Leicester West (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Leicester West
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Leicester West (UK Parliament constituency)
Boundaries since 2024
East Midlands - Leicester West constituency.svg
Boundary of Leicester West in the East Midlands
County Leicestershire
Electorate 72,848 (2023) [1]
Current constituency
Created 1974 (1974)
Member of Parliament Liz Kendall (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created from Leicester North West and Leicester South West
1918–1950
SeatsOne
Created from Leicester
Replaced by Leicester North West and Leicester South West

Leicester West is a constituency [n 1] in Leicestershire that existed from 1918 to 1950, and recreated in 1974. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by Liz Kendall of the Labour Party since 2010. [n 2] Kendall currently serves as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under the government of Keir Starmer. Since its creation in 1918 (and its recreation in 1974), the seat has sided with parties from the left wing of politics.

Contents

Boundaries

Historic

1918–1950: The County Borough of Leicester wards of Abbey, Newton, St Margaret's, Westcotes, and Wyggeston.

1974–1983: The County Borough of Leicester wards of Abbey, Newton, North Braunstone, St Margaret's, and Westcotes.

1983–2010: The City of Leicester wards of Abbey, Beaumont Leys, Mowmacre, New Parks, North Braunstone, Rowley Fields, St Augustine's, Westcotes, and Western Park.

2010–2024: The City of Leicester wards of Abbey, Beaumont Leys, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, Fosse, New Parks, Westcotes, and Western Park.

Current

Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the size of the constituency was increased with the transfer of Aylestone ward from Leicester South. [2]

Constituency profile

Leicester West is the whitest of the three Leicester constituencies, and the one with the highest proportion of social housing. Some areas of the seat, such as Braunstone and Beaumont Leys, are made up of large local authority estates, and around 30% of the housing is council- or housing association-owned, the second-highest in the Midlands. The centre of the seat, the Westcotes area, is more inner-city in character and is popular with young professionals and students. [3]

This used to be the safest Labour seat in Leicester; at the 1983 general election it was the only one to remain in Labour hands. However, the high South Asian populations in Leicester South and Leicester East have tended to push them away from the Conservative Party; conversely, while Leicester West is still a safe Labour seat and has been represented by that party since the Second World War, it has become the most marginal of the three Leicester seats. [3] While it did, like the other two Leicester constituencies, see a significant swing to Labour in 2017, Liz Kendall's majority was not a record high for the constituency, unlike with the results in Leicester East and Leicester South.

As of 2009, in the depths of the late-2000s recession, the constituency had the fourth-highest level of unemployment in Britain, with 13.8% of residents registered unemployed. Most of the unemployment is concentrated in areas such as Braunstone, which is traditionally one of the most deprived parts of the city. [4]

History

In 1950, the seat was replaced by the constituencies of Leicester North West and Leicester South West, until 1974. In that period, Leicester North West was represented by Barnett Janner until 1970, and then by his son Greville Janner.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1918–1950

Leicester prior to 1918

ElectionMember [5] Party
1918 Joseph Frederick Green Coalition National Democratic
1922 Alfred Hill Labour
1923 Frederick Pethick-Lawrence Labour
1931 Ernest Pickering Liberal
1935 Harold Nicolson National Labour
1945 Barnett Janner Labour
1950 constituency abolished

MPs since 1974

Leicester North West and Leicester South West prior to 1974

YearMemberParty
Feb 1974 Greville Janner Labour
1997 Patricia Hewitt Labour
2010 Liz Kendall Labour

Elections

Leicester West election results Leicester West election results.png
Leicester West election results

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Leicester West [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Liz Kendall 15,798 44.6 −4.7
Conservative Max Chauhan7,02119.8−16.8
Reform UK Ian Hayes5,66616.0+11.5
Green Aasiya Bora4,08911.6+8.8
Liberal Democrats Benjamin Feist2,1796.2−0.5
One LeicesterRahoul Naik3270.9N/A
TUSC Steve Score3170.9N/A
Majority8,77724.8+12.7
Turnout 35,39748.0−5.2
Registered electors 74,102
Labour hold Swing +6.1

