The battleground of Stourbridge

It is now just months to the general election, and we are tracking Stourbridge in the West Midlands.

The town epitomises the kind of seat David Cameron must win if the Conservatives are to form a government at the next election.

Labour holds it with a near anorexic majority of 407.

Boundary changes have probably helped the incumbent, Lynda Waltho, a bit, but it is one of the Conservative Party's top targets.

But there is more to it than that. Research shows it is one of the most representative constituencies in the country.

Its strengths and weaknesses are mirrored in towns everywhere. In short, it is Britain in microcosm.

The task ahead

If you look at the polls you might assume that Mr Cameron already has the keys to Number 10 jangling in his coat pocket. But let us briefly consider the sheer scale of his task.

West Midlands Facts

• The unemployment rate (for those aged 16 plus), at 10.5% in May to July 2009, was the highest among all English regions
• A higher proportion of children (19%) lived in workless households in the second quarter of 2008, than the UK average of 16%
• In April 2008, the median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees on adult rates was £450, lower than the UK median of £479

In 1983, Michael Foot was thrashed in the general election. Just 209 Labour MPs were returned to Parliament. It was the party's worst election result since the war and it took them another generation to get back into Downing Street.

David Cameron is starting from an even lower point. In 2005 the Conservatives did even worse than Michael Foot. Michael Howard got just 198 MPs.

So David Cameron needs another 116 of them - at least - on a swing of something like 7% - to have even the slimmest of majorities.

And only once since the war has anyone bettered that kind of performance - Tony Blair in 1997.

The Battleground

In my first report we set the scene. What is Stourbridge like as a constituency, what are the people like and how do they feel in 2009?

A company called Experian deals with huge amounts of data about things like credit ratings, supermarket shopping habits and voting patterns. There are a few streets in Stourbridge full of floating voters - it is here where the election will be won and lost.

Liberal Democrats

The bookies are not giving the Liberal Democrats very good odds in Stourbridge, the fight has historically been between the Conservatives and Labour.

But with those new boundary changes giving Labour a notional majority of 1,285 (2.9%), voters who have yet to make up their minds will play a vital role. And the Liberal Democrat level of support will be important. We took the candidate to a football match and a ballet class.

Labour

We are profiling the candidates of the three main parties.

The incumbent Lynda Waltho MP is selling the Labour message hard. We took her to a barber's shop to listen to constituents' concerns.

The Conservatives

The Conservative candidate likes to host dinner parties, so we invited Stourbridge Bikers' Club to enjoy a debate with her over a tasty helping of Shepherd's pie.

Stourbridge and the war in Afghanistan

Daniel Probyn, a 1st Battalion Grenadier Guardsman, died in Afghanistan on May 26th 2007.

He was 22 years old.

His funeral took place in Stourbridge, and memorial plaque to him will be unveiled soon.

Tim and Ann Probyn, Daniel's parents, remember him.

Election expenses

Labour's Lynda Waltho and Conservative candidate Margot James have clashed over election expenses.

Labour wants clarification from the Electoral Commission regarding the law on "treating".

The local party wants to know whether Margot James might have committed an offence by hosting a lunch for a group of pensioners at her constituency home and some receptions for the local Muslim community.

"I don't think I've broken any law; I certainly hope not. I mean, everything I do here in Stourbridge is very much within the law, although ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it"

Treating is the practice of entertaining voters during an election, directly or indirectly, to influence them to vote or refrain from voting at the election. It can attract a maximum fine of £5,000 or even time in jail.

Linda Waltho said: "It could be very serious, which is why we're only asking for clarification at the moment."

Margot James said she didn't believe she had done anything which needs clarifying: "Although ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it, so I will have to take some guidance if they've made a formal complaint."

Ice breaker

As world leaders gathered for the Copenhagen summit on climate change the Politics Show assessed what climate change means to people on the ground.

With a polar bear at my side we toured the constituency to see how important the environment is for people.

The results were, at times, very surprising.

Watch the Politics Show, Sundays, at 1200 on BBC ONE

What do you think? Have you got any interesting stories from Stourbridge? Use the form below to let us know.

Disclaimer: The BBC may edit your comments and cannot guarantee that all emails will be published.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
BBC Black Country
Stourbridge News
Stourbridge Town Guide
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites