The Guardian will be reporting from Southampton 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.
In Southampton Itchen, Conservative MP Royston Smith is defending one of the smallest majorities in the UK, just 31 votes ahead of Labour. Will the contest be dominated by Brexit or more local issues? We are keen to hear from you about what your concerns and priorities are.
Southampton Itchen is one of the constituencies where the student vote could make a big difference. If you are a student in Southampton, we’d like to understand the big issues which concern you and which policies matter to you. How do you feel about tuition fees, student debt and the high cost of living in student accommodation? Are you concerned about mental health provision, jobs, getting on the housing ladder and the climate crisis?
Who has an impact on the student community that we should meet? Is there a campaign on campus to encourage students to vote in what is a key marginal constituency? Are your politics very different from that of your family? Or perhaps you feel disengaged from national politics altogether.
We’d also like to hear from voters in the constituency who’re not students, what are the important national and local issues that will decide your vote?
We want to know how you are following this election, whether via 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 Southampton Itchen 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.
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