Battle for the Seals: Battleground Constituencies in the Brexit Election
As the final stretch of the 2019 general election campaign hurtles towards its climax, attention is turning to those crucial battleground seats that hold the key to victory in the most unpredictable British Election in recent history. Key to this are the strategic seats in the north of England and Scotland, long-time Conservative strongholds up for grabs, and opposition targets in the south – a crucial battleground in their bid to seize power. In this article, we’ll delve into the essential battleground seats that will decided the outcome of this make-or-break election.
The North of England: Crumbling Conservatism
No discussion of battleground seats could ignore the north of England, where the Conservatives enjoyed a stronghold for decades prior to the 2016 Brexit referendum. The referendum’s divisive impact, fuelled by a strong narrative of disillusionment with Britain’s European Union membership among traditional Labour voters, sowed the seeds of destruction for the party. Newcastle upon Tyne Central is a prime example, being held by the Conservatives as recently as 2019, yet now in turmoil after a local backlash ensued over a perceived betrayal, leading to a surprise Labor victory.
The North shires of Lancashire have also been a bastion of Conservative support, epitomized by seats as diverse as Pendle – held by Andrea Jenkyns since 2010 – and the relatively new Conservative stronghold of Eddisbury, where Michelle Thomson is the sitting candidate. With the opposition reinvigorated by left-wing rhetoric and promises around healthcare and education, coupled with widespread discontent among North of England voters over current government policies, the Tory hold on these seats in now increasingly precarious.
Additionally, in Scotland, two key seats are at forefront of the battle: Argyll and Bute, which has seen swings in the past few recent elections, and Edinburgh Napier, where the recent SNP resurgence has seen even more drastic shifts in terms of vote share. Will the Scots’ traditionally ingrained antipathy against the governing party prevail upon election day?
Labour eyes on Conservative strongholds Down South
Meanwhile, north of the border, not all attention is focused above the Tweed. Despite their 2017 campaign successes, Labour strategists recognize that a comprehensive and coordinated assault on the right-leaning southern strongholds shall be the key to recapturing power. Focus has fallen on areas already in Labour’s crosshair, including the West Hertfordshire constituency controlled by former Prime Minister May, the affluent areas neighboring London such as Huggard, and even Tory stronghold Uxbridge Constituency, which David Cameron represented for 36 years. In the election’s last days, if the momentum shifts further labor’s way, a ‘Red Wall’ might ultimately come crumbling down, resulting in the most seismic turnaround in UK political history within the space of just twenty years.
The battle lies ahead: Who will sway the key battleground seats crucial to election outcome?
Throughout this 2019 vote, attention will focus exclusively on those crucial battleground battleground seats where the tao of fate will decide national government, and for party leaders on both sides hoping to grasp the reins anew. Can the Labour stronghold of North of England win over wavering Conservative base? Can the north shake off the lingering impact in 2016? Whatever the answer, we rest assured, this election race shall remain an intense war of attrition until well into the night on General Election Day.