Suella Braverman is eyeing up a new area of the country to represent should she fail to gain selection for the proposed new constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville, according to a polling analyst.
The Home Secretary will tonight go up against fellow Conservative Flick Drummond in a party vote as the two contest selection.
Braverman is the current MP for Fareham, but boundary change plans could mean the cessation of the constituency, making way for the new proposed Fareham and Waterlooville seat.
The existing Meon Valley seat is also in line for the chop, meaning its MP, Flick Drummond, will also be vying for the constituency it is being replaced with.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman could face a battle for her Parliamentary seat
PASpeaking on GB News, polling analyst Lord Robert Hayward suggested the Home Secretary has a potential contingency plan in place should she fail in the fight to lay claim to the Hampshire seat.
He told Andrew Pierce and Dawn Neesom: “It may well not look bad if the balance of the membership is in favour of Flick Drummond and they go for Flick Drummond.
“The interesting thing in Suella Braverman’s case is that if she doesn’t win tonight.
“She could go for another constituency called Hamble Valley which takes a large part of her existing constituency as well.“
Lord Robert Hayward says Suella Braverman may opt to fight for selection in a different constituency
GB News
Braverman and Drummond will face a vote of eligible local members, with the result expected on Wednesday evening.
The 2023 boundary review has seen a number of constituency changes being proposed across the UK.
The review started in January 2021, and its final recommendations are expected to be put forward by July 1 this year, with changes expected ahead of the next election.
Hayward suggests it will be difficult to forecast who will come out on top in the vote, with different constituents wanting different things from their local MP.
He told GB News: “There is always a group of people who say ‘we want a cabinet minister’, but most want a candidate who is identifiable and serving their local constituency.
“Within any audience, there is a balance of views and it depends on how that balance works out this evening as to who is likely to win.”
It comes as the Home Secretary faces scrutiny from her own constituents, with GB News Political Reporter Olivia Utley taking to the streets of Fareham to gauge the public opinion.
One told her: “I don’t think she does a lot for the community around here. She’s a mouthpiece for the TV.”
Another added: “I’m not impressed. She’s not good.”
A further constituent stated: “I don’t see much of her.”
However, the public opinion was not overwhelmingly in opposition to Braverman, with one constituent saying he is “really impressed” with her work.
He told Olivia Utley: “I think she’s doing a great job. Really impressed with what she’s doing.
“She’s got her mindset right for the country and immigration and she’s a great Home Secretary.
“I think she does a lot of good work for the local community and a lot of people are grateful for her.”
