Will this new constituency be a major test for the main political parties?
In the forthcoming General Election, a number of constituencies have had boundaries redrawn and some new ones created. ‘Bicester and Woodstock’ is composed of Bicester, Woodstock, Eynsham, Kidlington, Weston on the Green and Yarnton.
This has created a completely different balance of traditional voters and no clear winner.
For example, the Kidlington wards move from ‘Oxford West and Abingdon’ (Lib-Dem MP, Layla Moran) to ‘Bicester and Woodstock’. Bicester town moves from Banbury. Woodstock itself has been Tory/Conservative with few exceptions since 1777.
We went to Bicester and Woodstock to invite the candidates to talk to us and put their case and that of their party to represent this new constituency.
For Labour Veronica Oakeshott is standing. She was previously a councillor for the Boleyn ward in the London Borough of Newham, winning 72% of the vote. Veronica also worked for the British High Commission in Nairobi and is Head of Forests for Global Witness.
For the Conservatives, Rupert Harrison was an economic advisor to George Osborne and is widely credited as the true architect of the ‘Austerity Policy’. Moving on to the Investment firm BlackRock he is now back advising Jeremy Hunt … on ‘Austerity V 2.0’? The New Statesman recently ran an article asking, “Is Rupert Harrison the future of the Conservative Party?”.
The Liberal Democrats are fielding Calum Miller an Oxfordshire County Councillor and an Oxford academic at the Blavatnik School of Government. The Lib-Dems say Labour is not a contender in the constituency. A claim hotly contradicted by the Labour Candidate and there being no definitive support in the local polls with Electoral Calculus giving Labour a dead heat with Conservatives on 29.5% and Lib-Dem on 25.2%. The Lib Dems looking better on You Gov at 26% but with Conservatives on 31%.
The Green Party Candidate is Ian Middleton, deputy leader of the Green/Lib-Dem alliance on Oxfordshire County Council. So far there is no indication of any electoral pacts for the election in Bicester and Woodstock. Ian has previously contested Banbury for the Greens and was a business advisor for Cherwell District Council.
Augustine Obodo is the prospective Parliamentary candidate for the Reform Party for Bicester and Woodstock. He describes himself as prominent in British-Nigerian community relations and is leader of ‘Friends of Trump UK.’
Whatever the outcome, this should prove an interestingly contested seat and we look forward to hearing from the candidates.
Our first interview is with Veronica Oakeshott – view it on our Video page now.
West England Bylines does not support any particular political party. We do however give space to those who promote progressive and sustainable goals.
Ed: See also Alan’s interview with Green candidate Ian Middleton.
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