The path to power at this election will be defined by votes in a number of key constituencies, so where are they and why do they matter?

Sky News is travelling across the country to look at the battlegrounds which decide who could win the general election.

Day Two: Wycombe

High Wycombe sits in the Chiltern Hills where ancient beech trees have supplied an industry here for centuries. Furniture making is part of the history of Wycombe and for many workers hopefully part of the future.

But modern day politics has thrown up challenges for businesses in the area – with Brexit uncertainty and rising costs caused by the falling pound.

Owner of Ercol Furnitures Edward Tadros has been stockpiling materials for months. All the wood, the fabric and the lacquer in his factory comes from Europe and he says remaining in the EU would make life easier.

Wycombe voted 52% remain and it is a Tory stronghold – the home of the great statesman Benjamin Disraeli. I spoke to a political researcher and lecturer at the local university who believes it is unlikely a remain or second referendum party can win.

It is a complicated constituency with home county affluence but also social problems and pockets of deprivation. But it has voted Tory since 1951 and many think it is unlikely to change here.

Why Wycombe matters

Wycombe, a town once known for its chair-making, has been Conservative since 1951. The last time a party came close to taking it off the Tories was when Labour won the 1997 general election with a landslide victory under the leadership of Tony Blair.

It has been represented in the House of Commons by Conservative MP Steve Baker since 2010 and narrowly backed Remain. Both Labour and the Lib Dems – who finished second here in 2010 – will aim to topple Mr Baker.

Voter profile

Wycombe voted 52% remain in the EU referendum and is younger, more educated and more diverse than the UK national average.

Around 31% of the adult population are graduates and 52% are under the age of 45.

The main town within the constituency, High Wycombe, consists of many working and middle class voters and a sizeable ethnic minority population that totals around one quarter of the town’s population.

It has the 90th highest ethnic minority population of the 650 constituencies.

Average earnings have experienced a similar decline to the national average since 2010 – down six points.

However the town’s surrounding villages – which account for just under half of the electorate – are some of the most wealthy areas in the country with low unemployment, high incomes and in favour of the Conservatives.

Wycombe is less deprived than most constituencies, ranking 48 out of 650 on the Sky Deprivation Index.

Sky News’s election analysts Professor Michael Thrasher and Professor Will Jennings have selected six demographic measures to profile constituencies at this election. These measures have been chosen for their strong relationship with party support and give a good indication of the potential appeal of parties in each seat.

Terms explained

Brexit: This shows the % which voted leave.

Age: Labour and the Lib Dems vote share tends to be higher in younger areas, with the Conservatives making gains in seats where the electorate is older.

Education: Since 2005, the Conservatives have done worse in graduate areas, and Labour has made progress.

Ethnic minorities: Labour tends to do better in seats with a higher proportion of ethnic minority communities. The Conservatives tend to do worse.

Earnings: This shows the percentage change in average earnings between 2010 and 2018, adjusted for inflation. In 2017, the Conservative vote showed slight increases in constituencies where earnings had increased. Labour tended to improve where earnings have declined.

Deprivation: Our Sky Deprivation index ranks the social and economic health of particular areas, using data on employment, qualifications, poor health and occupancy. The higher the number the more deprived the constituency, with Labour and the SNP outperforming these areas. The Conservative and the Lib Dems vote share is higher in places that are less deprived.

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