Elmet and Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)

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Elmet and Rothwell
County constituency
for the House of Commons
ElmetRothwell2007Constituency.svg
Boundary of Elmet and Rothwell in West Yorkshire
EnglandWestYorkshire.svg
Location of West Yorkshire within England
County West Yorkshire
Electorate 80,957 (December 2019) [1]
Major settlements Rothwell, Garforth, Wetherby
Current constituency
Created 2010
Member of Parliament Alec Shelbrooke (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created from Elmet, Morley and Rothwell

Elmet and Rothwell is a constituency in West Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its creation in 2010 by Alec Shelbrooke, a Conservative. [n 1] In the 2017 general election, Elmet and Rothwell recorded the largest turnout of any seat in West or South Yorkshire, with almost 60,000 electors casting a vote.

Contents

There is no town of Elmet: the name refers to an ancient Celtic kingdom in the area. The name is however referenced by local villages Barwick-in-Elmet and Scholes-in-Elmet, and also Sherburn in Elmet which is nearby but outside the constituency.

The seat is due to be abolished for the next general election. [2]

History

Following its review of parliamentary boundaries in West Yorkshire, the Boundary Commission for England created this constituency for the 2010 election, which principally contains the three towns of Garforth, Rothwell and Wetherby.

Constituency profile

Situated to the east of Leeds is the seat of Elmet and Rothwell in West Yorkshire. The constituency is named after the town of Rothwell and the ancient British Celtic kingdom of Elmet. The constituency includes rural hinterland and commuter towns to the east of Leeds, including the historical market town of Wetherby, and former coal mining towns and villages, in an area slightly further south, such as Allerton Bywater, Garforth, Kippax, Methley, Oulton, Rothwell and Swillington. The pits in this area were closed on agreement that the workforce could transfer to the nearby Selby coalfield, so the area had several residents who commuted to work as miners as late as 2004.

This is mostly white, owner-occupier territory, with only one in 10 living in social housing, according to ONS 2011 Census figures for England and Wales. Considering this, below average levels of adults here claim Job Seeker's Allowance, with only 1% of constituents doing so. A quarter of the population works in retail and manufacturing; four in 10 have a professional, managerial or technical job, while one in 20 is an apprentice. 28% of constituents have a university degree or higher.

The area has below average levels of immigration. Only 4% of the constituency were born outside the UK, compared to 13% nationally. [3]

Elmet and Rothwell ranks 206th in a list of the largest constituencies in the UK (geographical size), and 248th in a list of the largest constituencies by population size. It is the safest seat for the Conservative Party in West Yorkshire.

Academic analysis suggests that roughly 56% of electors in the constituency voted to Leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum. [4]

Boundaries

Elmet and Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)
Map of current boundaries

The City of Leeds wards of Garforth and Swillington, Harewood, Kippax and Methley, Rothwell, and Wetherby.

Proposed abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be abolished for the next general election, with its contents distributed four ways: [2]

Members of Parliament

Alec Shelbrooke, Member of Parliament for Elmet and Rothwell since 2010 Official portrait of Rt Hon Alec Shelbrooke MP crop 3.jpg
Alec Shelbrooke, Member of Parliament for Elmet and Rothwell since 2010
ElectionMember [5] Party
2010 Alec Shelbrooke Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

The 2019 election saw Elmet and Rothwell continue to be the safest Conservative seat in West Yorkshire. A significant swing of nearly 7% to the Conservatives was recorded, in line with many seats in the area.

General election 2019: Elmet and Rothwell [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alec Shelbrooke 33,726 57.9 +3.6
Labour David Nagle16,37328.1-9.8
Liberal Democrats Stewart Golton5,1558.9+4.5
Green Penny Stables1,7753.1+1.4
Yorkshire Matt Clover1,1962.1+0.3
Majority17,35329.8+13.4
Turnout 58,22571.9-2.3
Conservative hold Swing +6.7

By numerical vote share and percentage majority, the 2017 general election saw Elmet and Rothwell become the safest Conservative seat in West Yorkshire.

General election 2017: Elmet and Rothwell [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alec Shelbrooke 32,352 54.3 +5.9
Labour David Nagle22,54737.9+4.2
Liberal Democrats Stewart Golton2,6064.4-0.2
Yorkshire Matthew Clover1,0421.8New
Green Dylan Brown9951.7-0.5
Majority9,80516.4+1.7
Turnout 59,54274.2+1.2
Conservative hold Swing +0.9
General election 2015: Elmet and Rothwell [8] [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alec Shelbrooke 27,978 48.4 +5.8
Labour Veronica King19,48833.7-0.8
UKIP Paul Spivey6,43011.1+8.2
Liberal Democrats Stewart Golton2,6404.6-11.7
Green Dave Brooks1,2612.2New
Majority8,49014.7+6.6
Turnout 57,79773.0+1.2
Conservative hold Swing +3.3

This new constituency of Elmet and Rothwell was fought for the first time at the 2010 general election.

