The Guardian will be reporting from Morecambe and Lunesdale next week ahead of the General Election, as part of a series of pieces from across the country focused on finding out what matters to the people who live there.
The seat is considered a bellwether and has been Conservative throughout its history, except for during the Tony Blair years, with the Tory incumbent winning by a 1,399 majority in 2017. There is great wealth but also significant poverty. There are a higher proportion of young people not in education, employment or training than local averages and only 28% of 16-year-olds got at least a grade 5 in GCSE English or maths at both of the secondary schools in Morecambe and Heysham last year.
Helen is particularly interested in hearing from people who live or work in Heysham, a large coastal village which has huge strategic importance for the north-west. It is home to two nuclear power stations and a port, a major distribution hub between the UK and Ireland, which will be affected significantly by Brexit. Yet an estimated 58.2% of the constituency voted to leave the EU.
If you live in Morecambe and Lunesdale, can you tell us how optimistic you feel about your children’s future? We’d like to understand the big issues facing you and your family and which policies matter to you. How happy are you with the state of housing, work, community relations, policing and health services?
Who has an impact on your community that we should meet? Are there issues in your family that create division? Are you thinking of switching your vote? Or perhaps you feel disengaged from national politics altogether.
We’d also like to know how you following this election whether traditional media such as TV and newspapers or online news sites or social media. Do you belong to local Facebook or WhatsApp groups?
How to contribute
We want to hear from people who live in Morecambe and Lunesdale about the issues that matter to them in the upcoming election.
To contribute, fill out the encrypted form below – only the Guardian will see your responses. You can also get in touch via WhatsApp by clicking here or adding the contact +44(0)7867825056. Leave contact details if you can as one of our journalists may be in touch to discuss further.
If you’re having trouble using the form, click here. Read terms of service here.
