Horsham predicted to become 'major political battleground'

That’s according to the politics-focused digital newspaper POLITICO. It says that the district – always previously considered a Tory safe seat – may be among those most aggressively fought over at the next election, due to take place by 2025.

POLITICO says it analysed YouGov figures to draw up a shortlist of 88 seats in England and Wales where the gap between the two largest parties’ vote share is narrowest – three three per cent or less. It concluded that Horsham – at 0 per cent – indicated it was likely to be a new battleground among voters.

Horsham has been a Conservative stronghold since 1880. POLITICO estimates that, as a new marginal, it could turn Lib Dem.

Meanwhile, POLITICO concluded that the ‘red wall’ of working class areas in the north, which historically returned Labour MPs but in 2019 turned Tory, appeared to be returning to Labour.