Liam Murphy looks at the political make-up in two of the UK’s most hotly contested seats
IF ANY of Wirral’s Parliamentary seats are to be won by the Conservatives on May 6, they are most likely to be in Wirral West and Wirral South.
The borough has had four Labour MPs since 1997, but these two constituencies represent key battlegrounds in the borough on the day of the general election.
The Conservatives need to take both if they are to have a chance of forming a Government – and Labour, currently trailing in the polls, will be battling tooth and nail to hang on to seats which are not perhaps traditional territory for the party.
Both seats contain many of the most affluent areas of Wirral and, despite a previous history of electing Conservatives, have both been held by Labour since Tony Blair swept to power in 1997.
But departed MPs Ben Chapman, in Wirral South, and Stephen Hesford, in Wirral West, who had become established fixtures on Wirral’s political scene, have both stepped down for this year’s election, ensuring new faces will be coming to the fore in both constituencies, regardless of who wins.
This could be significant since it is widely believed incumbent MPs are at less of an advantage than in previous elections due to the recent damage to politicians in general over, for the most part, the expenses scandal.
In Wirral South, Mr Chapman was re-elected in 2005 with a majority of 3,724 over the Conservatives.
He had famously won the seat in a by-election just months before the Labour landslide in 1997.
Back in 2005, Jeff Clarke was a Lib-Dem candidate in Wirral, but this year he will be standing as the Conservative in Wirral South.
Labour’s new candidate is Alison McGovern, who grew up in the constituency and still has family there.
She is a Labour councillor in the London borough of Southwark, where she became the party’s deputy leader before returning to her family home to try and retain the seat for Labour.
Since the high point in 1997, Labour support in Wirral South has declined steadily, from a majority of 7,004 in the 1997 general election to 5,049 in 2001. Although Mr Chapman still won with a majority of 3,724 in 2005, it was on a higher turnout than the previous election.
What many of those campaigning this year are wondering is whether the decision to hold local and national elections on the same day will affect the result, and if the expected higher turnout will favour Labour in holding the seats, or the other parties benefiting from a protest vote.
For the Liberal Democrats in Wirral South is Jamie Saddler, also from the borough, while university lecturer David Scott was selected as Parliamentary candidate by Ukip, although nominations remain open until Tuesday, April 20, and others may yet enter the fray.
The constituency includes the wards of Bebington, Bromborough, Clatterbridge, Eastham and Heswall.
Its 15 councillors are five Conservatives, four Labour and six Liberal Democrats, showing a wide – and fairly even – spread of voting across the constituency, although a conclusion about “local” votes cannot necessarily be drawn in a national election.
In contrast, Wirral West will definitely see a longer list of candidates hoping to take the seat being vacated by the departed Mr Hesford.
The constituency includes some of the most prosperous areas of the borough, covering West Kirby, Caldy and Hoylake, although it also includes Upton ward, which has two Labour councillors and covers the Woodchurch estate.
The leading contender is the Conservative Esther McVey.
The former television presenter lost out by just 1,097 votes in 2005 to Mr Hesford and it is no secret there was no love lost between the two rivals.
