Battleground Anglia: Stevenage

The Stevenage constituency in Hertfordshire is a key marginal in the Anglia region with a Conservative majority of just 3,500 votes. Credit: ITV News Anglia

This Hertfordshire constituency is based around the town of Stevenage, which was Britain's first post-Second World War new town, with some notable examples of modern architecture.

Stevenage Council is the only one in the Anglia region to have had a Labour majority since it was created in 1973. Labour hold 34 of the 39 council seats. However, the parliamentary constituency also includes parts of North Hertfordshire and East Hertfordshire districts.

  • Conservative majority in 2010: 3,578

  • Stevenage is the 10th most marginal seat of 69 in the Anglia region

  • Labour would need a swing of 4% to win in 2015 and the Lib Dems would need a 12% swing

Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft has been conducting opinion polls in marginal seats across the UK. A survey conducted in Stevenage in December 2014 suggested that Labour were polling ahead of the Conservatives by 38% to 33%. In that poll, UKIP were third on 18%.

Stephen McPartland has been the Conservative MP for Stevenage since 2010. Labour held the seat before that with Barbara Follett the MP between 1997 and 2010.

Stevenage was the seat of Shirley Williams in the 1970s when she was a Labour Cabinet Minister. She left Labour in 1981 as one of the “Gang of Four” to form the SDP.

Candidates in 2015

  • David Collins - UKIP

  • David Cox - Independent

  • Stephen McPartland - Conservative

  • Trevor Palmer - Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition

  • Sharon Taylor - Labour

  • Susan Van De Ven - Liberal Democrats

  • Charles Vickers - English Democrats

  • Graham White - Green

Click below to watch our report from Claire McGlasson