Woking has traditionally been a Conservative stronghold since 1950, but finds itself at a crossroads.

With the borough’s recent financial crisis, marked by historic debt levels and bankruptcy, Woking’s election outcome remains unpredictable.

Since 1950, Woking has only had four different MPs. Jonathan Lord has represented Woking in Parliament since 2010 – winning four elections on the trot. His smallest majority was 6,807, and even then, he had more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast.

The current issues in town stem from financial decisions taken between 2016 and 2019, when the council borrowed heavily to fund regeneration projects. The borrowing spiralled, with a debt expected to reach £2 billion. 

One lifelong Tory, who asked not to be named, said: “I don’t know the local politics, but I don’t think anyone else would do any better.

“I think a lot of people who vote in local politics vote differently, but when it comes to general elections, they will go back to how they usually vote. 

“I’ve voted Conservative all my life, my father was a coal miner – he would be spinning in his grave, but then, I had the benefit of an education.”

Andrea Wade feels for the first time in her life that real change is on the cards.

“I’ve lived here all my life, it now feels like there is a real shift to not make this place blue any more,” she said.

“I used to see lots of blue Conservative signs around here but I’ve not seen one this year, well maybe one in Pirbright. That doesn’t necessarily mean people won’t vote Conservative, they may just be keeping things a bit low key.

“I also think there will be people voting Reform here who would have been more Conservative voters before.”

Polls are showing a three horse race between the Conservatives, Labour, and the Liberal Democrats, with the Tories ahead. The local elections suggest a Lib Dem landslide, but there is also the question of how Reform UK performs locally.

Emma said: “Everybody here thinks everyone in Woking is going to be voting Liberal Democrats, but they’re not. They’re voting Reform, everyone has had enough of everybody. It’s just a protest vote.”

She added it didn’t make a difference anyway as the main political parties “were all the same”.

Sarah Moloney commented: “Whoever gets in, it’s going to take a long time to fix things like the NHS.” There is so much tax, I’m working to pay for my child and I’ve not got anything left over.”

For some, it’s not about voting tactically but based on personal values. For Yusaf Ghulam, that means backing Labour. Yusaf moved from Pakistan to the UK in 1990, having had to wait five years before being allowed to join his wife.

He said: “This government are not for immigration, it’s very strict. I'm fit, physically strong and work hard, I pay a lot of tax. Labour’s immigration policy is very nice so I will be voting Labour regardless.”