Voters in south-east Cornwall are struggling to decide which way to go in the general election

The general election is fast approaching on July 4, when voters will go to the polls and decide who they want to be the next prime minister. But with less than a week until election day, some voters in south-east Cornwall said they still don’t know who to vote for.

Among those I spoke to when I visited Saltash and Torpoint this week, several said they had little confidence in either candidate to deliver on their manifesto promises. Some of the hot topics in the area include Tamar charges, the availability of NHS dentistry for children and road improvements on the A38.

Conservative Sheryll Murray has held her seat in the constituency since 2010, but faces a tough fight from Labour’s Anna Gelderd, who polls suggest could make it. Other candidates for the area include Colin Martin of the Liberal Democrats, Paul Wadley of Reform Britain, Martin Corney of the Green Party and Graham Cowdry of the Heritage Party.

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Before Ms Murray’s tenure, the seat was held for 13 years by Lib Dem MP Colin Breed and before him by Tory Robert Hicks until the 1980s. If Ms Gelderd is successful, it will prove historic in the area for the Labor Party.

The constituency covers Saltash and the Rame Peninsula, including Torpoint, Liskeard and Looe, Callington and Calstock and Lostwithiel. It has often been labeled the ‘forgotten corner of Cornwall’ as many argue it has been put on the fringes of thought by the county’s central powers of Truro and Mid Cornwall.

We visited several towns in the constituency this week to find out how people plan to vote, why and what issues are most important to them. Here is a selection of comments from some of those I spoke to, first in Saltash.

Roxy Curry and Carolann McCormack

“With parties, a lot of them say what they want people to hear,” Roxy said. “There must be a person who represents the people put in charge. The whole country is fighting.

“There also needs to be a permanent office in (Saltash) where people can come in and voice their concerns. It’s important because they (candidates) only care when they win something, but I want to see someone here listening to our opinions all the time.”

Carolann added that she would vote Labor because it best aligned with their overall policies. She said: “We’ve got leaflets on the door for everyone and the Lib Dem man (Colin Martin) has come to talk to people and he seems nice but I’ll probably vote Labour.”

Asked what issues are important to her that need to be addressed by the next Prime Minister, Roxy said: “The minimum wage should be the same regardless of age. Someone who is 16 may have the same bills to pay as someone who is 18.

“Also wages and benefits have to rise with inflation, people can’t survive counting pennies. Better to stay on benefits now.”

Meanwhile, Carolann said she believed there should be a change in the national curriculum to teach children skills they could use later in life. “Schools need to change their curriculum to teach useful subjects like how to do your taxes, how to cook or how to apply for a job,” she said.

Simon, a retired local artist

“Honesty, integrity and transparency are important characteristics to have in the next prime minister,” Simon said. “I haven’t decided who to vote for yet because I haven’t found a political party that represents these characteristics.”

When asked what issues he felt were important to tackle locally by the constituency’s next MP, he said: “Saltash has been on the right track for the last few years. Of course, it’s a lot of work and people need to understand that.

“One problem is the amount that Covid has cost, and it will cost a lot to get rid of the debts incurred during the pandemic. Things will not be easy for whoever becomes prime minister.”

In Torpoint, some common themes were addressed. Some residents here were unsure who to vote for next week, with many feeling there is a lot of work to be done by the next prime minister.

Tracy Hough, works at a local daycare

“I don’t know who to vote for,” Tracy told CornwallLive. “None of the candidates appeal to me. We don’t vote for who we want to be prime minister, we vote for the party and everyone says these things they think we want to hear and then it doesn’t happen.

“Sherryl Murray is not helping people so we need a change. The Tories help small businesses, but if Labor comes in, that probably wouldn’t happen.”

As a kindergarten teacher, Tracy said funding for nurseries is also important. “The government has proposed funding for free childcare in nurseries, which sounds good, but it’s not. The minimum wage is around £11.50 but we get £4 (funding) per child.

“The number of children you’re supposed to have means it’s not worth it. Free financing does not cover installments. A lot of (private) nurseries in the area and in Plymouth have had to close. We have people from Devonport coming to our nursery because the ones next door have closed.”

Anonymous resident

Another woman, who did not want to be named, also said she was not sure who to vote for in the July 4 general election. She said: “I’ve always voted Tory but I’m not sure what to do now.

“Everything is a mess and needs to be looked at. It feels pretty hopeless unless we get some sort of miracle. We seem to be in a similar situation to America with the candidates and it makes you wonder if this is the best we can do.

“We have to offer young people a future. Many of them struggle to find a job after leaving school. They all need help.

“I moved here from Sussex, where it’s all go, go, but here, the shops close at 4pm. Cornwall has been forgotten here and it’s sad.”

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