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| Can the Tories bounce back from rock bottom in 'socialist' Sheffield? | Can the Tories bounce back from rock bottom in 'socialist' Sheffield? |
| (8 days later) | |
| The last Conservative to represent Sheffield in the House of Commons, Sir Irvine Patnick, died last Christmas. Patnick's defeat by the Liberal Democrat Richard Allan in 1997 in Sheffield Hallam broke the Tories' 69-year stranglehold on the seat, and the party's fortunes have nosedived ever since – they no longer have even a city councillor. | The last Conservative to represent Sheffield in the House of Commons, Sir Irvine Patnick, died last Christmas. Patnick's defeat by the Liberal Democrat Richard Allan in 1997 in Sheffield Hallam broke the Tories' 69-year stranglehold on the seat, and the party's fortunes have nosedived ever since – they no longer have even a city councillor. |
| However, amid this bleak backdrop a revival, of sorts, is happening. A new breed of Conservative activist is emerging, one unencumbered by the failures of the past and keen to raise the Tory party's standard behind enemy lines, in what Patnick – censured by the independent Hillsborough panel just before his death for smearing the dead Liverpool fans – famously dubbed the "socialist republic of South Yorkshire". | However, amid this bleak backdrop a revival, of sorts, is happening. A new breed of Conservative activist is emerging, one unencumbered by the failures of the past and keen to raise the Tory party's standard behind enemy lines, in what Patnick – censured by the independent Hillsborough panel just before his death for smearing the dead Liverpool fans – famously dubbed the "socialist republic of South Yorkshire". |
| Matt Dixon is a Conservative councillor on Bradfield town council in the north of the city; one of just two elected Tory representatives in Sheffield. He is clear why the party's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse in recent years. "The areas have changed but we didn't realise until too late and got killed," he says. | Matt Dixon is a Conservative councillor on Bradfield town council in the north of the city; one of just two elected Tory representatives in Sheffield. He is clear why the party's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse in recent years. "The areas have changed but we didn't realise until too late and got killed," he says. |
| The Hallam part of southern Sheffield "used to be a powerhouse" of Conservative support, Dixon says. But gradually the party's vote ebbed away, even though it remains one of the most affluent seats in the north of England. | The Hallam part of southern Sheffield "used to be a powerhouse" of Conservative support, Dixon says. But gradually the party's vote ebbed away, even though it remains one of the most affluent seats in the north of England. |
| However, a huge chunk of its middle-class professionals work in the public sector and the area has instead become fertile territory for the Lib Dems. The Tories have been slow to react. So much so that Nick Clegg was returned for Hallam constituency, Patnick's old seat, with a fairly impregnable 15,000 majority in 2010. | However, a huge chunk of its middle-class professionals work in the public sector and the area has instead become fertile territory for the Lib Dems. The Tories have been slow to react. So much so that Nick Clegg was returned for Hallam constituency, Patnick's old seat, with a fairly impregnable 15,000 majority in 2010. |
| Dixon thinks the north-west of the city, heading out towards the villages of Stocksbridge and Oughtibridge, is now a better bet for the Tories. Indeed, he was elected here with 70% of the vote. So what do voters say when you knock on the door and say you're from the Conservatives? | Dixon thinks the north-west of the city, heading out towards the villages of Stocksbridge and Oughtibridge, is now a better bet for the Tories. Indeed, he was elected here with 70% of the vote. So what do voters say when you knock on the door and say you're from the Conservatives? |
| "To be honest, they're not really bothered what party you are," Dixon says. "They're bothered if you can do something for them. If you're prepared to get stuck in." | "To be honest, they're not really bothered what party you are," Dixon says. "They're bothered if you can do something for them. If you're prepared to get stuck in." |
| Someone willing to get stuck in is his colleague Vonny Watts. She is the deputy chair of South Yorkshire Conservatives and runs a successful small engineering business in the city with her husband. Optimistic, confident and defiantly independent, Watts ran the party's campaign for police and crime commissioner last November, beating the Lib Dems into second place in the city (although they ended fourth overall across South Yorkshire). | Someone willing to get stuck in is his colleague Vonny Watts. She is the deputy chair of South Yorkshire Conservatives and runs a successful small engineering business in the city with her husband. Optimistic, confident and defiantly independent, Watts ran the party's campaign for police and crime commissioner last November, beating the Lib Dems into second place in the city (although they ended fourth overall across South Yorkshire). |
