Gloria De Piero on why Ashfield is 'awkward' when it comes to the polls

Now, the 51-year-old has called on the candidates "not to take the seat for granted" ahead of the General Election on July 4.

She added that Labour could see the benefits of Conservatives and Reform UK "splitting" the right-wing vote.

She told GB News: "Like everyone else, I'm looking at the opinion polls and they suggest that Labour is going to win. But Ashfield is awkward.

"In 1977, there were two by-elections. One was in Grimsby, and one was in Ashfield, both Labour seats for a Labour Government. And it was like 'everyone said go to Grimsby because just in case we lose Grimsby', and we lost Ashfield.

"Nobody predicted it from a mining community. So I never like to take the people of Ashfield for granted, that's the bottom line.

"The good hope for the Labour Party is that the right-wing vote is split between the Tories and Reform and that Labour can do it. It has always returned a Labour MP at the General Election until 2019."

When asked about what the people of Ashfield were like, she said: "They're great people. Whoever is the Government needs to grapple with that, like other post-industrial towns, some seaside towns as well, that there is a feeling amongst a lot of people, older people that Ashfields best days are behind them.

"When the mines were open, they were well-paid jobs. Pretty Polly, the tights makers were based there. So all the women had stable jobs and the men worked in the pits. Now, this is going back a long time.

"The jobs that have replaced those jobs are not as well paid, not as high status. We need more good jobs in the area. Low pay is an issue. University participation at 18 is pretty low.

"It was a very high Brexit vote obviously, but what I would say is that whoever wins, Ashfield needs to demonstrate that Ashfield's best days are ahead of them."

Reform UK candidate Lee Anderson won the seat in 2019 for the Conservative party. However, earlier this year, it was announced by then-leader Richard Tice he would join Reform as their first MP.

However, some voters in Ashfield were split on Reform, with some being critical of the party, now led by Nigel Farage.

When asked about what the appeal of the Reform party is in a place like Ashfield, she said: "It's hard to say because I suspect it will get some Tory votes. I don't live there anymore, I can't see them winning the seat. That's my instinct.

"I haven't knocked on doors in years and there's no there's no substitute for knocking on doors. All I've got is the opinion polls like everyone else which points to a Labour win."

When asked what the future for a constituency like Ashfield is, she said: "What I would hope is that a community like Ashfield, that used to power Britain for generations through the pits that we can get the green jobs of the future.

"Because the world is only heading one way. Solar panels, electric cars, wind farms, I'd like to see places like Ashfield power Britain again."

The declared candidates for Ashfield at time of writing:

• Lee Anderson - Reform UK
• Alexander Coates - Green Party
• Rhea Keehn - Labour Party
• Debbie Soloman - Conservative and Unionist Party
• Jason Zadrozny - Ashfield Independents