North West Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)
North West Leicestershire | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Leicestershire |
Electorate | 72,022 (December 2010)[1] |
Major settlements | Coalville and Ashby-de-la-Zouch |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1983 |
Member of Parliament | TBC (TBC) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Bosworth and Loughborough |
North West Leicestershire is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Andrew Bridgen. Bridgen originally served as a Conservative and now serves as an Independent following his suspension in January 2023 and subsequent expulsion. He joined the Reclaim Party in May 2023,[2] then left Reclaim and became an Independent again the following December.[3][n 2]
History
The constituency was contested for the first time in 1983, and Conservative candidate David Ashby became its first MP that year. He stood down in 1997 and Labour's David Taylor won the seat, holding it until he died of a heart attack in December 2009. Taylor had already announced that he would stand down at the 2010 general election. With the next election being due on 6 May 2010, it was considered uneconomic and (based on precedent) unnecessary to arrange a by-election. In the 2010 election, Andrew Bridgen took the seat for the Conservatives, with a swing of 12% from Labour to the Conservatives and with a smaller Labour–Liberal Democrats swing. Bridgen's majority was 7,511 or 14.5% of the total votes cast.
Constituency profile
North West Leicestershire's main settlements are the small towns of Coalville and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The population is divided between Labour-inclined former mining areas with high rates of employment[4] and low social housing dependency,[5][n 3] and Conservative-inclined rural villages, with most people focused close to the two towns named.[6] The seat has been a bellwether since 1983, as the winning party has formed the government.
In 2011 Coalfield Resources plc were given permission to develop an opencast coal mining pit on the site of the former Minorca colliery on the outskirts of Measham, in the seat, which will be 1 mi (1.6 km) across and extract 1,250,000 tonnes (1,230,000 tons) of coal over five years, and 250,000 tonnes (about 245,000 tons) of clay. This will be one of three large mines all operated by the main UK coal-extracting company.[7]
Boundaries
Historic
North West Leicestershire constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the seats of Bosworth to the south and Loughborough to the east.
1983–1997: The District of North West Leicestershire, and the Borough of Charnwood wards of Shepshed East and Shepshed West.
1997–2024: The District of North West Leicestershire.
Current
Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the size of the constituency was reduced to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the two small wards of Appleby, and Oakthorpe and Donisthorpe to the newly named constituency of Hinckley and Bosworth.[8]
Members of Parliament
Bosworth and Loughborough prior to 1983
Election | Member[9] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | David Ashby | Conservative | |
1997 | David Taylor | Labour | |
2010 | Andrew Bridgen | Conservative | |
2023 | Independent | ||
Reclaim | |||
Independent |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Carl Benfield[11] | ||||
Independent | Andrew Bridgen[12] | ||||
Liberal Democrats | Alice Delemare[13] | ||||
No description | Siobhan Dillon | ||||
Labour | Amanda Hack[14] | ||||
Reform UK | Noel Matthews[15] | ||||
Conservative | Craig Smith[16] | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout |
Elections in the 2010s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Andrew Bridgen | 33,811 | 62.8 | +4.6 | |
Labour | Terri Eynon | 13,411 | 24.9 | −8.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Grahame Hudson | 3,614 | 6.7 | +0.3 | |
Green | Carl Benfield | 2,478 | 4.6 | +2.5 | |
Independent | Edward Nudd | 367 | 0.7 | New | |
Libertarian | Dan Liddicott | 140 | 0.3 | New | |
Majority | 20,400 | 37.9 | +13.1 | ||
Turnout | 53,821 | 68.2 | −2.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +6.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Andrew Bridgen[19] | 31,153 | 58.2 | +8.7 | |
Labour | Sean Sheahan[20] | 17,867 | 33.4 | +6.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Michael Wyatt[21] | 3,420 | 6.4 | +2.5 | |
Green | Mia Woolley[22] | 1,101 | 2.1 | −0.2 | |
Majority | 13,286 | 24.8 | +2.7 | ||
Turnout | 53,541 | 71.0 | −0.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Andrew Bridgen | 25,505 | 49.5 | +4.9 | |
Labour | Jamie McMahon | 14,132 | 27.4 | −2.7 | |
UKIP | Andy McWilliam[24] | 8,704 | 16.9 | +14.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Mark Argent[25] | 2,033 | 3.9 | −12.7 | |
Green | Benjamin Gravestock[26] | 1,174 | 2.3 | New | |
Majority | 11,373 | 22.1 | +7.6 | ||
Turnout | 51,548 | 71.4 | −1.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Andrew Bridgen | 23,147 | 44.6 | +8.6 | |
Labour | Ross Willmott | 15,636 | 30.1 | −15.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Paul Reynolds | 8,639 | 16.6 | +4.5 | |
BNP | Ian Meller | 3,396 | 6.5 | +3.4 | |
UKIP | Martin Green | 1,134 | 2.2 | −1.1 | |
Majority | 7,511 | 14.5 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 51,952 | 72.9 | +6.1 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +12.0 |
Elections in the 2000s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour Co-op | David Taylor | 21,449 | 45.5 | −6.6 | |
Conservative | Nicola Le Page | 16,972 | 36.0 | +2.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Roderick Keys | 5,682 | 12.1 | +1.8 | |
UKIP | John Blunt | 1,563 | 3.3 | +1.0 | |
BNP | Clive Potter | 1,474 | 3.1 | New | |
Majority | 4,477 | 9.5 | −8.7 | ||
Turnout | 47,140 | 66.8 | +1.0 | ||
Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −4.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour Co-op | David Taylor | 23,431 | 52.1 | −4.3 | |
Conservative | Nick Weston | 15,274 | 33.9 | +2.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Charlie Fraser-Fleming | 4,651 | 10.3 | +1.7 | |
UKIP | William Nattrass | 1,021 | 2.3 | New | |
