Cheer and loathing in the Surrey of the North

Paul Routledge finds hope of shock in Sunak's once-safe seat in Yorkshire

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Rishi Sunak begins his long goodbye from Yorkshire today. He came, he saw and he coveted the life of a country squire in "the Surrey of the North".

The ancient, castellated town of Richmond, towering over the River Swale, was to be his forever-safe Tory seat, base camp for the summit in No10.

"This is where they send their future leaders," protests one local voter yesterday. "Last time, it was William Hague." And now the dream is over. Even if he survives as MP - by no means a foregone conclusion - his squirearchy is ending.

Opinion polls suggest the contest with Labour candidate Tom Wilson, 29, who works for the NHS and grew up locally, is very close.

This could be the first time in history that a serving Prime Minister has lost his seat - while all about are losing theirs because of him.

In the winding stone streets of Richmond, I saw a sprinkling of Lib Dem placards, and a lone independent, but not one for Sunak.

No Conservative office in the main square, no sign of canvassers.

And scant sympathy from some of the electors on whom his future depends.

Sitting in the sun outside the regimental museum with his dog, Monty, retired urban developer David Walker, 60, says: "This is going to be the biggest political shock of all time.

"I am a lifelong Tory voter but I will be voting Labour because I just don't think they deserve another term in office.

"I look at the Labour front bench... it's not that bad and they have some good ideas.

"I would never have voted for Corbyn. "I wouldn't blame Sunak for packing it in.