"There is no strategy' Conservatives' local campaigns in 'disarray'

The Conservative on-the-ground election campaign is descending into "disarray" amid a chronic lack of volunteers and strategy and an increasing sense of panic in formerly ultra-safe seats, insiders and opponents have told the Guardian.

- Peter Walker

A combination of a shrinking and ageing membership, a calamitous fall in the number of Conservative councillors and disillusionment with the election campaign has seen some areas struggle to muster people to knock on doors and deliver leaflets.

Instead, the party has become heavily reliant on using paid-for delivery to send out large number of election leaflets, which are often nationally focused and less relevant to the local campaign.

"In our seat, the local MP is a minister, and if he goes out doorknocking during the day he's lucky to have three people with him," said one Tory official in a seat that the party currently holds. "Sometimes it's just him and one other person. On weekends there are people who might deliver leaflets, but they don't want to knock on doors."

Opposition parties fighting in previously safe Tory seats say they have noticed a stark difference even compared with the last election. "In 2019 it was definitely different," one Liberal Democrat candidate said. "I think voters are noticing this time that their Tory communication comes with the pizza leaflets."