Independent | Robert Nettleton | 632 | 1.4 | New | |
Majority | 8,157 | 18.2 | −7.2 | ||
Turnout | 43,219 | 65.8 | −14.2 | ||
Labour Co-op hold | Swing | -3.6 |
Elections in the 1990s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour Co-op | David Taylor | 29,332 | 56.4 | +12.5 | |
Conservative | Robert Goodwill | 16,113 | 31.0 | −14.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Stan Heptinstall | 4,492 | 8.6 | −1.6 | |
Referendum | Maurice Abney-Hastings | 2,008 | 4.0 | New | |
Majority | 13,219 | 25.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 51,945 | 80.0 | −6.1 | ||
Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Ashby | 28,379 | 45.5 | −2.1 | |
Labour | David Taylor | 27,400 | 43.9 | +9.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Jeremy Beckett | 6,353 | 10.2 | −6.9 | |
Natural Law | David Fawcett | 229 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 979 | 1.6 | −11.7 | ||
Turnout | 62,361 | 86.1 | +3.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −5.9 |
Elections in the 1980s
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Ashby | 27,872 | 47.6 | +3.0 | |
Labour | Susan Waddington | 20,044 | 34.3 | +1.7 | |
Liberal | David Emmerson | 10,034 | 17.1 | −4.6 | |
Green | Helen Michetschlager | 570 | 1.0 | −0.1 | |
Majority | 7,828 | 13.3 | +1.4 | ||
Turnout | 58,520 | 82.85 | +1.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Ashby | 24,760 | 44.6 | ||
Labour | Mel Read | 18,098 | 32.6 | ||
Liberal | Geoffrey Cort | 12,043 | 21.7 | ||
Ecology | Dinah Freer | 637 | 1.15 | ||
Majority | 6,662 | 12.0 | |||
Turnout | 55,538 | 81.07 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |
See also
Notes
- ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
- ^ This should be contrasted with most constituencies in County Durham, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire which historically had a similar but more densely populated mining population and which have higher Indicators of Multiple Deprivation and are Labour safe seats based on length of service by one political party
References
- ^ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ^ Quinn, Ben (10 May 2023). "Andrew Bridgen becomes first Reclaim MP after expulsion from Tories". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ @abridgen (20 December 2023). "A statement by Andrew Bridgen MP: "This morning, I have made the incredibly difficult decision to resign from the Reclaim Party. I would first of all like to thank Laurence and all of the team at Reclaim who have been excellent and supported me wholeheartedly for the last 9 months. I have come to this decision purely because of a difference in the direction of the Party, I will still wholeheartedly support the policies and values of the Reclaim Party and wish them all of the best in their future endeavours However, I need to make a very important decision with a general election pending in the first half of next year. I need to put North West Leicestershire first, above any Party allegiance. I will continue standing up and fighting for the people of North West Leicestershire and delivering what is best for them. I have consistently campaigned against HS2 since my first election in 2010, I have been at the forefront of exposing scandals such as the modern day slavery cover up in Leicester and the Post Office Horizon scandal which was debated in the House of Commons yesterday. I have been standing up for those who have been injured by vaccines and exposing the worrying cover up of Trends in Excess Deaths on a national and indeed global scale" ENDS" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
- ^ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
- ^ "OpenStreetMap". OpenStreetMap.
- ^ "Leicestershire opencast coal mine gains approval". BBC News. 23 June 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 2)
- ^ https://www.nwleics.gov.uk/files/documents/notice_of_persons_nominated_general_election_2024_north_west_leicestershire/General%20election%202024%20-%20North%20West%20Leicestershire%20-%20Statement%20of%20Persons%20Nominated%20and%20Notice%20of%20Poll.pdf
- ^ "Prospective Parliamentary Candidates 2024". Loughborough and North West Leicestershire Green Party. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ "Former Tory MP Andrew Bridgen quits Laurence Fox's Reclaim Party". Independent. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "Alice Delemare for North West Leicestershire". North West Leicestershire Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "Labour candidate selected to challenge for Tory seat held for more than a decade". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "North West Leicestershire Constituency". Reform UK. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
- ^ "Coalville-based councillor Smith will stand for Conservatives in North West Leicestershire at next General Election". Coalville Nub News. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "Leicestershire North West Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
- ^ "General Election 2017: North West Leicestershire". The Daily Express. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ Andrew Bridgen [@ABridgen] (25 April 2017). "Delighted and honoured to have been unanimously readopted as the NW Leics Conservative candidate for the forthcoming General Election" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "East Midlands Labour candidates announced - East Midlands Labour". Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ https://www.nwleics.gov.uk/pages/parliamentary_election_results_2017
- ^ "Elections - North West Leicestershire District Council". www.nwleics.gov.uk.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "UK Polling Report".
- ^ http://www.markargent4nwleics.org.uk [dead link ]
- ^ "Prospective General Election Candidates | Green Party". Green Party Members' Website.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ a b "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ North West Leicestershire general election, 2005 results, North West Leicestershire District Council
- ^ a b Henig, Simon; Lewis Baston (2002). The Political Map of Britain. London: Politico's. p. 477. ISBN 1-84275-015-1.
- ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.