Is S17 a safe seat?

[denlin]

As opposed to Labour, you mean, a Party hardly more well-disposed towards the moneyed; itself based on visceral class antagonism and suffusing envy?

 

If I understood ayf of that I'd say the last time Labour was in any way sympathetic to the working classes in this country was before we lost John Smith - now they are all money grabbing sycophants

[libuse]

As opposed to Labour, you mean, a Party hardly more well-disposed towards the moneyed; itself based on visceral class antagonism and suffusing envy?

 

I wonder why, then, it's Labour who, according to the polls, are running second or first in Hallam? I would have assumed, given that it was a safe Tory seat until Richard Allen won it, the Tories would have been running second/first.

[smiggs]

I wonder why, then, it's Labour who, according to the polls, are running second or first in Hallam? I would have assumed, given that it was a safe Tory seat until Richard Allen won it, the Tories would have been running second/first.

 

The Tories have but abandoned Sheffield you don't generally poll very well in an area if you have little or no presence. I'd also argue that Hallam is home to the very middle class voters that Labour has been trying to attract since Blair became leader if anything the Lib Dems did well to hold it for so long.

[sheff1johnny]

The Tories have but abandoned Sheffield you don't generally poll very well in an area if you have little or no presence. I'd also argue that Hallam is home to the very middle class voters that Labour has been trying to attract since Blair became leader if anything the Lib Dems did well to hold it for so long.

 

One thing I think that S17 should be safe from, is UKIP. Beyond that who knows?

[evil woman]

I wonder why, then, it's Labour who, according to the polls, are running second or first in Hallam? I would have assumed, given that it was a safe Tory seat until Richard Allen won it, the Tories would have been running second/first.

 

If only politics were that simple. There are a lot of Tories in Hallam, who asked how they would vote might well say they will vote Tory come polling day. That is certainly my intention. However if as polling day approaches it appears that the Tories have no chance I will put my cross against Nick Clegg's name. So if that were to happen it wouldn't surprise me if the Tory vote drops 5 points between now and the count and our Nick polls rather higher.

[smiggs]

One thing I think that S17 should be safe from, is UKIP. Beyond that who knows?

 

Safe for now perhaps but the previous Tory MP in Sheffield Hallam was Irvine Patnick so right wing he opposed sanctions on Apartheid South Africa, and with the Tory presence in Sheffield merely a paper based affair UKIP won't be that far away if they're still around in 2020.

[libuse]

If only politics were that simple. There are a lot of Tories in Hallam, who asked how they would vote might well say they will vote Tory come polling day. That is certainly my intention. However if as polling day approaches it appears that the Tories have no chance I will put my cross against Nick Clegg's name. So if that were to happen it wouldn't surprise me if the Tory vote drops 5 points between now and the count and our Nick polls rather higher.

 

The student vote is probably having an impact too - compared to others the constituency has one of the largest student populations in the country, and also one of the universities (can't remember which) has a deal whereby enrolment automatically generates voter registration. Nevertheless, I'd have thought this might have boosted the Greens rather than Labour

[smiggs]

The student vote is probably having an impact too - compared to others the constituency has one of the largest student populations in the country, and also one of the universities (can't remember which) has a deal whereby enrolment automatically generates voter registration. Nevertheless, I'd have thought this might have boosted the Greens rather than Labour

 

Are you sure you've got the right constituency? Sheffield Hallam has "only" 11,000 students whereas next door in Sheffield Central there's 36,000, Central has the biggest student population in the country if you want to see the student vote in action look there will make for a very interesting seat to watch given that half the population will have moved since the last election.

[1978]

The student vote is probably having an impact too - compared to others the constituency has one of the largest student populations in the country, and also one of the universities (can't remember which) has a deal whereby enrolment automatically generates voter registration. Nevertheless, I'd have thought this might have boosted the Greens rather than Labour

 

Many seem to be assuming that most students have registered, will vote and will vote Labour to swing the seat. That may not be true. Students aren't all left wing political animals. However, a lot of young graduates live in Hallam and many of them are very politicised. It will be a very interesting declaration. Personally, as one brought up in a staunch Tory home 60 years ago, in Hallam I find it increasingly difficult to consider voting that way. I may not have done that since Ted Heath stepped down!

[libuse]

Are you sure you've got the right constituency? Sheffield Hallam has "only" 11,000 students whereas next door in Sheffield Central there's 36,000, Central has the biggest student population in the country if you want to see the student vote in action look there will make for a very interesting seat to watch given that half the population will have moved since the last election.

 

17% of the electorate of Hallam are students. It surprised me too. Maybe it's a per capita thing? Central may have more in numbers but not proportionately as many, at a guess, so won't have as big an impact on the overall vote. Source below;

 

http://may2015.com/featured/sheffield-hallam-labour-sways-students-but-can-the-greens-and-tories-save-clegg/