Chipping Barnet: the landslide election constituency

Political parties come in a wide range of colors, but in some constituencies the electoral arithmetic gives some of them a better chance of winning than the rest.

Chipping Barnet in north London is a battle of blue versus red. I headed to a nail bar to find out how voters feel.

At the Color Boutique in High Barnet I met Tracey, an NHS consultant, who was painting her toenails.

She said she wanted more funding for the NHS, “less bureaucracy and more patient-centred care”.

Sharon, who needed a manicure, said she wants to see more affordable homes built here.

“I know so many people who live in Barnet who just can’t afford to buy anywhere and even the rents are through the roof,” she said.

The Conservatives have held the constituency since its creation in the 1970s, but Labor has come close to taking it in recent years.

In 2019, Theresa Villiers hung on with a majority of 1,212, with the Conservatives receiving 44.7% of the vote and Labor 42.6%.

It was an improvement on Ms Villiers’ election performance in 2017, when she held the seat with a majority of just 353 votes.

But this time it looks like an even tougher fight for her, because two years ago Labor had a major victory in the local elections, winning control of Barnet Council from the Tories.

In Whetstone, one of the areas where Labor won council seats, I met the Tory candidate in a cafe.

A former Environment Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary, Ms Villiers has held senior positions in the 19 years since she was first elected as a local MP.

She opposed the government’s house-building targets and Transport for London’s plans to build houses in station car parks, such as at Cockfosters and High Barnet.

Ms Villiers, 56, told me: “Suburban tower blocks are overdevelopment” and said limited public transport meant families, the elderly and those with mobility issues needed cars.

She added: “That’s why I’m fighting so many of these anti-car proposals, like building car parks at stations and expanding the ultra-low emission zone.”

Nationally, Labor has promised to make roads smoother and safer, which could resonate in a borough known for its potholes. But constituents in Whetstone High Road told me they were concerned about the cost of living.

Gabriella said: “You’re aware when you go to the supermarket, you might not be able to get it, all you think is, ‘I can’t afford it this month.’

Another voter, Mark, said he did not believe in the tax commitments that had been made.

He said: “How anyone can say they’re not going to raise taxes, I don’t know, because there’s no money to pay for it. I think we’re all going to have to pay a little more tax, unfortunately.”