Reigate

[stb12]

Reigate

[iain]

www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/downloads/file/7325/notice_of_poll_and_statement_of_persons_nominated_-_reigate

Just the main 5

[carswellfan]

Huge support for the Labour candidate Stuart Brady in the constituency. I have never seen such outward support for a Labour candidate here in years - the *only* placards I've seen outside houses are his.

I honestly don't know if Conservative Candidate Rebecca Paul will win this - if she does it will be incredibly close. Sad, because she is a brilliant candidate and the absolute complete opposite to Crispin Blunt in every way.

[londonseal80]

Labour only have two councillors here so a big win if it does happen. Yet again they only had three in Canterbury when they won it in 2017 so who knows.

[right]

Conservative leaflet and questionnaire about improving Reigate station

electionleaflets.org/leaflets/19825/
electionleaflets.org/leaflets/19824/

Generic Reform offering

electionleaflets.org/leaflets/19823/

[carswellfan]

Last bit of campaigning done for Reigate Tory candidate Rebecca. A genuinely decent individual who I am happy to give up my time for and I hope is elected tomorrow for Reigate.

But it's actually looking really, really close in the constituency and most polls show it as a marginal Labour gain. Tonight, doing just three streets I counted 17 Labour posters. That is unprecedented in this day and age where most people now choose to keep their politics to themselves. This has been seen all over the constituency and they even bought an ad van today. This is a solid Tory Reigate! Or, more accurately: it was.

Weird times we live in, but all self inflicted from my party, which has been an utter joke since 2020. Pure shambles, but it's really heartbreaking to see that genuinely decent individuals may not get the chance to serve.

That said, the political geek in me is absolutely enthralled to see what will happen *nationally* come Friday morning. So many questions and outcomes. Hmm.

[Clark]

Not as many Labour posters north of the M25 I'd say though?

[carswellfan]

I don't know as haven't gone to that part of the constituency. But Reigate town itself, plus other areas surrounding it (Redhill, Woodhatch, Earlswood etc) which used to be solidly Tory areas at most GE's (even if they elect Green Cllrs for locals with a much lower turnout) - Labour signs on *at least* one in every three streets, but also many more times over.

This seat is definitely one to watch. Safe Tory since 1906.

[Tony Otim]

I really struggle to see this one going Labour. My brain just can't compute that.

It is however where Keir Starmer went to school as a child...

[froome]

Jul 4, 2024 10:12:00 GMT Tony Otim said:

I really struggle to see this one going Labour. My brain just can't compute that.

It is however where Keir Starmer went to school as a child...

There will be a lot that our brains will find difficult to compute in this election.

My father worked here and ended up living here after our family split up. A Labour win, while very unlikely, certainly isn't inconceivable.

[carswellfan]

If we (Conservatives) hold it, it's going to be very, very close. And I think north of the constituency would have really helped hold this one down. All day, Labour have been out and about in Reigate and Redhill, signs, and vans, the lot.

[carswellfan]

We (Cons) held Reigate, and I am over joyed for our candidate, well deserved. As predicted, it was extremely close - 35.4% and Labour second with 29.4%. Quite something for super safe seat Reigate.

[nyx]

Does anyone know why the Lib Dems did so badly here? It's the sort of seat that one would have expected them to win like Horsham, Epsom and Ewell, etc. Instead they dropped from second to fourth place!

[jamie]

Aug 3, 2024 18:09:02 GMT nyx said:

Does anyone know why the Lib Dems did so badly here? It's the sort of seat that one would have expected them to win like Horsham, Epsom and Ewell, etc. Instead they dropped from second to fourth place!

They’re not very strong here in local elections and will have put much more effort into nearby winnable seats over this one. 

[Sibboleth]

Aug 3, 2024 18:12:03 GMT jamie said:

Aug 3, 2024 18:09:02 GMT nyx said:

Does anyone know why the Lib Dems did so badly here? It's the sort of seat that one would have expected them to win like Horsham, Epsom and Ewell, etc. Instead they dropped from second to fourth place!

They’re not very strong here in local elections and will have put much more effort into nearby winnable seats over this one. 

It took them decades to learn it, but modern Liberal electoral strategy revolves around triage and target.

[sanders]

Jul 5, 2024 6:01:50 GMT carswellfan said:

We (Cons) held Reigate, and I am over joyed for our candidate, well deserved. As predicted, it was extremely close - 35.4% and Labour second with 29.4%. Quite something for super safe seat Reigate.

I guess Redhill is in fact Bluehill. It’s poetic that Labour lost the seat where working class hero Keir was from. Where was his dad’s toolmaking shop in the seat?

[kitesurfer]

Keir lived in Oxted, which is in neighbouring East Surrey. He did, however, go to Reigate Granmar, which is in this seat.

I don’t think there is much love lost between Keir and Surrey. I read that he seems to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder about how people perceived his dad’s manual job.

[kitesurfer]

Aug 3, 2024 18:09:02 GMT nyx said:

Does anyone know why the Lib Dems did so badly here? It's the sort of seat that one would have expected them to win like Horsham, Epsom and Ewell, etc. Instead they dropped from second to fourth place!

Funnily enough, I was in Reigate earlier today and noticed the Gail’s Bakery. It made me wonder why the Lib Dems did so badly!

[Pete Whitehead]

Oxted was in the Reigate constituency for the first twelve years of Starmer's life so he will feel an attachment to the constituency in the same way that I would with SW Herts

[sanders]

Aug 3, 2024 18:55:59 GMT Pete Whitehead said:

Oxted was in the Reigate constituency for the first twelve years of Starmer's life so he will feel an attachment to the constituency in the same way that I would with SW Herts

Is that where his dad\s tool shop was? During the election my friends and I were hoping Sainsbury's would do a Toolmaker IPA in honour of Starmer senior. 

On a serious note, and responding to your point, one feels the same attachment to the Wellingborough seat - incidentally I lived there for 12 years - 1999 to 2011.