Esher and Walton: how close will the election be?

Esher and Walton is a key marginal in Surrey at the election

In the past Esher and Walton has been a safe seat in Surrey for the Conservatives.

In 2017, the former Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, won the constituency with a majority of 23,298.

However, just over two years later at the 2019 general election that majority fell to 2,743, with the Liberal Democrat candidate Monica Harding coming second.

It is predicted to be another close contest on 4 July.

On Esher High Street I spoke to voters who raised concerns including the cost of living and the NHS.

Andrew Ollington, from Walton-on-Thames, told me he was worried about local rather than national issues.

“Social care in this area and how taxes are going to be spent to make a difference here,” he said. “I think the other thing is traffic."

I also talked to Meredith, who mentioned care for older people. “It really does need to be tackled now,” she said.

Monica Harding is standing as the Liberal Democrat candidate

At a pub by the river in Thames Ditton I met with Liberal Democrat candidate Ms Harding, who is standing again.

She believes it is a two-horse race between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.

“The Lib Dems are in a really good position going into this fight,” she said. “But we are not complacent.

"We are not taking any vote for granted. We are working really, really hard. But I think people on the doorstep are fed up.

"That is what is different from 2019. They’ve really had enough.”

In May 2023 Mr Raab announced he was standing down at the general election.

Councillor John Cope, who leads the Conservative group at Elmbridge Borough Council, is replacing him as the candidate.

His message echoes the words of the defence secretary Grant Shapps about Labour getting a supermajority.

“Anyone who sees the polls would have a pretty clear steer that it is going to be a Labour government and that is what my campaign is all about; the negative impact that is going to have on our local area,” he told me.

He also said he was worried about what would happen to funding for two new health centres.

The Conservative candidate is John Cope

Ealing councillor Yoel Gordon, who is standing for Labour, said river pollution appears to be one of the biggest local issues, as well as national concerns like the cost of living.

“It is clear it is going to be a tough challenge for Labour to do well in Esher and Walton,” he said.

“But we have a huge number of people who want to vote for a Labour party candidate, which is why I am there, and I would very much like them to vote for me.”

Other candidates standing in Esher and Walton include Green candidate Maciej Pawlik, Reform UK’s Alastair Gray and Richard Bateson from the Social Democratic Party.

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