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Eight Constituencies that Could Hold the Keys for Labour

  • Evan Hunt

    • While the United Kingdom has been ruled by the center-right Conservatives since 2010, the country has faced a recent tumultuous political tenure with the rise of populism on both sides increasing with hardened Brexit advocates such as former Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking the helm of the party’s leadership and the main center-left opposition of the Conservatives being led by Jeremy Corbyn, a controversial figure who was kicked out from the party by his successor Keir Starmer following Corbyn saying the rise of anti-Semitism in Labour was being overstated.

    With Johnson and his successor, Liz Truss, being removed from front-line politics, their successor, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, hopes to keep the beacon of light on for the Conservatives. In contrast, Labour hopes to take the momentum for the July 4th election to gains that Labour has not seen since former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair’s “New Labour” movement of the 1990s. Recent polling has consistently shown a lead for Labour of around 20%, with the party typically garnering around 40% of the vote, with the Tories and the right-wing Reform Party hovering around 20% each. 

    Also in the fray are the socially liberal Liberal Democrats, hoping to make a comeback from their meager showing in 2019 that resulted in their party’s leader, Jo Swinson, losing her Scottish Constituency of East Dunbartonshire. They hope to make gains in the south, which houses the blue belt, the suburbs and exurbs of London that have historically voted en masse for the Torys (Conservatives) but who are becoming disgruntled with the Pro-Brexit movement in the Tories, which Sunak himself is a strong proponent of (Brexit). Many of these constituencies in the south voted for Conservatives by hefty margins in 2019 but also voted to remain in the European Union. 

    Conversely, up north is the Red Wall, which is the former heartland of the Labour Party, in large part for the region’s strong blue-collar workforce and support of Labour’s left-wing economic policies. The area hosted Labour heavyweights like the renowned socialist and former MP of Bolsover for nearly 50 years, Dennis Skinner, but in 2019 shook many Labour incumbents out of their seats, including Skinner. Labor is hoping the Tory’s crash will allow them to reclaim many constituencies, but prominent Eurosceptic and Reform Party Leader Nigel Farage has been particularly popular in the region and could be Labour’s prime opponent in many red-wall constituencies. The issue for Farage, however, is the Reform party’s vote share is more inefficiently spread out in the UK’s first-past-the-post system, where plurality wins of >40% are common. 

    Godalming is a town in the Blue-Wall that could see a massive Tory exodus in vote share (Image source: Visit South East England)

    These eight constituencies reflect different dynamic and unique trends in this electoral cycle and will be good barometers for extrapolating broader trends and directions throughout the night and subsequent Parliament. In addition to detailing them, I have also crafted an electoral prediction model for the highlighted constituencies based on PollingUK’s model of the constituency, the candidates, and if there are negative or positive factors regarding their candidacies, tactical voting, if they have been in the Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet previously, and how their constituencies are designed based on the new boundary lines (many constituencies have been redrawn since the 2019 election in reapportionment). 

    Sunderland Central – Open seat (Formerly Labour)

    Northeast England tends to report its constituency reports first, in large part due to its small size coupled with its density, making it easier to tabulate the votes faster. In particular, Newcastle and Sunderland tend to duke it out to report first, with most of Northeastern England being the heart of Labour’s red northern wall. 

    In 2019, however, Labour saw fairly dismal results in the area, with double-digit vote share decreases being frequent. Labour MP Julie Elliot has held the Sunderland Central constituency since its 2010 creation, but is retiring this cycle. The seat covers the city of Sunderland and the docks, and it takes in the suburbs of Fulwell and Ryhope. Sunderland is a core Labour city. However, the city center tends to be more open to other parties. It is where the majority of opposition city council members are elected, while Labour cleans up in the north and western portions of the constituency. It is also worth noting that following the 2024 U.K. local elections, the Liberal Democrats are the official opposition to Labour on the city council, despite them being projected to place fourth in the election. 

    Sunderland is unique as it is seen as more likely that Nigel Farage’s Reform Party will place second in the constituency, ahead of the Tories. The Reform party is expected to do best in Labour blue-collar heartlands like Sunderland. If the Tories place second in the constituency, it could be an early sign that the Reform is going in for a poorer showing than expected. Sunderland also elected several city council members from Farage’s previous right-wing United Kingdom Independence Party. Furthermore, if Labour does not win a majority in the constituency as in 2017 and 2015, it could also spell a bleaker night than expected for Labour, particularly in the red wall. Observing other constituency results in Northeast England will also be essential to track if Reform can make a dent in the region.

    Richmond and Northallerton (MP- PM. Rishi Sunak)

    Prime Minister Sunak is fortunate to encompass both a reliably Tory-voting constituency and one that comprises over 99% of his former Richmond Yorks constituency. Sunak was an early proponent of Brexit, as was his constituency, and his near 50% margin of victory in 2019 spooks many of his most bullish opponents. 

