Image by Josh Neicho
In Kirk Sandall, a suburb of Doncaster, electrician Malc says enthusiastically that he is backing Theresa May in the general election as Brexit is the big issue for him. He voted for Tony Blair, he’s ashamed to say now, and voted UKIP in recent elections. He thinks lots of working people locally will vote Conservative, but adds ruefully that there’s not much point as a “chimpanzee in a red rosette would win” – perhaps too despondent since UKIP, which came second with 1,300 votes more than the Tories last time, isn't standing. Conservative candidate Tom Hunt, a young Cambridgeshire councillor who campaigned for Leave in this area, says he may come from a different background from his voters but he shares their patriotism much more than their Labour MP, Corbyn’s former chief whip Rosie Winterton. Hunt has gutsily door-knocked across the constituency with a tiny team and no voter data. Labour, as of a fortnight ago, was worried enough to have reportedly drafted in a campaign manager for Winterton.
In Hartlepool, Billy, a former welder, is voting Tory for the first time aged 72. “Labour has always been here and they’ve voted for themselves not the town,” he says. “Corbyn is an idiot, he’s lost the plot. [The response to] Manchester showed the best of British. Theresa May is a strong woman, she’ll put the North-East on the map”. In Newcastle-under-Lyme, ex-Portmeirion pottery employee and life-long Labour supporter Jeff thinks May can get the best deal from the EU and can’t see himself voting for Corbyn, though he concedes he’s principled. He is additionally annoyed with local MP Paul Farrelly, who voted Remain and against triggering Article 50. Jeff’s partner Kerry is of a similar mind. She has a minimum wage job at Keele University, taking home less than she did when she worked in the car components industry 10 years ago. Thinking of the number of students in each hall at Keele, she’s bemused by how Corbyn believes he can afford to abolish tuition fees, and under a reformed immigration system she’d like to see only skilled workers come in.
Life long Labour supporter Jeff and his wife Kerry will be voting for the Conservatives But there are limits to the Tories' breakthrough
