City of Chester gain from Conservative Gyles Brandreth 0 ( 0.0%) 19,253 (34.2%) 29,806 (53.0%) 5,353 ( 9.5%) 0 ( 0.0%) 1,845 ( 3.3%) 71,730 56,257 (78.4%) Gyles Brandreth Chester, City of 2,360 ( 4.1%) 25,641 (44.7%) 23,281 (40.6%) 7,808 (13.6%) 0 ( 0.0%) 593 ( 1.0%) Conservative 68,557 57,323 (83.6%) -10.5% +12.4% -4.1% +0.0% +2.2% +4.6% -5.2% Labour did not win the Chester constituency at either of their two electoral high points, 1945 and 1966; yet they have never had a better chance of seizing representation of the historic city than this year, 1997. Why is this? Chester looks the part of a prosperous market town, with the most complete sets of medieval walls in the country, its unique 'Rows' or elevated shops, its cathedral and a much-visited zoo. It is well known as an excursion destination for people from less fortunate areas economically, such as Merseyside. Yet even at the last Election in 1992 the MP Gyles Brandreth needed help from the villages around the city to keep the constituency Conservative. In minor boundary changes, this rural hinterland is slightly strengthened, which approximately doubles Brandreth's 'notional' 1992 majority from 1,100 to about 2,250. Nevertheless, Labour are still favourites to win in Chester for the first time. The reason for this opportunity is mainly regional. Chester is in the orbit of Merseyside, which has swung so vigorously against the Tories in the last decade and more - eliminating Tory representation from the city of Liverpool, for example. Rather like Wallasey, the seat on the Wirral which Labour took for the first time ever in 1992, Chester is likely to show that even parts of the Greater Merseyside zone which have a relatively 'posh' reputation are quite capable of rejecting the party of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. 5,002 12.39 9.03 137 6,250 15.48 11.17 139 5,274 13.06 11.25 116 3,211 7.95 14.70 54 3,648 9.04 10.45 86 621 1.54 2.81 55 5,823 14.42 8.01 180 4,010 9.93 15.25 65 1,830 4.53 7.13 64 4,211 10.43 10.17 103