There is a tradition in north Shropshire which the people here have long upheld.  

And that is electing a Conservative as their MP. This is one of the safest Tory seats in Britain but that might be set to change.

At Pentreclawdd Farm in Oswestry, sales of Christmas trees are steady but no one here wants to be dragged back into tougher COVID restrictions.

See live updates on COVID in the UK.

And so the decisions by politicians over the past weeks and months are important to people here.

“The new variant could have a big effect on business,” says farm manager Meurig Rhys Jones.

Follow the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

“We could see a reduction in people venturing out especially the vulnerable and the elderly. So government decisions really matter.”

Mr Rhys Jones tells me he is a life-long Conservative voter. But have accusations of sleaze at Westminster made him re-think his political loyalties?

He said: “It’s difficult for the government. I think it would be difficult for whoever is in power. Boris Johnson has had a difficult time.”

There’s a by-election in North Shropshire tomorrow to elect a new MP after Owen Patterson resigned following the government’s failed attempt to block his suspension for breaking parliamentary rules.

“I’m still going to vote Conservative, for now,” he says.

But younger voters might need more convincing.

Louis Patterson is studying politics at North Shropshire College and says he and his family have always voted Conservative. Now the 19-year-old says recent events have changed his mind.

He said: “I think especially over the past few weeks with what’s happened while it’s been in the news and some of the leaked things that have happened, I think I’ve personally lost complete confidence in the government.

“My entire family are Conservative. We live on a farm so we’ve always voted that way. But everything that’s happened recently I think I’m going to switch. I’m not voting Conservative in this election and I won’t be voting Conservative in the next general election or the election after that.”

Fellow student Catherine Jones, 20, said: “I’ve never really gone deeply into politics, but I definitely think after the last year I will be looking more deeply from now on. I don’t think the government or politicians are as competent as I used to think they were.”

Rees Davies, also studying politics, says he spent most of the pandemic helping his parents shield from the virus. He is angry after allegations that Downing Street staff held a party last Christmas.

“I’m mortified they would even do that. They have imposed restrictions on us and we’ve abided by those restrictions. And now they are laughing in our face. I am going to change my vote. I’m going to vote for Labour,” he said.

But there are many more who are unsure as to how they will vote.

Amanda Roberts owns the Milanos Coffee Shop. She has always voted Conservative and says she has not made up her mind on how she will vote in the by-election.

She said: “I’m uncertain and I think I will remain that way up until the last minute. I really don’t know what to think. All the things that have happened recently. You think to yourself ‘this isn’t good’. And so in many ways it has shaken by faith. We’ll see.”

Source: Read Full Article