The Liberal Democrats have predicted that Michael Howard will lose his seat at the next general election.

The shadow chancellor's Folkestone and Hythe constituency is high on the party's list of winnable seats.

Speaking to the GMTV Sunday Programme, Cowley Street strategist Lord Rennard said the week's events make it "even more likely" that the Liberal Democrats will focus on Howard at the next general election.

"We're already very close to winning that constituency," he said. "There's enough of a Labour vote, if every Labour voter switches to us, Michael Howard would be out.

"And I'm sure they won't be able to resist the temptation to vote Lib Dem next time and actually oust from parliament the Tory leader.

"We're already concentrating resources on a lot of seats, both Conservative held seats and Labour held seats.

"If you look at a seat like Michael Howard's or you look at the seats of David Davis or Teresa May or Tim Collins or Oliver Letwin's, the few people who are left prominent in the Conservative Party all seem to have the Lib Dems breathing down their necks.

"We believe, as we demonstrated in the last two general elections, that we can gain those seats next time."

Formally a Tory safe seat, Howard has seen his majority cut from 8,900 in 1992, to just under 6,000 in 2001.

Conservatives are, however, upbeat about Howard's chances of retaining his seat.

The shadow chancellor recorded a six per cent increase in his share of the vote at the last election.

The Lib Dem prediction mirrors a similar onslaught against former Tory chairman Chris Patten in the 1992 general election.

Lord Rennard argued that his party would "undoubtedly" deploy increased resources in Howard's constituency.

"There are 9,000 Labour voters in Folkestone and Hythe where Michael Howard has a majority of just over 5000," he said.

"Those Labour voters I think will probably switch to the Lib Dems next time, as indeed they have been doing in the local elections in Folkestone and Hythe.

"If you look at the recent elections in that constituency and you see the Lib Dems building up a very significant lead in that constituency.

"In the past that's proved a decisive indicator as to what will happen in a general election."