October 7, 2021 1.46 pm This story is over 29 months old

Grimsby MP predicts Conservative election defeat – unless voters see change

She was speaking at the party conference

Grimsby MP Lia Nici (Conservative)

Grimsby MP Lia Nici says she is ‘highly likely’ to lose the next election unless voters see actual change.

Speaking at the Conservative party conference, she said voters wanted proof Boris Johnson’s ‘levelling up’ promise would make their lives different.

She claimed that holding the seat will depend on whether or not government money could make a real change in the town, the Huffington Post reports.

Grimsby was a historically Labour seat until Lia Nici won it in the 2019 General Election.

The Great Grimsby MP told a conference event that voters are “expecting to see something now happen”.

“If I don’t see physical changes in my town before the next election I am highly likely not to keep my seat,” she said.

“My concern is national government and local government move incredibly slowly.

“The message now is we need to get on with the job. We really now need to see some positive change.”

The blue wave in 2019 saw the Conservatives sweep dozens of former Labour strongholds, including Grimsby and Scunthorpe.

Under Lia Nici, the Conservatives picked up an extra 12 per cent of the turnout, ending up with a majority of around 7,000 votes.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made levelling up ‘left behind’ areas a signature part of his government.

North East Lincolnshire is currently waiting to see the benefit of the Town Deal, which will invest more than £20million into Grimsby town centre in a bid to regenerate it.

The council has also applied for £36million from the government’s Levelling Up Fund for a Western Relief Road between the A46 and A180.

It has also bid for money to upgrade the A180 infrastructure around Grimsby, and transport schemes to support work.

The next General Election is set to be held by 2024 at the latest.