Polling suggests Conservatives would lose almost all Norfolk seats - if an election were held today

A survey of 10,000 people has found Labour could win 411 seats

Author: Noah Vickers, Local Democracy Reporting ServicePublished 18th Oct 2022

A sophisticated new poll has suggested that the Conservatives would lose all their Norfolk seats except one, if an election were held today.

The survey of 10,000 people, commissioned by the Guardian newspaper and carried out by the pollster Opinium, has found that prime minister Liz Truss, in her South West Norfolk constituency, would be the party’s sole survivor in the region, while Labour and the Liberal Democrats would sweep the rest of the board.

Across Britain, it shows a 1997-style landslide for Labour, who would win 411 seats.

The Tories – who have plunged in the polls since Ms Truss’ government outlined its controversial mini-budget last month – would only secure 137 seats, with the Lib Dems up at 39 and the SNP down at 37.

The projected results were produced using a method called multi-level regression and post-stratification (MRP).

It works by taking a national poll result and mapping that result onto different constituencies, using advanced data about the demography of each of those seats.

MRP polling conducted in the days ahead of the 2019 general election was only off by about 30 seats.

In Norfolk, it showed the following results:

Broadland

Jerome Mayhew, elected in 2019, would lose his seat to Labour. The constituency encompasses Fakenham, Aylsham, Acle and Reepham.

Labour – 45.6pc

Conservative – 33.9pc

Lib Dem – 9.8pc

Green 5.65pc

Other – 5.05pc

Great Yarmouth

Justice secretary Brandon Lewis, who captured the seat from Labour in 2010, would lose it back to them.

Labour – 39.76pc

Conservative – 39.38pc

Lib Dem – 7.12pc

Green – 3.93pc

Other – 9.82pc

Mid Norfolk

George Freeman, who has held the seat since 2010, would lose it to Labour. The constituency includes Dereham, Wymondham, Attleborough, Watton and Hingham.

Labour – 40.29pc

Conservative – 37.1pc

Lib Dem – 10.53pc

Green – 4.61pc

Other – 7.46pc

North Norfolk

Duncan Baker, who captured the seat from the Lib Dems in 2019, would lose it back to them. The seat includes North Walsham, Cromer, Sheringham, Holt, Stalham and Wells-next-the-Sea.

Lib Dem – 32.36pc

Conservative – 30.75pc

Labour – 18.41pc

Green – 3.67pc

Other – 14.81pc

North West Norfolk

James Wild, who has held the seat since 2019, would lose it to Labour. The constituency includes King’s Lynn and Hunstanton.

Conservative – 40.3pc

Labour – 38.21pc

Lib Dem – 10.65pc

Green – 5.29pc

Other – 5.55pc

Norwich North

Work and pensions secretary Chloe Smith, who won the seat off Labour in a 2009 by-election, would lose it back to them by a large margin.

Labour – 47.3pc

Conservative – 29.67pc

Lib Dem – 13.57pc

Green – 4.72pc

Other – 4.74pc

Norwich South

Labour MP Clive Lewis would see his majority over the Conservatives more than double.

Labour – 64.23pc

Conservative – 13.55pc

Lib Dem – 7.41pc

Green – 12.29pc

Other – 2.52pc

South Norfolk

The county’s longest serving current MP, Richard Bacon, would lose his seat to Labour. The constituency encompasses Diss, Long Stratton, Loddon and Harleston.

Labour – 43.45pc

Conservative – 33.51pc

Lib Dem – 11.4pc

Green – 6.12pc

Other – 5.52pc

South West Norfolk

Liz Truss would find herself as the county’s sole Tory survivor, with her majority slashed from 50.9pts to just 6.77pts. Her seat includes Thetford, Downham Market and Swaffham.

Conservative – 38.64pc

Labour – 31.87pc

Lib Dem – 11.84pc

Green – 6.94pc

Other – 10.72pc

Waveney

Peter Aldous, who captured the seat off Labour in 2010, would lose it back to them. The constituency includes Lowestoft, Beccles and Bungay.

Labour – 45.67pc

Conservative – 34.47pc

Lib Dem – 6.75pc

Green – 7.14pc

Other – 5.97pc

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