A mixture of declining industry and residential housing, Stockport gives the impression of being a Conservative/Labour marginal, and indeed the seat has been shared between them over the last four parliaments.
Incumbent MP Ann Coffey’s position in Stockport has been greatly strengthened by the return of the Brinnington ward in 1995. A massive, hilltop, post-war council estate, Brinnington was undoubtedly a major factor in tripling Ms Coffey’s 1992 majority of 5,468 votes to 18,912 on a 15.2% swing - which was above the regional average and enough to produce the greatest majority ever seen in Stockport.
Stockport is a largely residential seat, though it has grown recently as a preferred site for many firms’ regional offices and it also has a good reputation amongst the shoppers of Greater Manchester. Industry in the town has declined sharply alongside the decline in textiles in the region, but some light engineering plants still remain.
A good proportion of professional and management workers live in the seat, partly explaining why the Tories did so well here in the 1980s. The seat also has a high rate of owner-occupation, 70%, and has little council housing.