Ipswich is a must-win if Brown is to remain at No 10

Tuesday, April 20, 2010
4:15 PM

OVER the years, Ipswich seems to have taken pride in being electorally perverse. Between the 1938 by-election and June 1970, it stuck with Labour and even in the 1959 landslide of Harold Macmillan’s Tories, it elected Labour’s Dingle Foot by a margin of 3,235.

To send a link to this page to a friend, simply enter their email address below.

The message will include the name and email address you gave us when you signed up.

Email address

  Send link

To send a link to this page to a friend, you must be logged in.

In 1970, the constituency finally switched to the Conservatives when Ernle Money scraped home by just 13 votes, and he managed to somehow increase that margin to 259 in the February 1974 election, when the rest of the country was swinging back to Labour.

That October, Labour’s Ken Weetch won by 1,733 and he doubled that majority in May 1979, bucking the trend which saw Margaret Thatcher elected Prime Minister.

In 1983, the four northern wards of Ipswich were cut adrift into the newly created Suffolk Central constituency and although Mr Weetch held on, the tidal surge to the Tories eventually swamped him and the June 1987 election gave Tory Michael Irvine an 874 majority.

Since 1992, Ipswich has been Labour and following the November 2001 by-election caused by the death of popular Jamie Cann, the seat has been held by Chris Mole, former leader of Suffolk County Council and now a member of the government, being a junior transport minister.

Ipswich is seat which the Tories are desperate to win. Although David Cameron could become Prime Minister without having to win Ipswich, it is certain that he will occupy Downing Street if young Ben Gummer manages to topple Mr Mole.

At first sight, it looks a mountain too high for Mr Gummer, son of John Gummer who was MP for the neighbouring constituency from 1979 until deciding to call it a day at this election.

Ipswich is a town which could be fairly described as content with a Labour government. The benefits culture means that Ipswich depends on more state handouts than most others in the East of England, which would normally automatically signal that it sends a Labour MP to Westminster.

Ipswich has received a huge amount of Government cash since Labour took office in 1997. University Campus Suffolk, Suffolk New College, the South West Ipswich-South Suffolk sixth form centre at Chantry, and Ravenswood primary school are solid reminders of Labour’s “education, education, education” mantra which helped Tony Blair win 1997.

And the Garrett Anderson accident and emergency unit at Ipswich Hospital is used by Labour to demonstrate its commitment to improving health care outcomes.

Yet it is health and the services provided at Ipswich Hospital which have been seized upon by Mr Gummer as a sign that Labour is planning a deliberate run-down of the status of the acute hospital. Head and neck cancer services have been removed to the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital, while plans to switch coronary care from Ipswich to Basildon, Norwich and Papworth have caused uproar.

Mr Mole has supported the changes because they will provide the best possible outcomes for Ipswich people – being treated at centres of excellence guarantees the best chances of recovery.

Labour’s investment in health has been to Ipswich’s benefit says Mr Mole. “Waiting times for surgery have now been reduced to 18 weeks, cancer treatment to two weeks, A&E waits four hours – the Tories say they don’t believe in targets and that means that all the advances made in the past 13 years will be shredded by a Tory government

“This is a town which has vastly benefited from a Labour government, and I think the voters know that. When I talk to them about the risk of change from a Tory government, they respond that David Cameron does not seem to them to represent their views and lifestyles.

“When I find people not sure I tell them it is a swing seat. Ipswich must stay Labour for Labour to be re-elected.

“The Tories and George Osborne got it wrong on Northen Rock, the fiscal stimulus, and public spending. A Tory government would be disastrous for Ipswich.”

Mr Mole says: “Last year, the party – indeed, politics – was bruised by the expenses scandal. Many colleagues felt under valued and were uncertain about how the public would react at the ballot box. Labour has been fighting back, and the 20% opinion poll lead of the Tories before Christmas has evaporated.” In a way, Tory candidate Ben Gummer is Labour’s worst nightmare. He was selected three years ago, giving him time to become well-known as he supports popular campaign - he has taken up the issue of the downgrading of Ipswich Hospital and been prominent in the angry protest which have been launched to try to save services.

“Labour has to realise that Ipswich Hospital is just for the town,” said Mr Gummer. “It is a sub-regional facility serving a population of more than 300,000.

