Report

Breaching the sea wall

Think tank: Fabian Society

Author(s): Ben Cooper

December 14, 2022

This report from UK think tank the Fabian Society looks at Labour’s support in coastal towns.

Not enough attention has been paid towards coastal towns, the opportunities and challenges they face, and what people in these places want from politicians. This briefing aims to change that by developing a new constituency grouping based on coastal and town geography: the ‘Sea Wall’. The report looks at the 108 coastal town constituencies in England and Wales. It provides new evidence on voting intention and attitudes towards key issues. This is the first time that this crossbreak has been used. As the Labour party prepares for the next general election, the Sea Wall is a large group of seats that it cannot afford to ignore. To deliver its agenda, Labour needs a broad mandate to govern – and no part of the country can be left out. As exclusive polling for this briefing shows, Labour is already ahead in the Sea Wall. It must continue to find common ground, and address the distinctive challenges of these places as part of an inclusive one-nation coalition.