Despite Labour's current plight nationally Jude Robinson feels she has a good chance of winning back the Camborne and Redruth seat they lost at the last General Election. Although many seeing her challenge as a long shot, Ladbrokes are offering 33/1 on a Labour win here, Robinson believes there are many reasons to be optimistic. Labour do not have much of a foothold in the South West and this constituency represents their best chance of a gaining a seat in the region.
Robinson describes the seat as "a genuine 3 way marginal seat, one of very few in the country and it is also the area of Cornwall with a strong Labour core vote". She feels the boundary changes and the actions of the incumbent Lib Dem MP are to her advantage. "The anti Tory vote in Hayle went to Andrew George from 1997 onwards and he has a strong personal vote there, rather than a Lib Dem loyalty. Julia Goldsworthy is one of the MPs whose behaviour over expenses has appeared greedy and self serving."
The Liberal Democrats have been the main party in Cornwall during the last decade and had control of the County Council up until last year. But the Lib Dems were instrumental in the recent restructuring of the local government which has proved unpopular and Robinson feels this will harm them in the General Election.
"The Lib Dems hold all the seats in Cornwall and promised much in 2005, which they have not delivered. There is a mood on the doorstep that is quite fed up of their incompetence, lack of responsibility and accountability - particularly over the Unitary process and transition."
Although the Conservatives were the main beneficiaries in the 2009 local elections the demographics of this constituency may well aid a Labour challenge. There is enough in this part of Cornwall to suggest it's not a lost cause for Robinson but it will be seen as some achievement if she manages to gain a seat for Labour in this election.
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