Stourbridge, the West Midlands constituency currently held by Labour, is a key marginal seat in the 2010 election. Nestled between a cluster of Conservative strongholds, voters in this area are known for their fluctuating views at the ballot box. In recent weeks all the party leaders have visited the constituency to face questions from a BBC audience of undecided voters from the area. A startling amount of enthusiasm was displayed in response to DAvid Cameron’s brief appearance at a local sixth-form college, with local youths lining the town’s streets in order to catch a glimpse of the Tory leader.
The Conservative candidate, Kensington-raised Margot James, is tipped to be in Cameron’s cabinet if the party wins the election. She was previously a pharmaceutical business tycoon before being parachuted in by her party. The millionaire has since ploughed money into what has so far proved to be a strong campaign, which draws on her experience outside of the political arena
James prides herself on her integrity, yet recently she publicly accused Lynda Waltho, who is defending the seat for Labour, of negative campaigning tactics. Waltho is dismissive of these claims, stating: “The reality is that it’s a two horse race in Stourbridge. If people vote anything other than Labour here, they will get a Tory MP. It’s important for people to know who may end up representing them.” Local newspaper the Stourbridge News has been quick to pick up on the feisty exchanges between the candidates in recent weeks, dubbing it the “Battle of the Blondes.”
With a 2005 majority of just 407, Waltho has a battle on her hands. The first week of the campaign saw candidates visiting just about every nook and cranny within the constituency boundaries in a bid to sway voting intentions. Chris Bramall, Stourbridge’s Liberal Democrat candidate for the third general election running, is aiming to increase the 15.9 per cent share of the vote that he got in 2005. Key campaign issues again mirror national trends, with the economy, public services and crime receiving most attention from all candidates.
James is confident of a Tory win on May 6 having already booked herself into the Hay Festival at the end of May as an MP. However, Labour is convinced that it stands a good chance of holding the seat. Waltho is firm in her assertion that, despite Cameron’s litany of references to “change”, echoed by the entrance of James onto Stourbridge’s political playing field, voters will recognises that “a vote for new Tory is the same old story”. One thing is clear: election experts will be paying very close attention to events in this area.
