TheSea wall is a term used bypsephologists to refer to 108constituencies along theUK coastline, generalising them as marginal.[1] They formed before the July 2024 election a majority of Conservative pluralities, so seats, many or mostmarginal enough to be vulnerable to Labour according to opinion polls.[2][3] As to theRed andBlue walls, the Sea wall overlaps both[4] and was used in some coverage of the2024 general election.[5] From the2019 general election to July 2024, Labour held 24 of these seats.[6]
These seats inEngland and Wales are noted, relative to the national average, for deprivation.[7][8] They are personified by tourism-based economies, thecost of living crisis, and poor connectivity.[9] Coastal residents bring home on average lower wages.[10] The availability of affordable housing has also been an issue.[11]
Before the2024 general election, the think tankOnward called coastal areas “the forgotten battleground that could decide [this] election”.[12]
Research from theFabian Society was reported on that Labour had unprecedented polling leads over the Conservatives.[15] The "sea wall" was regarded by them as an important area for the2024 general election.[16]YouGov polling showed that 44% of voters in the Sea wall said they would never consider voting Conservative.[17]
^"Breaching the Sea Wall | Fabian Society".Fabian Society - The Fabian Society is Britain’s oldest political think tank. Founded in 1884, the Society is at the forefront of developing political ideas and public policy on the left. 2022-12-14. Retrieved2024-02-29.