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Leicester West [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Liz Kendall 17,291 49.7 –11.1
Conservative Amanda Wright13,07937.6+6.2
Liberal Democrats Ian Bradwell1,8085.2+3.1
Brexit Party Jack Collier1,6204.7New
Green Ani Goddard9772.8+1.2
Majority4,21212.1–17.3
Turnout 34,77553.6–4.3
Labour hold Swing –8.7
General election 2017: Leicester West [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Liz Kendall 22,823 60.8 +14.3
Conservative Jack Hickey11,76331.4+5.8
UKIP Stuart Young1,4063.7–13.5
Liberal Democrats Ian Bradwell7922.1–2.3
Green Mel Gould6071.6–3.8
Independent David Bowley1210.3New
Majority11,06029.4+8.5
Turnout 37,51257.9+3.3
Labour hold Swing +4.3
General election 2015: Leicester West [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Liz Kendall 16,051 46.5 +8.1
Conservative Paul Bessant8,84825.6–1.6
UKIP Stuart Young5,95017.2+14.7
Green Peter Hague1,8785.4+3.6
Liberal Democrats Ian Bradwell1,5074.4–18.2
TUSC Heather Rawling2880.8+0.4
Majority7,20320.9+9.7
Turnout 34,52254.6–0.6
Labour hold Swing +4.8
General election 2010: Leicester West [10] [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Liz Kendall 13,745 38.4 –12.4
Conservative Celia Harvey 9,72827.2+2.8
Liberal Democrats Peter Coley8,10722.6+4.4
BNP Gary Reynolds2,1586.0New
UKIP Stephen Ingall8832.5New
Green Geoff Forse6391.8–3.0
Independent Steven Huggins1810.5New
TUSC Steve Score [12] 1570.4New
Pirate Shaun Dyer1130.3New
Independent David Bowley1080.3New
Majority4,01711.2–16.1
Turnout 35,81955.2+2.6
Labour hold Swing –7.6

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Leicester West [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Patricia Hewitt 17,184 51.7 –2.5
Conservative Sarah Richardson8,11424.4–0.8
Liberal Democrats Zuffar Haq5,80317.5+2.2
Green Geoff Forse1,5714.7+1.5
Socialist Alternative Steve Score5521.7New
Majority9,07027.3–1.7
Turnout 33,22453.3+2.4
Labour hold Swing –0.8
General election 2001: Leicester West [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Patricia Hewitt 18,014 54.2 –1.0
Conservative Christopher Shaw8,37525.2+1.5
Liberal Democrats Andy Vincent5,08515.3+1.1
Green Matthew Gough1,0743.2+1.8
Socialist Labour Sean Kirkpatrick3501.10.0
Socialist Alliance Stephen Score3211.0New
Majority9,63929.0−2.5
Turnout 33,21950.9–12.2
Labour hold Swing –1.2

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Leicester West [9] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Patricia Hewitt 22,580 55.2 +8.4
Conservative Richard Thomas9,71623.7–14.8
Liberal Democrats Mark Jones5,79514.2+0.9
Referendum William Shooter9702.4New
Green Geoff Forse5861.4+0.3
Socialist Labour David Roberts4521.1New
Socialist Alternative Josephine Nicholls3270.8New
BNP Adrian Belshaw3020.7New
National Democrats Clive Potter1860.5New
Majority12,86431.5+23.2
Turnout 40,91463.1–10.6
Labour hold Swing +11.6
General election 1992: Leicester West [16] [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Greville Janner 22,574 46.8 +2.3
Conservative John Guthrie 18,59638.5–3.6
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey F. Walker6,40213.3–0.2
Green Claire D. Wintram5171.1New
Natural Law Jenny M. Rosta1710.4New
Majority3,9788.3+5.9
Turnout 48,26073.7+0.2
Labour hold Swing +2.9

