Local Elections 2023: On the campaign trail in Portsmouth

Portsmouth is a hotly-contested electoral battleground

With two MPs of different colours, one Labour and one Conservative, and a Liberal Democrat council, Portsmouth is always an interesting city to watch at election time.

One third of Portsmouth City Council's seats will be up for re-election on Thursday - one seat in each of the city's 14 wards.

All of the parties were out in force campaigning on Bank Holiday Monday.

We joined candidates making a last-minute plea for votes.

'On my knees'

Letterboxes are a challenge for Labour's Charlotte Gerada

You can't get political parties in Portsmouth to agree on much - except their mutual dislike of letterboxes at ankle level.

"They hurt your back" says Conservative Simon Bosher. "I end up on my knees fighting with that brush behind it" says Charlotte Gerada, who's the Labour group leader.

Oh… and they are all campaigning against the Aquind interconnector, a plan which would see a cable bring electricity from France to the UK, landing on a Portsmouth beach and going under the city's roads. No party is supporting that idea.

All of the parties were out in force campaigning on Bank Holiday Monday in a real mix of weathers - torrential showers in the morning and baking hot sunshine by the afternoon.

Sea battle

The Liberal Democrats' Gerald Vernon-Jackson (second from right) is fighting for his future

On the seafront, the current leader of the Liberal Democrat council Gerald Vernon-Jackson is asking people to sign the petition over sewage discharges in Langstone Harbour.

He's been a councillor in the city since 2003 and has had two stints as leader. The Liberal Democrats have run the city for 16 of the last 20 years. "I'm confident that will continue," he says. "Of all the south coast cities we have the lowest council tax but we run the finances well."

When I ask him if he's still enjoying being a councillor, he says: "Absolutely. I love the fact I can drive around the city and see things I've influenced which makes people's lives better, like new council housing being built." He's up for election this year.

'25,000 steps'

The Tricorn Centre was once described by the future King Charles III as a "mildewed lump of elephant droppings"

Gerald Vernon-Jackson's seat is one of Labour's key targets.

They don't believe the Liberal Democrats have delivered the change which is needed in the city centre, which is struggling to regenerate after the loss of several major chains. But some of the development projects, including the former Tricorn shopping centre site, have been on pause for years.

Ms Gerada says she's hoping Labour will become the second largest party on the council. "What's heartbreaking on the doorstep is hearing how the cost of living crisis is affecting real people," she tells me.

Her watch tells her she's hit 25,000 steps. "It'll be 20,000 more than that on polling day!"

Boris effect

Conservative group leader Simon Bosher (right) was outspoken about the legacy of former prime minister Boris Johnson

In the north of the city, the Conservatives are out in force, hoping to shake off last year's "Boris Johnson" effect.

Simon Bosher, the leader of the group, was outspoken after they lost four seats in 2022, blaming the negative image of the national party. This year the Tories are promoting a "strong green agenda, with increased tree planting".

And they say the area needs a "city-wide parking referendum" on things like permits and charges. Portsmouth is one of the most densely-populated cities in the country and had a Clean Air Zone imposed on it a few years ago.

Mr Bosher meets a couple who say they would vote Conservative if they were going to bother, but are not sure they will have time. He encourages them and says to me some seats have less than 30 votes in them, so every vote counts.

Doorstep seller

George Madgwick's Portsmouth Independents are the newest council group

Also targeting seats in the north, the Portsmouth Independents, who have only been in existence for three years, but gain at every election.

On the doorstep they sell their ward-specific policies and the lack of a party whip in voting.

George Madgwick, their leader, says being independent has a distinct advantage when he's knocking on doors. People don't have a pre-determined judgement so are willing to listen, he says.

Kerb appeal

Ian McCulloch is glad if people consider Green Party issues

And hoping for their first councillor, the Greens. They're talking about clean air and stopping the housing and business development at Tipner West.

Organiser Ian McCulloch tells me he isn't disheartened by voters who tell him: "We would vote Green but we know you can't win."

He says: "I'm glad they're politically interested and have considered green issues."

You can see the full list of names of everyone standing in Thursday's local election in Portsmouth here.

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• What to expect from May's election