Hereford
Liberal Democrat hold

Providing the debate in the next General Election campaign does not centre on Europe (the Conservatives were well ahead here in the Euro-elections in 1999) the Liberal Democrats' Paul Keetch should retain this 1997 gain, with his strength based on the Lib Dems' long-term local dominance of the city of Hereford, although it is now subsumed in the new unitary authority of Herefordshire, revived in time for all-out elections in May 2000.

Paul Keetch, victor here in 1997, is in the Liberal tradition of local boy made good - born (1961) in Hereford, educated at Hereford High School and Sixth Form College, a former local councillor, with an ear close to the ground as an ex-PR man, defending Hereford cattle farmers and voting conservatively on hunting, and a Defence spokesman by 2000, reflecting the importance of the local presence of the SAS HQ. A classic Liberal Democrat professional politician, right down to the statement that for him "cider has always been a passion".

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   Thriving Wealthy Achievers, Suburban Areas 15.58% 14.99% 103.92 Affluent Greys, Rural Communities 10.16% 2.13% 477.66 Prosperous Pensioners, Retirement Areas 1.87% 2.49% 75.34 Expanding Affluent Executives, Family Areas 4.28% 4.43% 96.74 Well-Off Workers, Family Areas 4.45% 7.27% 61.16 Rising Affluent Urbanites, Town & City Areas 0.91% 2.56% 35.41 Prosperous Professionals, Metropolitan Areas 0.00% 2.04% 0.00 Better-Off Executives, Inner City Areas 2.84% 3.94% 72.12 Settling Comfortable Middle Agers, Mature Home Owning Areas 15.62% 13.04% 119.81 Skilled Workers, Home Owning Areas 8.66% 12.70% 68.15 Aspiring New Home Owners, Mature Communities 9.64% 8.14% 118.38 White Collar Workers, Better-Off Multi Ethnic Areas 4.30% 4.02% 106.88 Striving Older People, Less Prosperous Areas 3.38% 3.19% 106.12 Council Estate Residents, Better-Off Homes 16.70% 11.31% 147.61 Council Estate Residents, High Unemployment 1.35% 3.06% 44.01 Council Estate Residents, Greatest Hardship 0.19% 2.52% 7.49 People in Multi-Ethnic, Low-Income Areas 0.00% 2.10% 0.00 Unclassified Unclassified 0.08% 0.06% 125.54

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   £0-5K 9.98% 9.41% 106.05 £5-10K 18.96% 16.63% 113.97 £10-15K 18.59% 16.58% 112.16 £15-20K 14.54% 13.58% 107.06 £20-25K 10.52% 10.39% 101.17 £25-30K 7.42% 7.77% 95.44 £30-35K 5.23% 5.79% 90.21 £35-40K 3.71% 4.33% 85.55 £40-45K 2.66% 3.27% 81.45 £45-50K 1.93% 2.48% 77.85 £50-55K 1.42% 1.90% 74.68 £55-60K 1.06% 1.47% 71.90 £60-65K 0.80% 1.15% 69.43 £65-70K 0.61% 0.91% 67.24 £70-75K 0.47% 0.72% 65.28 £75-80K 0.37% 0.57% 63.53 £80-85K 0.29% 0.46% 61.94 £85-90K 0.23% 0.37% 60.50 £90-95K 0.18% 0.31% 59.19 £95-100K 0.14% 0.25% 58.00 £100K + 0.70% 1.34% 52.37