This is an editorial opinion piece which was recently published in The Oxford Times, sister paper of the Oxford Mail.
There is a “completely different world” outside the M25 – it separates ‘lefty-liberal’ London from the rest of the UK, according to Nigel Farage.
Some Conservative councillors in Oxfordshire have long made similar comparisons in their own home county.
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They say the “left wing state” of Oxford is an anomaly encased within the rural town and hinterland that lies beyond.
But now, for the first time since 1777 there is no Conservative MP in the county – the political map of rural Oxfordshire has turned from almost entirely blue to orange and red.
Liberal Democrats won seats in four constituencies outside the Oxford Ring Road – perhaps our county’s equivalent of Mr Farage’s M25.
Oxfordshire’s blue Conservative doughnut is no more.
For a long time Conservative councillors made reference to differing attitudes in rural Oxfordshire outside the city – comparisons made on issues ranging from transport policies to varying social attitudes. And many still do.
The sea of blue which surrounded the two orange and red constituencies within Oxford meant it seemed that until not long ago, to the layman they may have had a point.
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But how far can these politicians continue to hammer this point home now the political map has been turned on its head?
Is it possible that what is happening in Oxfordshire is a sign that what it means to be ‘rural’ is no longer bound up in a blue Conservative identity? We shall have to wait and see.
It is true that every single ‘lost’ constituency in Oxfordshire bar one could have gone to the Conservatives if they had also won over Reform UK votes.
So perhaps conservative sentiment is not as lost as it might seem.
Yet, it does not seem all that likely that Reform voters would have all given their support in the ballot box to the Conservatives, had their new party not existed.
And adding the votes together also sees a victory for the party in these areas only by very small margins.
While people no doubt vote differently in a general and local election, local council elections too saw losses for the Conservatives.
County council elections will take place in May next year and it is uncertain whether the party will be able to claw back – or retain – support.
Conservative leader Eddie Reeves thinks they can win back support by “focusing on local issues”.
But it remains to be seen whether we’ll ever watch the blue towns and hinterland line up Oxfordshire in the way they once did.
Mr Farage thinks there is a different world outside the M25 – but is it, and has it always been, the same for Oxford?
One thing for sure is our coverage will remain the same. We will keep piling on the pressure – no matter the establishment.
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About the author
Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county.
She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.
Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi
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