Election day is almost upon us.
Tomorrow is your chance to decide who represents you in parliament in the third general election in less than five years.
There are two constituencies in Reading: Reading East and Reading West.
Both are Labour-Tory marginal seats and have recently switched hands more than once.
This year Reading East’s incumbent Labour MP Matt Rodda will face Conservative challenger Craig Morley.
Reading West incumbent Conservative MP Alok Sharma will take on Labour’s Rachel Eden.
Candidates are also standing for the Liberal Democrats, Green Party, Brexit Party and Christian People’s Alliance.
Recent history
Reading East
Labour’s Mr Rodda has been the MP in Reading East for the last two years, elected in 2017 with 49 per cent of the vote.
He got 27,093 votes, beating previous Conservative MP Rob Wilson – who received 23,244.
The Liberal Democrats’ Jenny Woods finished third with 3,378 votes, while Green Party candidate Kizzi Johannessen (this year standing in Wokingham) finished fourth with 1,093.
Before Mr Rodda took Reading East in 2017, Mr Wilson won three times (2005, 2010 and 2015), taking the seat from Labour’s Jane Griffiths in 2005.
The candidates standing this year are:
Mitchell Feierstein, Brexit Party
David McElroy, Green Party
Craig Morley, Conservative Party
Matt Rodda, Labour Party
Imogen Shepherd-DuBey, Liberal Democrats
Reading West
Mr Sharma has been the MP in Reading West for almost ten years, first elected in 2010 with 43 per cent of the vote.
The last two elections in Reading West were won by Mr Sharma with 48 per cent of the vote (2017) and 47 per cent (2015).
He got 25,311 votes this time around, beating Labour’s Olivia Bailey – who received 22,435.
The Liberal Democrats’ Meri O’Connell finished third with 3,041 votes and is standing again this year for a third time.
Green Party candidate Jamie Whitham finished fourth with 979 votes and is also standing again this time around.
Before Alok Sharma took the seat in 2010, it was held by Labour’s Martin Salter for three terms (winning in 1997, 2001, 2005).
The candidates standing this year are:
Rachel Eden, Labour Party
Meri O’Connell, Liberal Democrats
Alok Sharma, Conservative Party
Jamie Whitham, Green Party
What could happen this time around?
The latest YouGov poll suggests it will be close again with Reading East now ‘likely Labour’ and Reading West ‘lean Conservative’, a reverse of the poll prediction two weeks ago.
While Mr Rodda only had a four per cent lead two weeks ago, he now has a 10 per cent lead over Mr Morley in the updated prediction.
Mr Sharma had a nine per cent lead but is now just four per cent ahead of Ms Eden.
The ‘YouGov MRP’ poll accurately predicted a hung parliament at the last General Election in 2017.
It is this time predicting a 28-seat majority for the Tories.
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