At the last election, this seat was Labour’s safest in Norfolk, although it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise in a city with a strong Labour history and relative impoverishment.
This seat is the physically smaller of the two Norwich constituencies, and covers the city centre. Norwich was once the second city of England, and until the seventeenth century was the leading manufacturing town, based on the wool industry. The historical trappings of past glories, and evidence of continued industrial development, are found almost exclusively in this division today. Those trappings are impressive and include the beautiful city centre, two cathedrals, the university and castle.
Still, major employers in the constituency include the Colman’s mustard factory, Norwich Union headquarters and the cattle market. The seat also includes the main depot for Anglia Trains, housing the new Class 170 diesel trains, and the redevelopment of the railway station and the area between it and the Carrow Road football stadium are part of the £500m being spent on a city-wide renaissance.