Parties must address social mobility problem to win General Election
Labour is unlikely to take Conservative-held Lincoln, as even its traditional voters look for other options.
Friday 2 June 2017 09:08, UK
Tory strategists believe this election will be decided by so-called just-about-managing voters.
But it's getting harder to climb up the social ladder, according to the Social Mobility Commission.
Lincoln is a bellwether seat held by the Conservatives and is the sort of place that Labour needs to take if it is to win a General Election.
It is an elegant city set in an unassuming county - people in Lincolnshire often say they feel geographically isolated.
The county recorded the UK's highest Brexit vote.
We spoke to workers making machinery to resurface floors - key targets in the sights of the Tory party.
Maintenance engineer Paul Howard, who considers himself working class, said that it was previously unthinkable that he would vote Tory but he is now considering it.
He told us: "Conservatives are known for being for middle to high class voters.
"We barely get by.
"My parents and partner, we're all on the fence and undecided.
"We're traditional Labour voters but other parties sound appealing."
Labour is trying to hold onto its core voters but seems unlikely to take Lincoln, much to the disappointment of supporters like Deana Dimmock and Jamie Maguire who say the Conservative Party doesn't own aspiration.
Ms Dimmock was once on benefits but wants to train as a paramedic. Mr Maguire is an ex-soldier who works up to 60 hours a week in security but they're struggling to buy their own home.
He said: "I'm on a wage that someone 10 or 15 years ago would have been on and I would have looked at his parents and seen him running a household perfectly fine with more than enough disposable income on the same wage as I'm on.
"Now, because the cost of everything has gone up but the wage hasn't moved, I'm in the same position he would have been in but I'm a lot worse off and I can't understand how that works."
There is a lot of talk from all the parties about social mobility and aspiration.
There is a lot of talk about people struggling on not much money and a lot of talk about people feeling left behind.
Britain has a deep social mobility problem and for young people it's getting worse not better.
The Prime Minister herself said that if you're at a state school you're less likely to reach the top professions than if you are privately educated.
Only 4% of doctors, 6% of barristers and 11% of journalists are from working-class backgrounds.
This election has seen claims from both the main parties promising solutions.