“Removing coronary care might look a simple deal on the map, but for the folk who live in and around Ipswich, the long journey to Basildon is inexplicable.

“Mr Mole has misjudged the public mood on this. My support for the health campaigns has given my name recognition and I am getting a good reception on the doorstep, with voters saying to me ‘well done’.”

Mr Gummer, whose father John is retiring after 31 years as an MP for neighbouring Suffolk Coastal, has politics coursing through his veins. Campaigning is second nature to him.

“This election will be driven by events. A wrong move by either party nationally could impact greatly on the outcome of this election in Ipswich. “People predict a low turnout because of the expenses scandal which engulfed all political parties last year. No-one can adopt the moral high ground.

“But I suspect a lot of people will want to take the opportunity to get rid of Gordon Brown and there are bound to be people who have been put off politics and decide they will vote Green or UKIP to punish the main parties.”

Journalist Mark Dyson hasn’t had much time to get to grips with the constituency – the Liberal Democrats only chose him a matter of weeks ago. He joined the Social Democrats in 1981 on the day it was formed but did not lay an active role because as a broadcaster, I had to be impartial

“Ipswich needs a good constituency MP,” says Mr Dyson. ”I would see my role as the flag bearer for the town, not just standing up in the Commons and making speeches, but having a vision, passion and idealism on behalf of Ipswich, fighting for the people.

“I bring understanding, passion and care of people – I would not turn down the job of a minister but I would represent Ipswich in mind and body.

“In 18 months, there has been a 52% increase in unemployment in the town. That’s a shocking indictment of Labour.

“Traffic jams here are on the scale of London. We need policies to encourage people to catch public transport, to walk and to cycle. Bus services have to be made attractive and use modern technology. The bus stations are in the wrong place,” says Mr Dyson.

The UK Independence Party has selected 34 year-old Chris Streatfield. Among his local policies are the re-opening of Broomhill Pool, free parking at Ipswich Hospital, and a unitary council for Ipswich to give the borough control over all its spending.

“I support sensible controls on immigration and a reduction in taxes, paid for from the £40million a day we give to the European Union.”

Mr Streatfield works for a warehouse and distribution company and was a town councillor in Needham Market until last year, when he stepped down to concentrate on the general election. He is also the chairman of the Bury St Edmunds branch of UKIP. This is the first time he has stood in a general election.

Tim Glover, for the Greens, is determined to make sure that sustainability and transport are at the height of the campaign. “We must encourage cyclists with proper cycle lanes, pedestrians with traffic free areas, and passengers with state-of-the-art buses and trains.

“Voters are worried about monetary reform, equality, and social justice. The Green Party has solutions and policies which address these problems – we are not just a party of climate change environmentalists.”

Sally Wainman said she had decided once again to fight the seat “because, after six years in power at Ipswich Borough Council, the Conservatives have proved themselves to be the party of a million let-downs in regards to Broomhill Pool.

“In 2008 the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid submitted by the Broomhill Pool Trust was undermined by the council’s decision to submit their own bid for Holywells Park at the same time.

“I am therefore planning once again to stand as an Independent Candidate in the General Election with Broomhill Pool as the main issue. This will be my seventh election. A heritage lido offers many benefits to the community and will, once properly restored complete with other facilites like a fitness suite, be a tourist attraction and a real landmark for Suffolk.”

Another Independent candidate is Peter Turtill, who is furious at Mr Mole’s support for the reduction in acute services at Ipswich Hospital. “We must stand up for our hospital. My other issue is the over development in the town. I am totally against the housing plans for the Northern Fringe, which will add to the already choaked roads in the town centre.”

Mr Turtill added: “I am getting support and voting pledges from people who would otherwise have stayed at home because they are disgusted with what has happened with MPs and their expenses.”

Former publican Dennis Boater is contesting the seat for the BNP on a platform of pulling troops out of Afghanistan, putting a stop to immigration, and raising the weekly pension to £130.

“We are being swamped and made foreigners in our own country,” says Mr Boater. Together we can shut the floodgates for good.”

Despite all these candidates who are standing, this is a two horse race between Labour and the Conservatives. It could go either way.