The Glastonbury and Somerton constituency, newly formed in the recent boundary review, is one of 32 "true blue" seats that high-ranking Conservatives believe must be secured by Thatcherite candidates at the impending general election to prevent a potential "existential crisis" for the party.

According to The Telegraph, these staunch Tories, including veteran backbenchers, former Cabinet ministers, and current MPs, are orchestrating a plan to "keep the Conservative Party conservative" no matter the outcome at the ballot box.

This list of pivotal constituencies, among which Glastonbury and Somerton holds a prominent position, consists of seats that, based on 2019 Electoral Calculus data, have an estimated majority of 10,000 or more. These constituencies either have incumbent MPs intending to retire or are recently created due to boundary changes.

Additional new and significant seats being targeted by the Thatcherite Conservatives include Bromsgrove, which will be vacated by former Chancellor Sajid Javid, and West Suffolk, where Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, is stepping down.

The strategic mapping of these key seats occurs against the backdrop of an internal battle over the identity of the Conservative Party.

Several factions, including the One Nation group, the Conservative Democratic Organisation, and the New Conservatives, are each vying to guide the future direction of Toryism.

A former Cabinet minister told The Telegraph: "The message to the grassroots clearly has to be if you want to have a centre-Right Conservative Party, you have to focus on selecting people that hold our values and beliefs and are dedicated to them."

Senior members of the party are gearing up for "conversations" with association chairmen, advocating for the selection of Thatcherite candidates in the target seats, Glastonbury and Somerton included.

Emphasising the critical nature of these selections, a Tory insider involved in the formulation of the target list noted, "Selecting the right people, in both senses of the word, is essential if we are to keep the Conservative Party conservative."

The implications of the forthcoming general election are far-reaching, with the Glastonbury and Somerton constituency, along with the other identified seats, playing a critical role in determining the future ideology and leadership of the Conservative Party.