Fresh from two surprising byelection wins, Labour is setting its sights on challenging Conservative transport minister Jesse Norman MP in the Hereford and South Herefordshire seat. Swings of over 20 per cent in Tamworth and Mid-Bedfordshire saw Labour seize what were once considered safe Conservative strongholds.

Joe Emmett, Labour’s prospective candidate for Hereford and South Herefordshire, is optimistic. “What’s true of Tamworth and Mid-Bedfordshire is true also of Hereford and South Herefordshire, where only Labour can win,” said Emmett. He added that during the Tamworth campaign, he encountered Conservative voters who were planning to vote Labour or had already done so in their postal votes. “Change won’t come about unless we fight for it and offer a real alternative, which Labour now does. That change can begin in our very own by-election in Golden Valley South next Thursday.”

The upcoming Golden Valley South by-election will be a competitive one, with Labour facing off against the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and two independent candidates. The ward was previously represented by the late councillor Peter Jinman for the Independents for Herefordshire.

But Labour isn’t the only party with aspirations. The Greens also have their eyes set on gains in the county. Ellie Chowns, their parliamentary candidate and county leader, highlighted a less publicised result in Worcester where the Greens won two city council seats from the Conservatives. “We’ve spoken to thousands of voters on the doorstep, and 36 per cent of them have told us they plan to vote Green at the next General Election, putting us a close second to the Conservatives as things stand,” Chowns said.

Representatives from Herefordshire’s Liberal Democrats and Conservatives were also reached out to for comments.

The political landscape in Herefordshire is shaping up to be more dynamic and competitive than ever, with multiple parties vying for key seats and the potential for significant shifts in voter allegiance.