Editor's Election Diary: Tories in Pateley tearoom and Lib Dem leader in Harrogate

You know it’s election time when you can’t even stop for a cup of tea and a slice of cake in a Pateley Bridge tearoom without bumping into a politician.

That’s what happened last Saturday when I visited the Talbot House Tearoom only to run into Julian Smith, who is hoping to retain Skipton and Ripon for the Conservatives, and his helpers. 

Outside, a large photo of Pateley independent candidate Keith Tordoff hung from the film poster gallery on the High Street. The battle is well and truly on.

So, with less than two weeks to go, who is going to win in the three seats on our patch — Harrogate and Knaresborough, Skipton and Ripon and Wetherby and Easingwold?

It’s no secret the Liberal Democrats are targeting Harrogate and Knaresborough and on Friday, party leader Ed Davey descended on Harrogate College in his battle bus. 

It’s looking good for local candidate Tom Gordon, who is consistently ahead of Tory Andrew Jones in the polls.

As of yesterday (June 21), Electoral Calculus had it 53-47 in favour of Labour’s Malcolm Birks against Mr Smith in Ripon and Skipton and 69-31 to Tory Sir Alec Shelbrooke ahead of Labour’s Ben Pickles in Wetherby and Easingwold, where the Greens are campaigning hard and Reform UK are making a dent in the numbers.

UK Polling Report, however, gives Mr Smith a 10-point lead and Sir Alec a five-point advantage.

All three local constituencies were deemed to be a ‘toss-up’ in a Telegraph poll this week. The newspaper’s accompanying ‘Tory wipeout’ headline made grim reading for those of a blue hue nationally. But the battle appears to be very much alive locally.

Perhaps it will be one MP each for Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories, to go with a Labour mayor for York and North Yorkshire and a slender Conservative hold on North Yorkshire Council. Who would have thought that in such a traditionally strong Tory stronghold two or three years ago? 

The blue wall is creaking, but will it cave in? Don’t forget to book your place at our hustings events in Harrogate and Ripon this week for your chance to quiz the candidates directly. We are expecting 200 people at the Harrogate event. 

Click here to book the Harrogate event and here to book the Ripon event.