In search of 'Whitby Woman' - a vital target voter at this general election

• Tom Sheldrick reports.

Over the years, we've heard about general election target voters like ‘Mondeo Man’ or ‘Worcester Woman.'

In 2019, it was ‘Workington Man’, a Brexit supporter who helped Boris Johnson to victory in places like the North East too.

In 2024, the one to watch is ‘Whitby Woman.'

She’s around 61, lives in a coastal town, has voted Conservative before but is undecided this time.

Her decision now will play a big part in determining whether the Tories are wiped out, or manage to survive.

That’s according to the think tank More in Common, who insist 'Whitby Woman' is about more than just alliteration, but reflective of important electoral geography.

The Scarborough and Whitby constituency has been held by the Conservatives since 2005, and they won it by just over 10,000 votes in 2019, which puts it in just the right place on Labour's target list to mean it could be the seat that gives them a majority in parliament next month.

In the summer particularly, tourists dominate in Whitby, including the American we spoke to who's enjoying the 4th of July connection.

There was also the local who described the general election to me simply as "rubbish", and another who told me off-camera that she thought this focus on women in the town was patronising nonsense.

But most we met weren't fed up with the attention (yet), and it wasn't too hard to find the kind of vital voters who have been identified.

Su Rennard, who has run an ice cream shop at the foot of the famous 199 steps for the last seven years, told me the parties' pledges around the cost of living will help make her mind up.

Karen Parkin, whose gift shop has been in her family for 50 years, said she doesn't think the country is in a good position and "we need a change."

Of course the focus on 'Whitby Woman' is a simplification, designed to make headlines.

But it does seem to ring true, with many in the town and elsewhere feeling a deep dissatisfaction with the Tories, but also a lack of enthusiasm for Labour.

Perhaps, then, more politicians might want to join the tourists in the coming weeks.

There are certainly worse places to visit.

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