IN 2012, the Labour incumbent (then John Kent) defended this seat successfully, winning by 599 votes (55% of the vote).
Since then, the lead has diminished but it has still been solid Labour territory.
Martin Kerin won by 154 in 2014 (41%) and then Jane Pothecary won by 495 in 2015 (41% again).
Pothecary and Kerin (sounds like a Victorian solicitors) have been very supportive of the new candidate, former mayor Tony Fish and they both enjoy the hard yards of campaigning on the doorstep.
It may be that is one of the reasons that this may well stay Red. UKIP have performed well in 2014 and 15 here but like all the places with a coastline, they haven’t been abler to get close enough.
Speaking to some of the candidates, it is only local issues that seem to come to the fore and it appears that matters such as Europe have been put to the side.
You do wonder whether people are disaffected with a Labour run Thurrock Council and whether such disaffection translates into lost votes. Whether people look at the litter and point a finger at New Road or see it as a government issue.
Or maybe this is an election, where people will simply conform to traditional voting behaviour.
The Conservative candidate is a young Conservative, taking her first steps on the campaign trail.
We know nothing of the UKIP candidate but that is nothing new…
YT prediction: Lab hold-120
Grays Riverside
Mike Carbery – UKIP
Tony Fish – Labour
Evelina Vulpe – Conservative
