Area in focus - General Election Special - Northeast Somerset & Hanham

The Bristol Cable

The general election is almost upon us – and across the Bristol area people are deciding how they will cast their votes on 4 July.

Many will be doing so in newly mapped constituencies, which have been affected by boundary changes. These changes could have a real impact on the elections’ outcome.

Today our Area in Focus is North East Somerset and Hanham, which takes half of the abolished Kingswood constituency and half of the existing North Somerset seat – held since 2010 by Jacob Rees-Mogg, a divisive figure both locally and nationally.

Rees Mogg has long been a national figurehead for a certain brand of Conservative politics. Onlookers are waiting to see if Labour’s candidate, West of England metro mayor Dan Norris can snatch back the seat he lost 14 years ago.

If so, it could provide a moment to rival Michael Portillo’s loss to Stephen Twigg back in 1997, the last time Labour defeated a sitting Tory government. Beyond that, what happens here on 4 July could underscore the capacity of Nigel Farage’s Reform party to do serious damage to the Conservatives by splitting the right-wing vote.

With polls showing that many Conservatives in previously safe area are vulnerable to losing their seats, will Jacob Rees-Mogg be a goner? And what will the impact of changing areas like Keynsham, and new additions to the constituency like Hanham, on this likelihood?

To try to find answers to these questions, Cable reporters Mary Holditch and Alex Turner have been travelling around the area, speaking to voters and candidates about what they think will happen here on election day. Join them for this election special edition of our Area in Focus podcast.

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