General election: Still all to play for in marginal seat of Loughborough
Sky News takes a closer look at Loughborough, which voted 50/50 in the EU referendum and has a large student population.
Tuesday 12 November 2019 16:51, UK
They are the young sporting elite of this country, some of the most talented hockey players of their generation.
But whether they are up for the political game is the big question.
Loughborough's students find themselves in one of the key marginals in this election but will they bother to vote, will they vote in Loughborough and, if they do, what impact will they have?
For many it will be their first chance to vote on Brexit and the students I spoke to say many would be tempted by Labour's offer of a second referendum. But not all.
Hockey player Bethany Peers told me she voted remain in 2016 but would now vote Tory because she wanted to move on from Brexit.
Across town, a different sport and a different generation. At Charnwood bowls club there is huge disillusionment with politics and politicians.
We found a lot of undecideds, still to be convinced by either main party or the two party leaders. At the centre of sporting excellence there is all to play for.
Why Loughborough matters
Loughborough is another key Labour/Conservative marginal and the seat of Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan, who has decided to stand down at this election due to abuse she has received in recent years.
It voted 50/50 in the EU referendum and has a large student population, but the Tories risk losing it with their pursuit of votes in Brexit-supporting towns.
Voter profile
Approximately 78,000 people are eligible to vote in Loughborough, with 52.6% of adults under the age of 45, making it the 119th youngest constituency in the UK.
However, it is just above average in terms of graduates, with 27.6% of adults educated to a degree level or higher.
Around 13% of adults are from ethnic minorities - which is above average for the UK. But it has seen less of a decline in earnings than most constituencies since the financial crisis - down by 3.6 points.
It is also less deprived than most, sitting at 449 on the Sky Deprivation Index.
Sky News election analysts Professor Michael Thrasher and Professor Will Jennings have selected six demographic measures to profile constituencies at this election.
These measures have been chosen for their strong relationship with party support and give a good indication of the potential appeal of parties in each seat.
Terms explained
Brexit: This shows the % which voted leave.
Age: Labour and the Lib Dems vote share tends to be higher in younger areas, with the Conservatives making gains in seats where the electorate is older.
Education: Since 2005, the Conservatives have done worse in graduate areas, and Labour has made progress.
Ethnic minorities: Labour tends to do better in seats with a higher proportion of ethnic minority communities. The Conservatives tend to do worse.
Earnings: This shows the percentage change in average earnings between 2010 and 2018, adjusted for inflation. In 2017, the Conservative vote showed slight increases in constituencies where earnings had increased. Labour tended to improve where earnings have declined.
Deprivation: Our Sky Deprivation index ranks the social and economic health of particular areas, using data on employment, qualifications, poor health and occupancy. The higher the number the more deprived the constituency, with Labour and the SNP outperforming these areas. The Conservative and the Lib Dems vote share is higher in places that are less deprived.
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