30th June, 2024
Some residents of the North London constituency say they have lost faith in the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, threatening to switch their votes from Tory to Labour for the first time in 50 years.
According to them, they are ready for a change as the constituency is predicted to move from Conservative to Labour for the first time since its creation in 1974.
Theresa Villiers has been the local MP since 2005, taking over from the retired Sir Sydney Chapman. Whilst retaining the seat, the last two elections have seen a close contest, with only a 353 and 1,212 vote majority in 2017 and 2019 respectively. Residents of Chipping Barnet feel they have had enough and are ready for an MP of a different party, MyLondon reports.
Dennis Birdby, 67, told the online magazine that he didn’t trust Rishi Sunak. Dennis also showed frustration towards the Conservative’s National Service policy, calling it ‘nonsense’.
But the issues aren’t just with the national Conservative Party. Despite Ms Villiers’ strong Leave stance, 62 per cent of Barnet voted to remain in the EU in 2016, causing conflict for many.
The magazine also quoted Ian Luxford, 60, as saying: “She ignored the fact that the majority of people here voted to stay in the EU – other MPs who were in leave constituencies, who were themselves Remainers, respected the views of their constituents.”
Ian also expressed his lack of confidence in Mr Sunak. When asked how he felt he had performed, he replied ‘absolutely appalling’, citing the Rwanda policy as ‘an absolute disgrace, in terms of human rights’.
Leonora Petrew, aged 69 who reportedly moved from Finchley to Barnet a year and a half ago, told MyLondon that she felt Sunak has ‘completely failed on just about everything’. She, like many other Barnet locals, looks forward to the future, concluding: “I’m hoping Labour will do better”.
Other residents of Chipping Barnet expressed similar opinions to MyLondon.
