These seats have long voted Tory. That might be about to change

“A lot of people are fed up with the volatility and instability in the party over the last 14 years,” she tells me as she delivers a pointed critique of the five prime ministers from that period. “Finally Rishi is trying to pick up the pieces. He is earnest. But people are not listening anymore. People have tuned out.”

A rare sighting of Tory canvassers in her street persuaded Mrs Barclay that the party was nervous about what was a rock-solid Tory area.

Ruth Edwards, the Tory candidate defending Rushcliffe, turned up on her doorstep to ask whether she could count on Mrs Barclay’s support.

“I said for the first time I will vote for Labour. I get Keir Starmer can be a little bit robotic, but he actually has a soul and honesty about him.

“Ruth looked a bit deflated. But then my husband popped over and said: ‘It’s all right. I will vote Conservative.’ So that improved her mood a bit.”

But along the tree-lined high street of Radcliffe on Trent, there is evidence that sir Keir Starmer himself is not a vote winner for everyone, including one traditional Labour voter. Sandra Trevillion, a pensioner, says she might switch to the Conservatives.

“I need to put my chin to it and make my mind up on how to vote,” she tells me. “I am not enthused by Keir Starmer. He is too cautious. I normally stand out in this area because it is Conservative. But I might vote Conservative, I might vote Liberal. I feel it is a duty to vote. But I am half-hearted about it. I need to look into it a bit more deeply.”

Back down to the south coast, and a ladies’ coffee morning is in full flow. All is calm until the BBC wanders into the wood-panelled cafe of the Boscombe Cliff Bowling Club and asks: “Any thoughts about the election?”