The affluent 'bubble' where the Conservatives could be in trouble

It's a sunny Friday afternoon and Altrincham is awash with prams and pooches.

Young professionals are rushing back from their lunch breaks to the office as dog walkers parade through the town centre. Hardly anyone seems to have time to talk about politics, not least young parents with toddlers in tow - or perhaps they just don't want to.

"I'm too busy with the new born right now," one young woman responds when asked for her thoughts on the upcoming election.

READ MORE: Former Greater Manchester MP Chris Clarkson stands in safe Tory seat 100 miles away

The Altrincham and Sale West constituency has been safe Tory territory for decades. But things are changing in these leafy suburbs.

"It's on the up isn't it?" says Bob Molloy, who lived in Hale Barns for '30-odd years' before moving away. "It's an affluent area," he adds.

"Early thirties and gorgeous dogs," is how Ruth Warren, 45, describes the shifting demographic. "It's quite metropolitan in that way."

Some say the recent influx of young families into the area - many of whom are attracted by Altrincham's top schools - could now hurt the Conservatives at the ballot box. In fact, it may have already have had an impact politically - at least, at the local council elections.

The Tories lost control of Trafford council in 2018 and now hold just eight seats at the town hall while Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens gain ground. But even in the areas with a clean sweep of Conservative councillors still, some Tory voters have had enough.

It comes as Sir Graham Brady, who has been the MP for Altrincham and Sale West since 1997, steps down. The Tory grandee is known across the country for announcing the fate of Prime Ministers who come under pressure in his role as the 1992 Committee chairman.

But now, his party is coming under pressure in his own patch with Labour coming after his old seat. The Tories may be in trouble in the constituency which they last won with a majority of 6,139 at the 2019 election - but some voters are still stuck, unsure who to turn to.

The Manchester Evening News struggled to find anyone who was planning to vote Conservative at the general election in Altrincham town centre or Hale Barns on Friday (June 7). However, there was also reluctance among some voters about backing Labour instead.

Vivienne, 79, from Hale Barns, has voted Conservative all of her life. But she is not a fan of its current leader, Rishi Sunak.

"I usually vote Conservative but not this time," she says. "I just think he's made a mess of everything.

"All he does is promise, promise, promise and he never actually fulfils his promises. I've voted Conservative all my working life.

"But Rishi Sunak? No way."

However, the ex-Tory voter is not impressed by Labour's leader either. "I don't think he's quite strong enough," she says of Keir Starmer.

Vivienne is not the only one who is still unsure who to back on July 4. Of the dozen voters the M.E.N. spoke to, only a couple had.

"I'm still a bit undecided," says Nathan Lawder. "I think it's probably getting to the point where I'm a bit disillusioned with it all."

The 37-year-old business owner has voted for Labour in the past. But he says he's now lost faith in both of the big political parties.

"We've got a two-party system really and that's all you have the choice of," the Stamford Park resident adds. "It's an illusion of choice.

"I don't have massive belief in either of the parties, but these two are the only realistic options we have. It's a bit of a wasted vote to go elsewhere."

Anthony, 45, from Hale Barns is also fed up with the big parties. Usually a Conservative voter, he will be voting for Reform UK this time.

"Labour are in the pole position because the Conservatives have been so weak," he says. "It's not because they've been so brilliant.

"I'm just worried they're going to be a similar government in different colours."

For Edna Adderley who lives near Timperley, it's all about the candidate. The 87-year-old describes herself as 'Conservative thinking'.

But with Sir Graham no longer standing to represent the constituency, her vote is now up for grabs. "I liked him and I trusted him and he was good for here because he was brought up here," she says of her former MP. "He knew the area. That's how it should be."

Julie Lewis, who lives in Bowdon, is also unsure. She's voted for several different parties in the past, but has 'no idea' who to back now.

"I don't like the Conservatives and what they've done," she said. "But I'm not enthralled by Keir Starmer either.

"I don't know if we've got a decent Liberal candidate. But it's usually a wasted vote because we've had Graham Brady here."

Julie would be 'quite surprised' if Labour win the seat, but she is not certain. Julia Millington-Samuels, however, could not imagine it.

"It's never not going to be Conservative," she says. "It's affluent. It's in a Tory stronghold."

The 57-year-old mother who grew up in Altrincham argues that the area is so affluent, that it has hardly been hit by the cost of living crisis. She believes that this means many voters in the constituency will continue supporting the Conservatives at this election.

"I kind of feel like we live in a bit of a bubble," she explains. "My husband and I are both personal trainers and we haven't really seen people cutting back on our services. So I think we're a bit sheltered from the reality because of where we live."

"I can't imagine it ever being anything other than a Tory stronghold," the floating voter concludes, "because that's what I've witnessed for the whole of my life to be honest.

"Graham Brady has held the seat for decades. I know he's stepping down in this general election.

"I think people here aren't feeling the pressure enough to actually want to change it to anything else. So I can't really see that it'll ever change."