Conservative HQ to be set up in Leeds to show it cares about the red wall and divide - but why Leeds?

[chomalungma]

Yes - Leeds does have some Tory MPs

None of them changed in the election.
Part of Leeds has been left behind - but as a whole Leeds is a major city that's doing very well.

There are plenty of smaller towns in the North where people went to the Conservatives.

So AIBU to think that CCHQ should go to one of those places?

Unless CCHQ have a complete misunderstanding of the North and they just wanted a major city with all the art, culture, restaurants, transport links and facilities that they expect in a major city?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54397171

I assume they just wanted a major city with good transport links to London

I wouldn't have thought they'd really give a fuck about 'the North'

True - but to show they cared, they should really be going to a place that did switch

Major city with the arts, culture, restaurants etc. Plus they can buy a lovely house in Harrogate to stay in while they are working there.

God I dislike the tories but even I cant see what's wrong with this. Why not Leeds? It's the regional capital, it has good transport connections. Where do you think they should go?

I assume they just wanted a major city with good transport links to London

Leeds isn’t even on the ECML, I would say there are other northern cities with better transport links and quicker trains to London if that was a factor.

At least they've remembered that there is life outside of Zone 6.

Something Labour seem to have forgotten over the years.

Probably so they can access the ‘facilities’ in Holbeck.

@LaurieFairyCake

I assume they just wanted a major city with good transport links to London

I wouldn't have thought they'd really give a fuck about 'the North'

Pretty much. They want to do it in the north to try and make political capital from being there: sensible tactic, I get that. The major cities are going to be more attractive places to live and be based than the smaller towns, and it's more likely to be viable in a big urban centre.

Of the big cities, they'd know better than to attempt it in Manchester or Liverpool, and probably think Newcastle is too much of a trek. So, that really only leaves Leeds or Sheffield and I believe the transport links in Leeds are better? Plus the naice bit of Sheffield, which let's be honest is the bit where the staff would want to live, has an unfortunate habit of voting left. Whereas Leeds has some blue areas that a CCHQ staffer might actually want to live in.

In our office (in Leeds) we have a nap on the wall with all the constituencies coloured in red/blue/whatever with the MP contact details. It gets updated every election. Until fairly recently, the red/blue boindary was pretty much straight through the middle of Leeds. Leeds also voted 49/51 in the Brexit election. It does seem very “middle ground”, if that is what the Tories are trying to claw back.

I

Perhaps they might then realise just how shit the transport links are to other northern cities.
People assume it must be easier to travel between cities that are all in the North. In reality it’s easier to travel from Newcastle to London than it is Newcastle to Manchester.

Since the Tories have been flogging the dead donkey of HS2, maybe they thought they’d better put their money where their mouth is and move to somewhere where they can use it?

Even without HS2 it’s only just over 2 hours to London from Leeds on the train.

@Porcupineinwaiting

God I dislike the tories but even I cant see what's wrong with this. Why not Leeds? It's the regional capital, it has good transport connections. Where do you think they should go?

Wakefield?

Don Valley?

Plus the naice bit of Sheffield, which let's be honest is the bit where the staff would want to live, has an unfortunate habit of voting left. Whereas Leeds has some blue areas that a CCHQ staffer might actually want to live in

Sheffield is definitely out.

It's to stop Yorkshire ceding. 😂

I actually only mean that as half a joke because the political climate in Yorkshire is going to force some interesting developments over the next decade. It makes sense for the Conservatives to plant a flag.

That's what I thought chomalungma! I'm from the other side of the Pennines and don't know Yorkshire so well, but Leeds strikes me as eminently more Tory-suitable than Sheffield!

I don’t think Conservative HQ would last 2 mins in the People’s Republic of Sheffield! Even the “naice” areas are not that blue.

@chomalungma

Don Valley?

It would be an extremely brave Tory who’d live and work in the old coalfields and steel areas.

Transport-wise, Leeds does have a frequent high speed train service to London King's Cross so that's one box ticked. Until April this year, British Airways operated a twice-daily service between Leeds Bradford Airport and Heathrow but it is currently 'suspended'. Their flights to Manchester and Newcastle continue, however.

Orgreave would be a perfect place, they'd be able to get in touch with the views of the local electorate easily.

@BikeRunSki

I don’t think Conservative HQ would last 2 mins in the People’s Republic of Sheffield! Even the “naice” areas are not that blue.

The naicest area is, I believe, and I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, Sheffield Hallam. That's a Labour/Lib Dem fight it out seat. Tories lost it in 97 and haven't got anywhere close since.

The most northerly branch of Harvey Nicks in England.

And if you want to experience poor transport links you should try living in the south west.

Why not Leeds?

That’s where I was alluding to @OpenlyGayExOlympicFencer. I used to live there!

@sst1234

Why not Leeds?

Because there are other parts of the North that did return new Conservative MPs and aren't doing as well as Leeds is which could benefit from CCHQ going there..