By Ethan Davies and Joseph Timan

Four-and-a-half years ago, Greater Manchester was at the centre of a political earthquake.

Seats were decided by just over 100 votes – the closest in Great Britain. Previously never-Tory constituencies backed the Conservatives – an embodiment of the 'red wall' backing Boris. 

And since then, protest votes at by-elections have also hit the headlines. And with such a talent for producing attention-grabbing election stories, Greater Manchester is set to be at the forefront of the 2024 general election battle.

The July 4 poll is a contest between Labour's Keir Starmer trying to get the party back in Number 10 for the first time in 14 years, and Rishi Sunak attempting to take the Tories to nearly 20 years on Downing Street.

If either are successful, they will need to win a swathe of 'swing seats' — so-called because they can change every election — and our city-region is awash with constituencies where it'll be tight between the parties.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service identified two seats in Stockport borough - Cheadle and Hazel Grove - as 'ones to watch'.

Cheadle is one of the seats identified as 'one to watch' in the upcoming 2024 general election in Stockport (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Cheadle

This Stockport seat has flipped between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats since the turn of the century, but has been Tory since 2015. Mary Robinson is the MP in this part of the world, but each time she's defended this seat, her majority has narrowed.

In 2019, it was 2,336. In that contest, Ms Robinson faced off against Tom Morrison, a local councillor.

The 2024 race is a re-run of that, and with the Lib Dems targeting success here and in Hazel Grove, some polls suggest it could go back to the Lib Dems.

Hazel Grove is another of the seats identified as 'one to watch' in the upcoming 2024 general election in Stockport

Hazel Grove

Hazel Grove is a big one for the Lib Dems. It was as safe as any of their seats could be for the party from 1997 to 2010, and then in the exodus of voters away from Liberal Democrats, William Wragg snapped it up in 2015.

Mr Wragg has been the MP here ever since, but he is now an independent after resigning the whip earlier this year amid a parliamentary sexting scandal. He's not re-standing.

That means there's a new Tory candidate, Paul Athans, is facing off against Lib Dem Lisa Smart who has run in this race before. She's a local councillor, as is Labour candidate Claire Vibert.

And speaking of Labour, one poll said the party could do well here — so it could end up that the anti-Conservative vote is split, allowing Mr Athans victory. It's a real toss-up here.

~

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Stockport Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

To get our top stories in your inbox each week, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter HERE.

Please consider following Stockport Nub News on Facebook or Twitter