By Jonathan Isaby

The latest polling shows that the Lib Dems should increasingly be preparing for a devastating verdict from the British people on May 5th.

Firstly, it looks like the Alternative Vote system which they are proposing for Westminster elections will be rejected in the nationwide referendum.

ComRes has the No campaign three points ahead (37% to 34% with 28% saying they don't know) when people are simply asked whether they want to see the introduction of AV; and YouGov, when giving a short explanation of AV, has most recently found 47% of people saying No (with 30% backing Yes and 15% saying they don't know).

With the remaining Don't Knows inclined to vote for the status quo, if history is anything to go by (so I am told), the Lib Dem dream of changing the electoral system looks like it will be in tatters for a generation.

And today brings further grim forecasts for the Liberal Democrats in terms of the local council elections which are also happening across most of England outside London on that first Thursday in May.