By Jason Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter

The candidates seeking to be the next MP for the Southampton Itchen constituency, which includes Bitterne Park, have been announced.

 

 

Residents will go to the polls on Thursday, July 4, after prime minister Rishi Sunak surprised many people by calling the general election last month.

It was already known that Southampton Itchen would have a new MP after Conservative Royston Smith had announced he would not be seeking re-election.

Smith had been the MP since he was first elected in 2015. He retained the seat by the narrowest of margins in 2017, edging out Labour’s Simon Letts by a 0.07 per cent majority and 31 votes.

Five years ago he opened up a larger margin of victory, with a 9.5 per cent majority.

Prior to Royston Smith, Southampton Itchen was represented by Labour’s John Denham, who won five elections dating back to 1992.

The Conservatives have Kensington and Chelsea councillor Sidney Yankson attempting to succeed Smith.

The constituency is made up of the Bargate, Bitterne Park, Harefield, Peartree, Sholing, Thornhill and Woolston wards, as well as two polling districts from the Banister and Polygon ward.

Who's standing?

The candidates residents can vote for in Southampton Itchen and the parties they represent are as follows:

James Edward Batho – Liberal Democrats

Declan Peter Clune – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Alex Culley – Reform UK

Neil McKinnon Lyon Kelly – Green Party

Darren James Paffey – Labour Party

Sidney Yankson – The Conservative Party Candidate

A candidate list, along with their addresses where given, details of proposers and locations of polling places is available from this council PDF.

Key dates

There are several key dates in the run-up to polling day. The last day to register to vote is June 18 and people can sign up by visiting gov.uk/register-to-vote.

In the last general election 21 per cent of the ballots cast were postal votes and new applications for postal votes have to be made before 5pm on June 19 via gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.

There are two deadlines on June 26. Anyone who requires a voter authority certificate or who wishes to appoint a proxy to vote for them must have their applications completed at gov.uk before 5pm.

Voting on polling day

On the day of the general election, polling places will be open between 7am and 10pm.

Information as to where a voter’s station is will be on their polling card, which should be delivered to their house ahead of the election.

Voter ID

This will be the first UK general election where voters must show identification when voting in person. Voter authority certificates are available to those without accepted IDs.

Voters need one of the following types of photo ID to vote:a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)

• a driving licence issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands
• a UK passport
• a passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country
• a PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
• a Blue Badge
• a biometric residence permit (BRP)
• a Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90)
• a national identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• a Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
• a Voter Authority Certificate
• an Anonymous Elector’s Document
• an older person’s bus pass
• a disabled person’s bus pass
• an Oyster 60+ card
• a Freedom Pass
• a Scottish National Entitlement Card (NEC)
• a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
• a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
• a Northern Ireland concessionary travel pass

ID which has expired can be used but the photo must still look like you.