Bishop Auckland, a Labour stronghold for generations, voted for the Tories for the first time in the last general election. The coal mining town, once the centre of coal mining with a proud working class, is now a textbook example of a neglected area of Britain.
Great Britain will elect a new parliament on July 4th. Five years ago, the Conservatives won a landslide victory. The then Prime Minister Boris Johnson conquered the north of England with the promise of upgrading the neglected province. The voters of the former coal mining town of Bishop Auckland also believed him. A look at the situation shows what became of the promise.
Neglected by politics
As the rusty diesel train that connects Bishop Auckland to the rest of the world accelerates, it rattles as if it were taking off into space. The journey ends, however, on the only platform of a provincial railway station.
Legend:
The railway station in the coal mining town of Bishop Auckland consists of one platform.
SRF / Patrick Wülser
A mural in the waiting room shows the city’s most famous son. The comedian Stan Laurel was born here.
Legend:
Stan Laurel became world famous primarily as part of the legendary comedy duo “Laurel and Hardy” (Laurel and Hardy).
SRF / Patrick Wülser
But railway employee Steven has long since stopped laughing. “Everything in this city is going downhill. Even the Caritas shop has closed. You can’t even dance here anymore. There’s no disco anywhere in sight. Just nothing.”
A walk through the town confirms Steven’s assessment of the damage. The main street is eerily quiet. Almost half of the shops are closed. The empty windows of the “one-pound shop” are broken.
In front of the nail salon “Roxy Beauty” crows are fighting over the remains of a pizza. In the “Happy Life” gaming parlor women are sitting in front of colorful slot machines and chewing popcorn. Men can be found in the pub opposite. They are sitting silently in front of a glass of beer. They are accompanied by the song “Fernando” by the Swedish pop group Abba, who lost love because of all the grief.
Homelessness and alcohol problems are everyday life
If you want to understand the suffering of the people in this city, the best thing to do is visit the church community center in the south. There, a free meal is served at lunchtime and food bingo is played every Wednesday. Over a cup of coffee, people with money problems can win a package of pasta or rice.
Legend:
Residents of the city meet in the community center to banish the worries of everyday life.
SRF / Patrick Wülser
Forgetting the stresses of everyday life for a few hours together is important, says Anne Ramshaw, the director of the center. “Homelessness is a big problem, as is domestic violence. Alcohol and drug problems are part of everyday life here. And people who can no longer pay their water, electricity and telephone bills.”
Legend:
Anne Ramshaw runs the church community center.
SRF / Patrick Wülser
The problems have remained the same since the last parliamentary elections four years ago, says the social worker. But the number of people in need of help has tripled since then.
Before the last election, the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to improve the run-down towns in the north of England. This promise was evidently not fulfilled. Bishop Auckland finds out one evening in the pub why everything is now supposed to be better.
Disappointed by Labour and Tories
In the first national televised debate in early June, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer will clash live.
Sunak’s message is clear. Only his party is lowering taxes and the British are left with more money. He warns 14 times that under Labour, taxes would rise by a good 2,000 francs. The figure later turned out to be unsubstantiated, but Starmer only reacted on the twelfth occasion. Too late. The 2,000 francs are already burned into people’s minds and are the number one topic of conversation the next morning in the café on Bondgate in Bishop Auckland.
Rishi Sunak has done absolutely nothing for us. And Keir Starmer will do nothing for this country.
Farm machinery mechanic Bill has had enough of everything. Of the high taxes, but also of the high level of immigration. “Look at all the migrants coming into the country. Nobody is protecting our borders. The hospitals are full. People are being treated in the corridors. Trains and buses are late. The shops in this city are closed. It’s heartbreaking. Liz Truss has ruined the country. Rishi Sunak has done absolutely nothing for us. And Keir Starmer will do nothing for this country either. I don’t know how things are going to go on.”
For 100 years, the answer in this mining town has been clear, says pensioner Graham. They voted for Labour. “If Mickey Mouse had been a Labour candidate 50 years ago, my father would have voted for him without hesitation, believe me.”
Let’s give the Conservatives another five years and hope that the people here will be happy again.
But Labour has become arrogant and sluggish. In the last election, Bishop Auckland voted for the Conservatives for the first time. And because the Tories were also a disappointment, Bill and Graham only want to vote for Nigel Farage’s right-wing populists on July 4th.
Legend:
Sam Zair is the third generation to run the café.
SRF / Patrick Wülser
The independent mayor of Bishop Auckland, Sam Zahir, tries to appease: “We have had a Conservative MP for just five years. But recovery takes time. There are many plans. Construction of a bus station has already started. Let’s give the Conservatives another five years’ chance and hope that the people here will be happy again.”
Legend:
A Conservative government poster reading “Better times are coming soon.”
SRF / Patrick Wülser
“Good times. Coming soon!” is written on a British government poster outside. No matter who moves into Downing Street on July 4th, the people of Bishop Auckland would be happy if the slogans of perseverance were to materialize soon.