Tories could tumble like Gloucestershire’s cheese chasers, but there is no mad enthusiasm for Labour
It’s a mucky, hazardous, undignified race that is all about risk and survival.
Competitors in the cheese chasing dash down Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire do it for the prize of a wheel of double Gloucester cheese.
Tewkesbury’s annual cheese chase begins
As for general elections, politicians play their game of survival for a place on the green benches in the House of Commons, and with it, power.
On the second stop of our tour with a peoples’ parliamentary bench, we came to Tewkesbury to talk to spectators at the annual event and find out what they want from their next crop of MPs.
Becky Rhode with her partner Tom, her 15-year-old son, and their family dog
Becky Rhode, her partner Tom, her 15-year-old son and her family dog were first to take advantage of the green upholstered bench which we left in a meadow with a view of the cheese chasing contest.
“In rural areas, transport is a lot more expensive, especially fuel prices. Groceries have gone up too,” she said.
Accountant Becky isn’t a big fan of the increases in the minimum wage. She feels it devalues the time, money and effort she has invested in getting her qualifications.
She says there is “no longer a sizable difference” between what she can earn as an accountant or doing something far less skilled.
Her apple orchard farmer partner Tom Spicer, adds: “We need more money or lower prices, really. That’s it, that’s the main struggle at the moment.”
Next in the chair was engineering student Joey Sharma who had travelled to the cheese rolling event from Bristol.
Engineering student Joey Sharma travelled to the cheese rolling event from Bristol
He hasn’t decided who he will vote for yet.
“I’m still a student, so student debt, I’d like something done about that. Public transport, I think that’s a big one, carbon-neutral is a big one too for me.”
Lucy Rickson, a housing association worker, thinks more should be done to help people who need social housing and that they tend to be “demonised” by politicians.
Lucy Rickson says people who need social housing tend to be ‘demonised’ by politicians
She adds: “There are a lot of issues in the southwest, rural regions, small market towns, seaside towns. Politicians need to know about seasonal work, seasonal hidden homelessness.
“If you haven’t got a huge amount of money, there’s not the work to keep your household going.”
Like student Joey, Lucy also worries about the environment and targets to reach net zero.
“I think pushing back all the targets and pushing back all the approaches to a better green world are just inappropriate. We say we can’t afford it, but then we can’t afford a lot of things. We need to prioritise more.”
Gloucestershire is our second stop in the South West, after Newquay in Cornwall, and in both locations the environment has been raised regularly on our people’s bench.
So far, it hasn’t been much of a campaign issue as both main parties have rowed back on green policies.
From Cooper’s Hill Cooper’s Hill, cheese watchers can see Cheltenham. File pic: AP
The view from Cooper’s Hill takes in key battle grounds of the election race.
You can see Cheltenham, along with its famous racecourse, a target seat for the Liberal Democrats, currently Conservative held.
The hill also peers over the town of Gloucester, where Labour need just under a 10% swing to take it. They will need that and more to win the election.
The hill itself is in Tewkesbury, a relatively safe Tory seat, and yet, not much in this election is safe. Even here the Tories could tumble like a cheese chaser.
The Lib Dems need an 18% swing, and they’ve done better than that in recent by-elections.
Labour has support in the area too, so it could turn into a three-way scramble for the line.
Jane Blofield is a urology and oncology clinical nurse
Enjoying a picnic with friends on Cooper’s Hill is Jane Blofield, who we coax on to our bench. Jane is a urology and oncology clinical nurse, and she feels her profession is understaffed.
“It’s not about making wild promises, it’s about diverting money to the right places,” she says. In her view, key among them is the NHS.
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She then says she will vote Labour but adds, “I don’t know if they’ve got the answers, but I certainly know the Conservatives haven’t because they’ve ruined the NHS.”
Pressed on if she thinks Sir Keir Starmer can repair the situation, Jane replies, “No.”
Cheese chasers tumble down Cooper’s Hill
Like the cheese race, the bumping, bruising electoral arena is a place where slip-ups happen.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party is leading in the polls, but from the voices we’ve heard so far on our tour, it doesn’t feel like people are running towards Labour with glee, but rather running away from the Tories in dissatisfaction.
The cheese-rolling crowd in Tewkesbury
Even among those who say they will vote Labour, there’s no mad enthusiasm, certainly not of the type you find on the top of Cooper’s Hill, as they prepare to chase a wheel of double Gloucester down an insanely steep grassy slope.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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