Analysis
by Harry Taylor ago

Five election things to watch in South Yorkshire tonight

Unlucky enough to be forced to go to strong and stable election party with a coalition of chaos of friends? Want to talk to the many, not the few about politics? Concerned about being shoe horned into another referendum about your favorite choice of drink? Weak and wobbly at thought of not knowing the main talking points for election night, well good news, South Yorkshire Briefing has the top five talking points for your party. 

Will Cleggy go?

After the sad passing of much loved Peter Sallis this week, who played Cleggy in Last of the Summer Wine, could another Clegg be about to depart from Yorkshire?

The former Deputy Prime Minister is under pressure in Sheffield Hallam, and both YouGov and Ashcroft Polls have him down to lose the seat to Labour’s Jared O’Mara.

He has a slim majority of under 3,000 after an anti-Lib Dem surge at the last election. On a bad night for the Liberal Democrats, could he lose his seat?

Penistone and Stocksbridge’s Smith to stay?

At the start of this election, the Conservative Party were widely tipped to take the seat where Angela Smith has a 6,700 majority. Since then, the polls have improved and a source close to Angela Smith told South Yorkshire Briefing on Monday that they were quietly confident of holding the seat. We spoke to people in Penistone on the same day, and it didn’t seem like the Conservatives were about to seize control.

Photo Credit: Hannah Galtress

Gordon Bennett! Natalie to win?

It’s unlikely, but Sheffield’s highest profile challenger to an incumbent MP had high hopes about her chances ahead of the election. Since then, it’s seemed less likely that the former Green Party leader will snatch the seat from Paul Blomfield, who is defending a 17,000 majority.

Will Labour’s vote hold up?

The polls are untrusted to a level not seen before (more on them later), but it seems that Labour’s position has improved as the campaign has gone on. Will a lack of confidence in Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership shine through, or will they be punished at the polls. Eyes will be on seats like Don Valley, Penistone and Stocksbridge, and Sheffield Hallam to see how Labour’s vote holds.

Poll dancing

YouGov are predicting a hung Parliament, while other polls have the Conservatives 8 points ahead. Predictions vary from a three-figure majority to a hung Parliament, and the secondary story of the night will be whose methodology is correct, and who can, or cannot be trusted in the future.

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