IN seven weeks since Theresa May announced today's snap General Election York has welcomed both party leaders and found itself the centre of the political spotlight as the close fight nears its end.

Since April 18, when the Prime Minister made her announcement on the steps on Number 10, both Mrs May and Jeremy Corbyn have made more than one visit to the city.

As soon as the election was announced, the then York Central MP Rachael Maskell branded Mrs May reckless for sparking an election campaign, when her priority should have been the looming Brexit talks.

 

York Press:

At the time, Ms Maskell said: "There’s about 18 months for these Brexit negotiations to take place and for the first two months of those we will not be at the negotiating table.

"To call it at the most crucial stage is purely a political act."

In the following days, candidates started to emerge for the two York constituencies, and for neighbouring Selby and Ainsty, and Thirsk and Malton.

The Lib Dem candidates Nick Love and James Blanchard were among the first to declare, but the real shock came on May 11 when Green Party candidate - and well-known city councillor - Andy D'Agorne withdrew from the York Central fight to avoid splitting the “progressive” vote and letting in a Conservative MP.

The Greens are still fielding Bethan Vincent in York Outer, but May 11 also brought news of no UKIP candidates in either York seat, meaning thousands of votes are up for grabs in both areas.

Early May also brought the launch of a York Vote Swap campaign - set up by pro Europe campaigners in a bid to get two Remain supporting MPs election to Parliament.

Their campaign encouraged voters in York Central to back Labour's Rachael Maskell over Lib Dem Nick Love, in return for York Outer voters backing Lib Dem James Blanchard instead of Labour's Luke Charters-Reid.

Parliament was dissolved on May 3, and from then campaigns began to gear up.

Theresa May made her first visit to York on May 9, appearing with candidates from across the North and talking to local activists at the Barbican.

The following day, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn headed to York. He visited a city primary school to talk about education funding, and addressed a crown of hundreds gathered in St Helen's Square.

In the days that followed a stream of cabinet and shadow cabinet ministers made their way to York - from Labour's John Healey talking about housing, to Conservatives Priti Patel and Chris Grayling - who said the A64 dualling project is on the way for York, but major works on the northern ring road will have to wait.

On May 19, Chancellor Phillip Hammond and York Central candidate Ed Young visited city-based technology firm Netsells, where he spoke about productivity, and Conservative plans for "UK Shared Prosperity Fund" to replace lost EU funding.

Netsells managing director Brannan Coady said his company still struggled to retain skilled staff, and said it a reduction in National Insurance payments and corporation tax would help them pay staff better. He also said businesses need to know "just how hard this hard Brexit is going to be" for the sake for EU employees.

Hustings events were also put on throughout the city. On Monday May 22, all three York Central candidates went to York College to speak to young voters, and they faced questions on social care, housing and mental health.

College principal Dr Alison Birkinsaw spoke up about further education, and tore into the Conservative manifesto - accusing the party of doing nothing to help the further education sector.

She said the party’s manifesto did nothing about underfunding for colleges, and instead gives money to “pet projects”.

Later that week the same three candidates - plus York Outer Green Bethan Vincent - were at Bootham school for another hustings. It marked the re-commencement of campaigning after terrorist attack in Manchester, and began with a minute's silence to remember the victims.

Another week later, a hustings at the University of York featured in German news bulletins, as journalists from the country looked into tactical voting in the British election.

The political spotlight turned truly to York on Friday, June 2, when the BBC's Question Time special with both Mrs May and Mr Corbyn was filmed at the university.

Politicians and journalists flocked to the university, to see the two leaders appear one after the other. Protesters and Corbyn supporters also gathered outside the venue, and there was a heavy police presence around the Heslington campus.

- Visit yorkpress.co.uk on Thursday for live updates through the night on the election results from York, Yorkshire and across the UK.