Policy Library

Identifying the breadline battleground – the challenge facing all political parties…

Overview:

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has analysed government deprivation data to map out the number of
low-income and most deprived voters across the most marginal constituencies in the UK.

Our analysis of the 100 most marginal constituencies in the UK – the seats that will decide a general
election – shows that there are over 1.4 million disadvantaged voters across these seats, representing
1 in 7 voters (14.6 per cent) in these areas. The number of voters living in poverty exceeds the
majorities in each of these marginal seats. This is the forgotten ‘breadline battleground’.

As an independent think tank the CSJ is neutral on which political party should win the next general
election. However, the CSJ is not neutral on poverty. Therefore, we have put together this analysis to
encourage all parties to present an ambitious platform for tackling poverty.

The breadline battleground should be a major concern to party strategists and MPs in the next general
election. They will need to set out plans to win over these votes if they want to be in with a chance of
winning a general election. It is almost impossible for any political party – regardless of what party that
might be – to achieve a working majority without winning votes from voters on the lowest incomes.