Guildford seat is 'close' and 'all to play for'

Candidates in the Guildford seat took part in a hustings at the University of Surrey

One constituency in Surrey where there is often drama at an election is Guildford.

In 2001, Liberal Democrat Sue Doughty won the seat from Conservative Nick St Aubyn by 538 votes - and four years later she lost to a different Tory candidate, Anne Milton, by 347 votes.

And in another blue-versus-yellow battle in 2019, although Conservative Angela Richardson defeated Liberal Democrat Zoe Franklin by more than 3,000 votes, her majority was significantly reduced from the election in 2017.

Both candidates, who are standing again, say the result could also be close on 4 July.

Zoe Franklin is the Liberal Democrat candidate and Angela Richardson is the Conservative candidate

Angela Richardson believes it is a very different election from the one in 2019, which included the former Conservative MP Anne Milton standing as an independent, and that it is "absolutely all to play for".

"We're out every single day talking to people," she said.

"One of the things I would say is that the national polling certainly isn't what we're finding on the doorsteps in Guildford.

"It isn't translating to the seat because there are so many local issues here and there is certainly a recognition of all the hard work I have put in over the last four and a half years since I was elected."

Guildford High Street is one of the iconic locations in the constituency

Water pollution, a shortage of affordable rental properties and Brexit were among the topics raised by an audience of local residents and students at a hustings at the University of Surrey on 26 June.

Guildford is among several seats in the county being targeted by the Liberal Democrats.

Zoe Franklin says they are getting a positive response while out campaigning.

"The Liberal Democrats have held the seat previously [and] we've been building our vote share," she said.

"I think the evidence suggests that we can potentially win and bring change.

"But equally I take nothing for granted. So I think it will probably be close and we're working really, really hard to make sure we speak to as many people as we possibly can."

Sarah Gillinson is the Labour candidate for Guildford.

"This really does feel like a special election," she said.

"In the end it is a choice between a transformational Labour government and 14 years of Conservative chaos and decline and I think lots of people recognise that."

Also standing in Guildford are Reform UK’s Dennis Saunders, Sam Peters from the Green Party, and John Morris from the Peace Party.