    Sunak’s race is a good handicap of the Conservative worst-case scenario occurs ,as some Tory insiders fear. If the Prime Minister is dispatched, it could mean the Tories are under 50 seats in Parliament and could even miss out on being His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, which some projections have shown could be possible. Sunak will likely face the most heat from Labour candidate and National Health Service (NHS) employee Tom Wilson.

    2024 did not see any council elections in the constituency boundaries, which makes it difficult to create an up-to-date snapshot of the constituency. However, Sunak is still the overwhelming favorite, especially with Reform expected to place a meager showing in the constituency. Sunak will likely be out as Conservative Party Leader regardless of his constituency result, but a loss or narrow win would all but cement his resignation. 

    Clacton (MP- Giles Watling-Conservative)

    The U.K. was taken by surprise by the victory of far-right Eurosceptic member and former Tory MP for the Clacton Constituency Douglas Carswell from Nigel Farage’s UKIP party in 2014, with the win being seen as symbolic of discontent over the U.K.’s continuation in the EU. Now, this cycle, former leader Nigel Farage is leading the Reform party on a platform of overhauling government bureaucracy, curtailing migration, and a greater emphasis on rural England, with many proponents of Reform seeing the Tories as coddling the “London-elite” too much. 

    With Farage reneging on his previous commitment not to stand in the Parliamentary elections, incumbent Clacton MP and the man Carswell defeated in 2014, Giles Watling, is feeling the heat. A recent Survation poll shows Watling down by 15 points (42-27%). Even in the wake of high-level reform campaigners being on the record for making racist remarks, the party is still in the lead in Clacton, with Farage’s branding being a significant boon to reform prospects.

    Outside of Clacton, another constituency to watch is Ashfield, where the current Tory MP is standing as a Reform-party candidate. Ashfield encompasses many of the same blue-collar eurosceptic voters who have trended the most towards Reform. On the other hand, a loss for Farage in Clacton would likely mean his party failed to win a seat nationwide and would be a serious blow to the right-wing of the U.K. 

    Godalming and Ash (MP- Jeremy Hunt-Conservative)

    The Liberal Democrats historically got many of their parliamentary seats via niche electorates such as Cornwall in southwest England, where they resonated with the generally more autonomous-seeking electorate. The LDs also have had success in Scotland and southwest London, with the other regions friendly-ish to them being the outer-suburban constituencies of London. While the LDs have recently been more confined to urban centers, they have also seen success in the area, with many Liberal Democrats councilors hailing from them. The Liberal Democrats’ local infrastructure has allowed them routes in some of these regions, with the affluent London suburb of Mole Valley seeing Liberal Democrats win twelve council seats compared to the Tories 0 in 2024. 

    Many Tory heavyweights also hail from this area, such as Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab and former Prime Minister Theresa May. Now, there is panic Torys’ bedrock will become flush with orange (LD’s official color). One constituency that may predict this result is the new constituency of Godalming and Ash, which sees the Chancellor of the Exchequer (in charge of “His Majesty’s Treasury”) Jeremy Hunt run.  

    Hunt made headlines years after Theresa May resigned by being the runner-up to Boris Johnson in the Tory Leadership contest. Hunt, who was profiled by the New York Times for being known for his “competence and sober demeanor” last year, is soberly forecasting his potential loss in a race profile by the Times released last month. Hunt has the fortune of institutional support and long-held incumbency, but the Liberal Democrats are out for blood. If Hunt loses his constituency, it will likely mean LDs have picked up similar constituencies, and the blue wall has crumbled. Hunt still favors the UK’s dissolution from the European Union but is less of an outspoken firebrand like some of his fellow Tory colleagues. Hunt’s name recognition may help him in a new constituency that is a blend of multiple former constituencies, but in a particularly off-night for the Tories, he could be on the chopping block; with UK Polling Report modeling, Hunt would lose by a little shy of 5-points to LD Paul David Follows (who Hunt bested in 2019 by roughly 15%). Despite this, the combination of Hunt’s name recognition and Hunt representing many of the more metropolitan cores, such as Godalming in his previous South West Surrey constituency, sees my model forecast a 3% win for the incumbent. If Hunt were running under the old lines of South West Surrey, he would be an underdog, most likely as the boundary redraw made his turf more conservative-friendly by nearly double-digits. 

    Bristol Central (MP- Thangam Debbonaire-Labour)

    While the Tories are primarily the ones on defense, the other political parties have some vulnerabilities in their background. The Liberal Democrats hope that their former leader, Tim Farron, can retain his redrawn northern constituency redrawn to be much more favorable turf for the Tories and their Scottish incumbents to hold on. At the same time, Labour is fearful for some of their previously ruby-red constituencies. Many attribute this issue to these constituencies having substantially more progressive electorates than the median U.K. constituency and tend to have higher than average Arab populations. These two groups have balked at Labours stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict, where Keir Starmer has toed a much more pro-Israel position than his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn. Another issue Labour is being attacked on is their exit from previous commitments to putting money forward towards green investments. 