General election 2010: Elmet and Rothwell [10] [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alec Shelbrooke 23,778 42.6 +8.1
Labour James Lewis19,25734.5-11.4
Liberal Democrats Stewart Golton9,10916.3-1.0
BNP Sam Clayton1,8023.2+0.9
UKIP Darren Oddy1,5932.9New
Independent Christopher Nolan2500.4New
Majority4,5218.1+6.6
Turnout 55,78971.8+2.0
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. Like all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garforth</span> Town in West Yorkshire, England

Garforth is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barwick-in-Elmet</span> Village in West Yorkshire, England

Barwick-in-Elmet is a village in West Yorkshire, 7 miles (11 km) east of Leeds city centre. It is one of only three places in the area to be explicitly associated with the ancient Romano-British kingdom of Elmet, the others being Scholes-in-Elmet and Sherburn-in-Elmet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scholes, Leeds</span> Village in West Yorkshire, England

Scholes-in-Elmet is a village in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Its name is a plural of Old Norse skáli meaning "temporary shed".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elmet (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983–2010

Elmet was a county constituency in West Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morley and Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997–2010

Morley and Rothwell was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Normanton (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885-2010

Normanton was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kippax, West Yorkshire</span> Human settlement in England

Kippax is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England. It is situated to the east of the city, near to Garforth and Great Preston. The Kippax and Methley ward of Leeds City Council was part of the former UK Parliament constituency of Elmet, which became Elmet and Rothwell at the 2010 UK general election. The population of Kippax parish at the 2011 Census was 9,785. Kippax was a separate civil parish, in Tadcaster Rural District, until 1939, when it was annexed to Garforth. It re-acquired civil parish status and a parish council on 1 April 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morley and Outwood (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom

Morley and Outwood is a constituency in West Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Andrea Jenkyns of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swillington</span> Village and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England

Swillington is a village and civil parish near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. It is situated 5 miles (8 km) east from Leeds city centre, north of the River Aire, and is surrounded by streams including Fleakingley Beck. In 2001, Swillington had a population of about 3,530, reducing to 3,381 at the 2011 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collingham, West Yorkshire</span> Village and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England

Collingham is a village and civil parish 2 miles (3 km) south-west of Wetherby in West Yorkshire, England. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. The population of the civil parish as of the 2011 census was 2,991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds Country Way</span> Long-distance footpath in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

The Leeds Country Way is a circular long-distance footpath of 62 miles (99 km) around Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is never more than 7 miles (11 km) from City Square, Leeds, but is mainly rural with extensive views in the outlying areas of the Leeds metropolitan district. It follows public Rights of Way including footpaths, bridleways and minor lanes, with a few short sections along roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Leeds</span> City in West Yorkshire, England

Leeds, commonly known as the City of Leeds, is a metropolitan borough with city status in West Yorkshire, England. The metropolitan borough includes the administrative centre of Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell, Wetherby and Yeadon. It has a population of 809,036 (2021), making it technically the second largest city in England by population behind Birmingham, since London is not a single local government entity. Local governance sits with Leeds City Council and the city's 32 Parish Councils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 Leeds City Council election</span>

The 1980 Leeds City Council election took place on 1 May 1980 to elect members of Leeds City Council in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garforth and Swillington (ward)</span> Electoral ward in Leeds, England

Garforth and Swillington is an electoral ward of Leeds City Council in east Leeds, West Yorkshire, covering the town of Garforth as well as the villages of Great Preston and Swillington.

Wetherby and Easingwold is a proposed constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament, partly in North Yorkshire and partly in West Yorkshire. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it will first be contested at the next general election.

References

  1. "Elmet & Rothwell Parliamentary constituency". BBC. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  2. 1 2 "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – Yorkshire and the Humber | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  3. "Elmet and Rothwell Parliamentary Profile". 2011 Electorate Figures. BBC. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  4. Hanretty, Chris (18 August 2016). "Revised estimates of Leave vote share in Westminster constituencies". Medium.
  5. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
  6. "Elmet and Rothwell constituency". Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  7. "Elmet & Rothwell parliamentary constituency – Election 2017" via www.bbc.com.
  8. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. "Elmet & Rothwell". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  10. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. "UK > England > Yorkshire & the Humber > Elmet & Rothwell". Election 2010. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.

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