worried” by this to “vote for someone who will stand up for [their] family instead”, while calling on Labour supporters to back the Lib Dems “where [it is] the only way” of beating a Conservative candidate.

Responding to Mr Farron’s comments, a Yorkshire and Humber Labour spokesperson said: “People in Yorkshire have never needed strong Labour MPs to stand up for them more.

“The Lib Dems have form for nodding through damaging Tory cuts.

“Only strong Labour MPs can stand up for Yorkshire.”