What does 'Stevenage Woman' want from the budget and general election?

Mel Cucos has a family of four and lives in Stevenage

As we get closer to a general election with one expected to be held in 2024, BBC Politics East talked to "Stevenage Woman" - one of the categories of voters being touted by political pundits.

The term is used by the Labour Together think tank, which is close to the party's leadership.

Stevenage Woman is the type of voter that Labour sees as vital to election success in swing seats such as the Hertfordshire town, which has been represented by Conservative MP Stephen McPartland since he won the seat from Labour in 2010.

Stevenage Woman is described by Labour Together as a "mum, in her early 40s, with two kids" who "works hard, plays by the rules, and she pays the bills". While she might have voted Conservative in 2019, she is leaning towards Labour, but is not a great follower of party politics.

She is not seen to be seeking radical change, but she is worried about the cost of living, the state of public services, and life in her town.

Stevenage Woman is the type of voter that the Labour Party sees as vital to election success

BBC Politics East went to the Hertfordshire new town that she is named after, and met an example of Stevenage Woman - Mel Cucos, 45, who was born and grew up in the town, which is about 20 miles north of the M25 London orbital motorway.

Ms Cucos has a family of four, works in the town, said she does not earn "huge amounts of money", but does OK.

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She said one of the issues she was concerned about was housing.

"There is a housing shortage and rental crisis, with rents here on a par with London," she said.

"People's wages have not gone up and there are areas of Stevenage that have deprivation pockets.

"There are high areas of unemployment. People want to work. They want cheaper child care. Things like that."

Mel Cucos said there is a shortage of homes in Stevenage and rental prices comparable to London

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt is due to deliver details of the Conservative government's spring Budget on Wednesday.

Ms Cucos said she would like to see "money coming back to us in some way, shape or form, via a reduction in income tax or National Insurance".

"We have noticed how much the cost of living has impacted us through just doing the weekly shopping... things we usually buy but the prices doubling.

"If they [the Conservative Party] are setting out their stall in the run-up to the general election, then what they could be looking to do in this budget is entice the likes of me to focus on what they are offering."

BBC Politics East will be broadcast on Sunday, 3 March at 10:00 GMT on BBC One in the East of England, and will be available after broadcast on BBC iPlayer.