‘We want to hear the truth from politicians’

David, Shirley, Jennifer and Graham regularly meet up in a coffee shop in Macclesfield

The Cheshire market town of Macclesfield has been a Conservative stronghold for many years, with the town being held by the party since 1918.

But ahead of the general election on 4 July what are people worried about in this area - and could local issues impact the national result?

Friends David, Shirley, Jennifer and Graham are chatting over a cup of coffee.

They regularly meet up in a coffee shop in Macclesfield and jokingly refer to themselves as the coffee club.

But they say they have concerns about their town.

“Potholes,” says David when asked what he thinks the issues are that matter to local people.

“Parking,” adds Graham.

“Nobody’s really dealing with social care,” says Shirley.

And they all have concerns about their town’s high street.

“There are no shops so we come out for coffee,” adds Shirley, laughing.

Both Labour and the Conservatives have sent some of their big names to support local candidates in Macclesfield

The friends all say they have not had visits from their local candidates.

Shirley says: “We’d really like to meet them.”

“To know who they are,” Jennifer adds.

And honesty seems to be valued highly by the group.

“[Politicians] are making all these wonderful, wild promises which they cannot fulfil, we know they can’t fulfil,” says David.

“They think the public are going to listen and nod and vote for you because you’ve said this and what happens, nothing, and it’s very sad.

“And I think it’s going to get worse.”

“We want to hear the truth,” Graham adds.

Macclesfield has been Conservative since 1918

The constituency of Macclesfield includes the town as well as surrounding towns and villages like Bollington, Poynton and Prestbury along with a large rural area and the Jodrell Bank Observatory, which houses the Lovell Telescope.

The area has been Conservative for a long time - since 1918.

In the 2019 general election, the seat’s last Conservative MP had a majority of more than 10,000, receiving more than 52% of the vote.

But with some opinion polls suggesting that the Conservatives could lose votes in areas like this, could there be change here?

Big names have made visits here in recent weeks.

For the Conservatives, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former PM Lord Cameron have both visited the area.

While for Labour, deputy leader Angela Rayner and Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry have also spent time here.

With big names paying visits, it seems the town is looking like a key battleground on 4 July.

Full list of candidates in the Macclesfield constituency (in alphabetical order by surname):

• Steve Broadhurst (Reform UK)

• Neil Christian (Liberal Democrat)

• Dickie Fletcher (Social Democratic Party)

• Amanda Iremonger (Green)

• Tim Roca (Labour)

• David Rutley (Conservative)

• Christopher Wellavize (Independent)