'I think they basically toe the same line' - Bishop Auckland voters divided between hopeful and disillusioned

The noise of drilling, digging and building works filled the air around Bishop Auckland and there was a real mix of opinion about the future prospects of the town, regardless of the outcome of the General Election, which takes place a week from now, on July 4.

The 5000 Voices campaign today travelled to a constituency that has kept its name but gained a lot of land due to new boundaries: Bishop Auckland. This seat was won by the Conservatives in 2019, having been held by the Labour Party since 1935. The redrawn seat will have a new MP come July 5, with incumbent Dehenna Davison stepping down after one term.

Michael Wilson, a 32-year-old originally from London, who now lives in the area, took issue with the electoral system in place in the UK: "They should change it from the first past the post, which is an outdated system, get into a proportional one, where smaller voices can be heard. We need change, we need more than two big parties that dominate."

Other people had similar opinions, discussing how little the result mattered as very little would change for them under either a Conservative or Labour government. Wayne Walton, 57, said “I think whatever party gets in, they basically toe the same line.”

Similarly, Eric Thompson said, “The Tory party has just been rubbish these last few years. They’ve been in too long that’s all I can say, but I don’t know what I would do with the Labour side!”

Joanne Furnell, who owns The Auckland Cupcake Co, alongside her husband, was more optimistic: “I think we just need a party to come in and be transparent and be in the best interests of the people of the country.”

As for other policy concerns, Barry Coates, the 67-year-old owner of Windrow Sports, was not pleased with the “yobbish behaviour taking place in the town” and wanted a focus on “law and order”.

Mark Murray, 55, owner of DC Gifts on Fore Bondgate, advocated for “more equality… a fair distribution of wealth and incomes in the country”. He explained his support for the Green Party in next week’s election: “You can’t really have an economy or a society without a planet that’s functioning."

He went on to share his opinion that he had not seen anything in the campaign that had inspired him to change his mind. This was a sentiment reflected by the vast majority of those in the town.

The two exceptions out of everyone who stopped to speak to ChronicleLive were Deborah Lee, 60 and Oktawia, 18. On Newgate Street, Ms Lee commented that the Reform UK leader had inspired her: “Farage coming on the scene. Totally changed everything for me, he’s given me hope.”

Meanwhile, Oktawia explained that: “I think I will be voting Liberal Democrats, that’s what the campaigns have changed my mind to”.

The full list of candidates standing in the Bishop Auckland constituency is as follows:

Rhys Burriss, Reform UK

Helen Cross, Liberal Democrats

Sarah Hannan, Green Party

Jane Macbean, Conservative and Unionist Party

Rachel Maughan, Transform Party

Sam Rushworth, Labour Party