Reply #17: I actually don't - see #15

[Anarcho-Socialist]

Since the Sedgefield constituency is just up the road I will try to theorise. In Co. Durham there is a tribal loyalty towards Labour here. The Lib Dems share of the vote is growing but they are still met with suspicion here as people don't seem to know what they stand for. The Tories are as ever met with intense hostility. The only other party that stands on a regular basis is UKIP who are just seen in a similar light as the Tories.

The main tactic that Labour used during 2005 here was to mobilise Labour voters under the pretense that staying at home would "let the Tories in" which was one of the factors that kept Blair in office. Other factors included the sheer number of candidates standing against Blair split all the dissenting vote (there were something like 14 candidates). Also I think there is the "star factor" of the Prime Minister being from your constituency that could have been another reason for him being returned.