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Labour Targets Blue Wall Constituencies in Byelection Campaign

Labour is set to launch its campaigning efforts in several upcoming byelections by focusing on the increased mortgage costs in so-called blue wall constituencies. This tactical shift sees the party openly targeting Conservative-held seats that are also coveted by the Liberal Democrats.

Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, plans to visit Kingswood, the constituency recently vacated by Chris Skidmore, a Conservative MP who resigned last week in protest at the government’s proposed new rounds of oil and gas licences.

During her visit, Reeves will highlight a Labour analysis that reveals rising mortgage costs in 42 constituencies identified as blue wall seats. The term “blue wall” refers to relatively affluent seats that are typically held by the Tories and are often located in commuter belts around cities. Among these constituencies are top targets for the Liberal Democrats, such as Esher and Walton, Wimbledon, and Winchester.

Reeves will emphasize that more than 100,000 households in these 42 constituencies will need to renew their mortgages this year, with the majority facing significant increases in payments. This analysis not only underscores the ongoing repercussions of the fiscal crisis triggered by Liz Truss’s brief tenure in government but also reflects Labour’s growing confidence in attracting disenchanted centrist Conservatives.

A Labour source pointed to last year’s Mid Bedfordshire byelection as evidence that there are no longer any “no-go areas” for the party. In that byelection, Labour successfully fended off a strong challenge from the Liberal Democrats to secure the formerly solid Conservative seat.

“The job for Rachel and Keir has been to convince voters they can trust us on the economy, that we take fiscal discipline seriously,” the source added.

The mortgage analysis, based on data from the Bank of England and the House of Commons library, estimates that among the 111,600 mortgages due for renewal in the 42 seats this year, 2,800 are in Kingswood.

Labour has revealed that the average monthly repayment for families previously on fixed-term mortgages has increased by £240. However, given the higher average house prices in blue wall seats, the average repayment in these areas could be closer to £385.

The date for the Kingswood byelection has yet to be finalized but is expected to take place in mid-February, possibly on the same day as the byelection in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. The Wellingborough byelection was triggered after enough local voters supported a recall petition against the sitting Tory MP, Peter Bone, who was suspended from parliament for six weeks following allegations of bullying and inappropriate behavior.

Reeves stated, “Homeowners across Britain, including many lifelong Tory voters, have been left worse off after 14 years of economic failure. The aftershocks of the Conservatives’ disastrous mini-budget that crashed the economy and sent mortgage rates soaring continue to be felt by thousands of hard-pressed families.”

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