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Leicester West [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Greville Janner 22,156 44.5 –0.3
Conservative James Cooper20,95542.1+1.0
SDP William Edgar6,70813.5+0.8
Majority1,2012.4–1.3
Turnout 49,81973.5+4.7
Labour hold Swing –1.3
General election 1983: Leicester West [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Greville Janner 20,837 44.8 –8.8
Conservative Robert Meacham19,12541.1+5.7
SDP Sumal Fernando5,93512.8New
BNP Ray Hill 4691.0New
Workers Revolutionary B.J. Prangle1760.4New
Majority1,7123.7–14.5
Turnout 46,54268.8–3.5
Labour hold Swing –7.3

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Leicester West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Greville Janner 26,032 53.60 +0.69
Conservative Alastair Ross Goobey 17,19435.40+5.01
Liberal A. Lycett4,0328.30–3.31
National Front P. Ash1,3082.69–0.75
Majority8,83818.20
Turnout 48,56672.26
Labour hold Swing –4.32
General election October 1974: Leicester West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Greville Janner 23,406 52.91
Conservative A. Simpson13,44630.39
Liberal J. Windram5,13511.61New
National Front W. Newcombe2,2535.09
Majority9,96022.52
Turnout 44,24068.43
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Leicester West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Greville Janner 27,195 56.28
Conservative A. Simpson18,54338.38
National Front W. Newcombe2,5795.34
Majority8,65217.90
Turnout 48,31775.45
Labour win (new seat)

Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Leicester West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Barnett Janner 20,563 53.34
National Labour Harold Nicolson 13,34834.63
Liberal Joseph Arnold Kirby4,63912.03
Majority7,21518.71N/A
Turnout 38,55076.80
Labour gain from National Labour Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Leicester West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Labour Harold Nicolson 15,821 43.73 New
Labour John Morgan 15,73443.49
Liberal Horace Crawfurd 4,62112.77
Majority870.24N/A
Turnout 35,63666.83
National Labour gain from Liberal Swing
General election 1931: Leicester West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Ernest Pickering 26,826 67.49
Labour Frederick Pethick-Lawrence 12,92332.51
Majority13,90334.98N/A
Turnout 39,74974.64
Liberal gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Leicester West [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Frederick Pethick-Lawrence 22,635 55.3 +4.1
Unionist Paul Emrys-Evans 10,69126.1New
Liberal Charles William Hartshorn7,61718.6−30.2
Majority11,94429.2+26.8
Turnout 40,94378.3+2.2
Registered electors 52,318
Labour hold Swing +17.2
General election 1924: Leicester West [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Frederick Pethick-Lawrence 16,047 51.2 +6.6
Liberal Maurice Alfred Gerothwohl 15,31048.8+18.6
Majority7372.4−12.0
Turnout 31,35776.1+0.1
Registered electors 41,207
Labour hold Swing −6.0

General election 1923: Leicester West [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Frederick Pethick-Lawrence 13,634 44.6 −0.4
Liberal Winston Churchill 9,23630.2+3.6
Unionist Alfred Instone7,69625.2New
Majority4,39814.4−2.2
Turnout 30,56676.0+3.5
Registered electors 40,244
Labour hold Swing −2.0
General election 1922: Leicester West [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Alfred Hill 12,929 45.0 +21.4
National Democratic Joseph Frederick Green 8,13728.4−48.0
Liberal Ernest Spero 7,63126.6New
Majority4,79216.6N/A
Turnout 28,69772.5+6.3
Registered electors 39,604
Labour gain from National Democratic Swing +34.7

Election in the 1910s

General election 1918: Leicester West [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
C National Democratic Joseph Frederick Green 20,57076.4
Labour Ramsay MacDonald 6,34723.6
Majority14,22352.8
Turnout 26,91766.2
Registered electors 40,634
National Democratic win (new seat)
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ↑ 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.

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References

  1. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  2. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
  3. 1 2 "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "Unemployment Blackspots".[ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 2)
  6. ↑ Leicester West
  7. ↑ "Leicester West Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  8. ↑ "Leicester West parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC.
  9. 1 2 "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "Election 2010 – Constituency – Leicester West". BBC. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  12. ↑ "Candidates for TUSC". tusc.org.uk.
  13. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Leicester West [Archive]". politicsresources.net. 12 October 2022.
  16. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  18. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig

52°39′N1°10′W / 52.65°N 1.16°W / 52.65; -1.16

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