The election battleground in Coventry and Warwickshire

There are three seats up for grabs in Coventry, and six in Warwickshire

Voters in Coventry and Warwickshire will pick nine MPs in the snap general election called by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Labour was dominant with three MPs in Coventry, while the Tories held five of six seats in Warwickshire before the 4 July election was announced.

Two veteran Tory MPs have stood down, with former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Mark Pawsey vacating their seats.

Boundary changes mean some constituencies have been renamed and others have a new look.

A complete list of candidates standing in each constituency is available on the BBC website.

Here is an overview of each constituency, in alphabetical order:

Coventry East

There’ll be a new MP whatever happens in Coventry East, where Labour’s Coleen Fletcher stood down from the constituency after nine years.

Formerly called Coventry North East, the seat was renamed and subject to boundary changes.

The area’s constituency in every guise has been a Labour stronghold, with the Conservatives finishing second.

Coventry South

Spanning the entire city centre, Coventry South covers the iconic cathedral and the university, which means there’s a significant student vote in the constituency.

Labour’s Zarah Sultana was elected to the seat in 2019, winning with a wafer-thin majority of 401 votes.

It’s the closest the Tories ever came to taking the seat, which has been an impenetrable Labour fortress since the mid-20th century.

Coventry North West

Just 208 votes separated the top two candidates in 2019 - the smallest majority in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Labour’s Taiwo Owatemi came out on top, replacing the long-time incumbent and former cabinet minister Geoffrey Robinson.

There are no boundary changes here so this election will be fought on the same terms as in 2019.

Nuneaton is considered to be a bellwether seat

Kenilworth and Southam

The constituency was created in 2010, with Sir Jeremy Wright winning the seat for the Conservatives at every general election since.

It’s a large and overwhelmingly rural area that’s considered to be one of the safest Conservative seats, having last been taken by Labour in 1997 when it was known as Rugby and Kenilworth.

Boundary changes mean it has adsorbed some villages from neighbouring Warwick and Leamington, and vice versa.

North Warwickshire & Bedworth

With a history of mining and heavy industry, North Warwickshire & Bedworth is another one to watch for a potential swing back to Labour from the Conservatives.

The renamed constituency - previously called North Warwickshire - has been held by Conservative Craig Tracey since 2015.

But the seat was in Labour hands for almost two decades a few years before and during the New Labour era, when Tony Blair was prime minister.

Nuneaton

Nuneaton has traditionally been a bellwether seat, meaning it usually backs the winning party nationally in general elections.

Marcus Jones has been the MP for Nuneaton since 2010, and in 2015, former Prime Minister David Cameron said his victory in the seat was the moment he knew the Conservatives had won the general election that year.

With a population that’s seen as broadly representative of the country as a whole, Nuneaton will be watched closely on election night.

Stratford-upon-Avon is famously the birthplace of William Shakespeare

Rugby

Known for its connection to the sport that shares its name, Rugby has been in Conservative hands since the seat's creation in 2010.

But with the departure of long-standing MP Mark Pawsey, who has won handsome majorities for the Conservatives at every election, Labour is eyeing up the seat.

Progress on the regeneration of the town centre and the lack of A&E services at the main local hospital are two big issues in this part of the world.

Stratford-on-Avon

Famously the birthplace of William Shakeperare, Stratford is a relatively affluent town in south Warwickshire and has been rock-solid Conservative territory for decades.

The former cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi had held the seat since 2010, winning a comfortable majority of 19,972 at the last election.

But after Mr Zawhawi stood down, the Liberal Democrats have high hopes of taking the seat, especially after winning control of Stratford-on-Avon District Council last year.

Warwick and Leamington

The seat has flipped between Labour and Conservative since 1997.

Until then, it had historically been a Conservative safe seat, and was once held by former Tory Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden.

Labour’s Matt Western has been the incumbent since 2017, but boundary changes mean voters who were in Tory-leaning Kenilworth and Southam have been brought into the constituency.