| The Conservative candidate, Nigel Bonson, a retired senior police officer, traded heavily on his lack of political baggage. "He was not a typical party animal," Watts says. "That was rewarded. He was a good man." | The Conservative candidate, Nigel Bonson, a retired senior police officer, traded heavily on his lack of political baggage. "He was not a typical party animal," Watts says. "That was rewarded. He was a good man." |
| Buoyed by that result, she thinks the Conservatives' future is rosier than its immediate past, but concedes there will be no easy comebacks in a city where the party lost its last councillor five years ago. | Buoyed by that result, she thinks the Conservatives' future is rosier than its immediate past, but concedes there will be no easy comebacks in a city where the party lost its last councillor five years ago. |
| "Hard work – proper hard work – not turning up to photocalls," is what is needed, Watts says. "We've got to go further than the other parties are willing to go so we need stronger candidates". | "Hard work – proper hard work – not turning up to photocalls," is what is needed, Watts says. "We've got to go further than the other parties are willing to go so we need stronger candidates". |
| For now, the party's strategy is to hold the local Labour council to account, as best they can. Following the steady erosion of the Lib Dems' locally since 2010, Sheffield city council is again a Labour fortress. Watts is often locked in cyber-combat with Labour councillors on Twitter in plain-speaking, but often good-natured banter. | For now, the party's strategy is to hold the local Labour council to account, as best they can. Following the steady erosion of the Lib Dems' locally since 2010, Sheffield city council is again a Labour fortress. Watts is often locked in cyber-combat with Labour councillors on Twitter in plain-speaking, but often good-natured banter. |
| "There is no reason why even though we're in different parties we cannot agree," she says. "We've got to work together for the good of the city. There has to be some common ground." | "There is no reason why even though we're in different parties we cannot agree," she says. "We've got to work together for the good of the city. There has to be some common ground." |
| What, then, of their Lib Dem coalition partners? "It's gloves off at a local level," she says, categorically. | What, then, of their Lib Dem coalition partners? "It's gloves off at a local level," she says, categorically. |
| The Lib Dems controlled the city council until two years ago and the Tories' strategy will be to depict them as ineffective at either governing or holding Labour to account, offering voters an alternative. | The Lib Dems controlled the city council until two years ago and the Tories' strategy will be to depict them as ineffective at either governing or holding Labour to account, offering voters an alternative. |
| Dixon has already noticed that some Sheffield voters are now quite happy to switch between parties for different kinds of elections. In Oughtibridge he says voters will now "vote Conservative for the town council, Labour for the city council and Ukip for the European elections". | Dixon has already noticed that some Sheffield voters are now quite happy to switch between parties for different kinds of elections. In Oughtibridge he says voters will now "vote Conservative for the town council, Labour for the city council and Ukip for the European elections". |
| So is Ukip a danger for the Tories in South Yorkshire? "I don't think they are as big a problem as some people think," he says. "As Ukip becomes more credible, the Tories become more alive." | So is Ukip a danger for the Tories in South Yorkshire? "I don't think they are as big a problem as some people think," he says. "As Ukip becomes more credible, the Tories become more alive." |
| A review of ward boundaries in 2016 with all-out elections to follow may provide an opportunity for the Conservatives to regain a toe-hold in the city. But any advance will come at the expense of their Lib Dem national coalition partners. | A review of ward boundaries in 2016 with all-out elections to follow may provide an opportunity for the Conservatives to regain a toe-hold in the city. But any advance will come at the expense of their Lib Dem national coalition partners. |
| There is little love lost. Indeed a skirmish is set to be played out in the leafy suburb of Fulwood, where there is a by-election pending after the death of the sitting Lib Dem councillor. The Tories are optimistic of winning the seat – and Watts is their candidate. | There is little love lost. Indeed a skirmish is set to be played out in the leafy suburb of Fulwood, where there is a by-election pending after the death of the sitting Lib Dem councillor. The Tories are optimistic of winning the seat – and Watts is their candidate. |
| The ballot will serve as a mini-referendum on Nick Clegg's popularity in his political backyard, but it will also be a measure of whether the ambition and optimism of modern Tory activists in the Steel City is real or misplaced. | The ballot will serve as a mini-referendum on Nick Clegg's popularity in his political backyard, but it will also be a measure of whether the ambition and optimism of modern Tory activists in the Steel City is real or misplaced. |
| • Kevin Meagher is associate editor of Labour Uncut and lives in Sheffield | • Kevin Meagher is associate editor of Labour Uncut and lives in Sheffield |
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