A FORMER deputy Prime Minister for the Conservatives has admitted both his party and Labour probably regret taking part in the live televised leaders’ debates.

But Lord Heseltine, who was second in command to John Major between 1995 and 1997, said during a visit to Worcester that he could “smell victory in the air” for his party.

Speaking to your Worcester News in the car park of Blackpole Inn, Blackpole Road, before joining Robin Walker and his team canvassing and door knocking around Blackpole and Warndon, Lord Heseltine said he did not have “any doubt at all” that Mr Walker would win the city seat and believes David Cameron will be installed as Prime Minister once all of the general election results are in.

Earlier in the year Lord Heseltine predicted a hung parliament and said his party still had an uphill struggle on their hands to win an outright majority.

He admitted the leaders’ debates had not helped their cause but he thought support for the Liberal Democrat party was beginning to wane.

“I think the Nick Clegg phenomenon is a very short-term phenomenon and we’re already seeing that.” He said he hoped hoped his party will not do any deals with the Liberal Democrats should such a situation arise.