How many seats will the Liberal Democrats win?

Despite dire poll ratings, Nick Clegg still believes the party could do 'much better than anyone thinks'

Nick Clegg speaking to a friendly crowd

The Liberal Democrats will do well to end up with 29 seats after what has been months, if not years, of disastrous poll ratings.

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Having won 57 seats in 2005, they have hemorrhaged support during their coalition with the Tories. The single biggest issue that has haunted the Lib Dems – and specifically Nick Clegg – has been its failure to keep a promise not to raise university tuition fees.

With the Lib Dem seats becoming the battleground between Labour and Tory (and with Clegg potentially losing his seat in Sheffield Hallam), the party has been left fighting for their traditional seats, such as Cambridge.

In April, Mr Clegg said that the Lib Dems would do "much better than anyone thinks".

In the last days of the election campaign, some have called on the voters to cast a tactical vote for the Lib Dems to keep the coalition in place, which has been reflected in an apparent surge .