Poll predicts Labour victory in Lincoln at next election

Lincoln’s current Conservative MP and the former Labour candidate have shared their thoughts on recent polling figures predicting a swing towards red leadership in the city at the next General Election.

A recent poll commissioned by Channel 4 predicted 42 of the 45 Red Wall seats won by the Conservative Party in 2019 would revert back to Labour, including the Scunthorpe constituency currently occupied by Tory MP Holly Mumby-Croft.

As well as this, the poll suggests Lincoln could return to Labour authority at the next General Election by a 10 point margin, with all projections based on national polls that show Conservatives to be performing around 11 points worse than in 2019, and Labour doing nine points better.

The Prime Minister had to apologise for attending a garden party at 10 Downing Street at the height of lockdown. | Photo via Guardian

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains increasingly under pressure to resign by opposition benches, and reportedly even a few of his Conservative backbenchers, following the scandal surrounding alleged lockdown parties at Downing Street.

But Lincoln’s current MP, Conservative member Karl McCartney, has suggested he won’t be looking too much into the current polls, referencing that the Conservatives were 10 points ahead in some polls pre-Christmas.

Lincoln’s Member of Parliament, Karl McCartney. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

He told The Lincolnite: “A lot can happen between now and 2024. My focus and priority as ever is to continue to ‘put Lincoln first’ and is to help ensure we deliver the government’s levelling up agenda here in Lincoln.

“Ultimately, there are pressures on my constituents’ household budgets, which must be addressed and my focus is to continue to ensure a local economy that is providing good jobs, education and training opportunities for all.

“Delivering significant infrastructure projects, such as the North Hykeham Relief Road – linking up to the Eastern bypass – for the benefit of my constituents who I have the honour and privilege to represent in Westminster and locally is my focus. That is and will be my priority between now and 2024, and beyond.”

Karl McCartney first came into power in Lincoln at the 2010 General Election, where he served as an MP for the area until 2017, which saw his seat usurped by Labour candidate Karen Lee.

Ms Lee’s position lasted just two years, as Mr McCartney won back the Lincoln seat for the Conservatives at the 2019 election, and has served in the role ever since.

Karen Lee, former Labour MP for Lincoln and currently a councillor at Lincolnshire County Council.

Karen Lee’s response to the poll was one of pride, as she stated her confidence in a Labour victory by “a substantial margin”, both in Lincoln and nationally, at the next election.

She said: “I have long felt that Lincoln deserves to be represented by a person who chooses to live in our city and who will represent all of the people who do live here, regardless of their income, social status or voting intention.

“Given the controversies around the behaviour of Lincoln’s current MP and his voting record he will be held accountable for his own actions when the GE is held, something which probably won’t be for another year or even two.

“Mr McCartney voted in support of raising National Insurance contributions for ordinary working-class people but did not vote in support of Labour’s call not to cut Universal Credit payments, a measure which affects thousands of people in Lincoln.

“People will only ignore questions around the integrity of those who govern us for so long and at some point some very serious questions have to be answered.

“I work within the NHS and have seen worried families unable to visit their loved ones and staff who are exhausted after two years of working in a pandemic, those people have obeyed his rules and he [Boris Johnson] hasn’t. The behaviour of Mr Johnson and those he leads has really hit home with so many ordinary people.”