    One area less warm to Labour is their stronghold of Bristol, nestled between Wales and Cornwall. Home to The City College of Bristol, the electorate has seen a spirited challenge to Labour from Green Party leader Carla Denyer. Denyer is giving Shadow Secretary for Culture Thangam Debbonaire a sweat by running to her left. Debbonaire is countering by emphasizing the importance of having Bristol represented in parliament, with Debbonaire stating to ITV News, “It’s a choice between having an opposition MP on the back benches or a member of parliament able to represent Bristol at the heart of the Labour government, that’s the real choice facing people here.” 

    The 2024 council elections were a major win for the Greens, who won 34 seats compared to Labours 21 and took a plurality on the council. Denyer also received a boon from WeThinkPolling, which shows Denyer leading 49-40% and over a 20% Green shift from 2019, released July 2nd. Bristol Central is also the Greens’ best shot of gaining a constituency outside Brighton, where they hold their sole parliamentary seat. 

    Vale of Glamorgan (MP- Alun Cairns-Conservative)

    Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething was embarrassed by a no-confidence vote in the Welsh Parliament (Senedd) earlier this year following a flurry of scandals that have stained an otherwise surging Labour Party. Gething is being tethered to many Labour campaigns in Wales as Gething is seen as a much stronger punching bag than the relatively uncontroversial Starmer. 

    Gething’s no-confidence vote was spurred by all the other opposition parties coalescing and two Labour MSs (Members of Senedd) being absent. One of the members was formally sacked from her Cabinet role by Gething, and the other was openly critical of the First Minister in the past. Despite Gething’s woes, Labour is still on track to make gains in Wales, with Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns being vulnerable in his suburban Cardiff constituency. 

    Cairns has been seen as vulnerable in previous elections but has always held on, but this time, Cairns is unlikely to withstand the tide. Some analysts have seen the possibility of a Tory wipeout in Wales, and even if a few Torys clung on, it remains to be seen if Cairns could buck the tide and be one of them. It will likely be a significant factor if Cairns and Torys overperform in Wales relative to the U.K. Labour’s local scandal in the Senedd.

    Ayr, Carrick, and CumNock (MP- Allan Dorans-SNP)

    While England will comprise many competitive electoral contests, Scotland will also hold many competitive elections because of the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP). The left-wing regionalist party advocates for Scottish independence and was the prime proponent of the failed 2014 Scottish independence referendum. The SNP has been rocked with local troubles, with former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon resigning in a scandal and her successor Hamza Yousef narrowly surviving a no-confidence vote earlier this year.

    Scotland is typically divided between the dense Scottish central belt comprising Scotland’s urban cores like Edinburgh, while the south and north comprise more conservative-leaning rural towns. This dynamic could be seen in 2014 when the more progressive central belt had higher vote shares for Yes to Independence. This is also why the central belt is being fought between Labour and the SNP, while the Tories are also in the running in the outermost fringes.

    Labour has been making headway in Scotland, but not to the extent it has elsewhere. Scotland is seat-rich, and if Labour wants a majority, they will want to make a dent in Scotland, as if they don’t, it will force Labour to flip even more Tory-held seats in England. 

    Ayr, Carrick, and Cumnock joined the rest of Scotland in strongly supporting remaining in the EU, and the SNP is firm in remaining to the present day. The seat is anchored by the coastal towns along its western edge, such as Cirvan. These seats have been the bedrock for the SNP with its progressive pro-EU bona fides, but Labour has made a severe dent and is giving MP Allan Dorans some trouble. It also remains to be seen Reform imprint in Scotland, where the electorate is more adverse to many of Reform signature policies like anti-immigration. If Labour flips this constituency, they will likely get a higher result in Scotland than anticipated. It also remains to be seen how many seats the Tories can hold in Scotland, where polling shows the more moderate Scottish conservatives treading water in third place. 

    Islington North (MP- Jeremy Corbyn Independent)

    Jeremy Corbyn has become a fixed household name in the U.K. for his tenure as Labour Party leader and his left-wing populism. Corbyn has been hailed as a progressive hero by many, but also a leader who had volleys of anti-semitism lobbed at himself and other Labour party members. These allegations helped lead to an exodus of Labour MPs and helped culminate in a 2019 shellacking from the Tories 2019. Since being replaced by Starmer, Corbyn has served as a progressive voice within the party until he was expelled for downplaying the anti-semitism allegations. Corbyn is now running as an independent for his long-time constituency of Islington North, nestled north of the River Thames. 

    Islington North also has a high Muslim population, where many Muslim voters opted for more progressive candidates, such as the Greens, in the 2024 Council elections. This is deduced by some as resulting from Labour’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Corbyn striking a much more pro-Palestinian viewpoint compared to Starmer. Corbyn’s stance could play well with Muslim voters and his more progressive electorate. Corbyn’s Labour opponent, Praful Nagand, is an Islington council and is being bashed for missing a council vote for a ceasefire resolution. Corbyn’s victory would likely need to come from other smaller parties like the Liberal Democrats and the Greens supporting his candidacy, something far from assured. If Corbyn holds on, it will be a blow to Starmer, but a recent survey poll in Islington North showed Nagand holding a 43-29% lead over Corbyn. 

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