Oldham East and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Oldham East and Saddleworth
County constituency
for the House of Commons
North West England - Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency.svg
Boundary of Oldham East and Saddleworth in North West England
County Greater Manchester [1]
Electorate 72,997 (2023) [2]
Major settlements Oldham (part) [3]
Saddleworth [3]
Shaw and Crompton [3]
Current constituency
Created 1997
Member of Parliament Debbie Abrahams (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created from Littleborough & Saddleworth and Oldham Central & Royton

Oldham East and Saddleworth is a constituency in outer Greater Manchester represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since January 2011 by Debbie Abrahams of the Labour Party.

Contents

Constituency profile

Oldham East and Saddleworth is the largest constituency in Greater Manchester by area, [4] and is one of three covering the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. According to the Manchester Evening News it is "... a juxtaposition of downbeat urban terraces and the rolling Pennine hills." [4]

UK Polling Report describes it as "a constituency at the eastern side of Greater Manchester, reaching from central Oldham up into the Pennines and Saddleworth Moor". [3] It characterises East Oldham as "an area of deprived terraces and racial tensions", Shaw and Crompton as "relatively prosperous" and Saddleworth as composed of "middle-class villages and hamlets". [3]

Within its bounds are the eastern fringes of Oldham (such as Derker, Glodwick, Greenacres, and Sholver), Shaw and Crompton, Lees, and Saddleworth (the latter of which includes the rural villages of Delph, Denshaw, Diggle, Dobcross, Greenfield and Uppermill). [4] Between 1997 and 2010, Oldham East and Saddleworth incorporated the suburban town of Milnrow in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale when boundary changes placed it in the neighbouring Rochdale constituency. [5]

For the 2011 by-election The Guardian described the constituency as "[Culturally] ... a shotgun marriage [likened to] ... Coronation Street meets Last of the Summer Wine, Salford combined with Holmfirth." [6]

History

The seat was established for the 1997 general election from parts of the former Littleborough and Saddleworth and Oldham Central and Royton constituencies. [4] Oldham Central and Royton was a safe Labour seat whereas Littleborough and Saddleworth had had a Conservative MP, Geoffrey Dickens, from its creation until a 1995 close three-party fought by-election where it was lost to a Liberal Democrat. Ahead of the 1997 general election the new seat was notionally Conservative, though from 1997 to 2011 the seat was a Labour/Liberal Democrat marginal; [n 1] [4] Phil Woolas of the Labour Party (defeated candidate in the 1995 by-election) was victorious in all four general elections in that period, but his majorities were not substantial and the Conservative vote increased from 16% to 24%.

At the 2001 general election, the far-right British National Party gained over 5,000 votes (an 11.2% share), retaining their deposit partly as Nick Griffin stood in the neighbouring West seat. [1] Along with the BNP's showing in the neighbouring Oldham West and Royton constituency, this was interpreted as a reaction to the 2001 Oldham race riots. [7] [8] At the 2005 election the BNP's share of the vote dropped to 4.9%. [1]

For the 2010 general election the seat lost the Milnrow and Newhey ward to the neighbouring Rochdale constituency and gained part of Alexandra ward from Oldham West and Royton. [5]

After losing the 2010 general election by 103 votes, Liberal Democrat candidate Elwyn Watkins submitted a petition for a hearing by an election court, claiming that campaign literature issued by his Labour opponent Phil Woolas breached the Representation of the People Act 1983 by making false statements about his personal character. [9] [10] On 5 November 2010, the election court [n 2] upheld the petition and declared the election void after reporting Phil Woolas guilty of making false election statements. [11] [12] [13] Woolas sought a judicial review of the decision in the Administrative Division of the High Court, which upheld the decision of the Election Court in relation to two statements, whilst quashing the decision in relation to a third. [14] As a result, the 2011 Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election was needed. [15] By the time it was held, the Liberal Democrats had supported an increase in tuition fees, despite a manifesto commitment to oppose any such increase. This caused a significant drop in their polling numbers nationally, but one media report nevertheless stated the seat was "ultra-marginal between Labour and the Liberal Democrats". [3] The by-election took place on 13 January 2011 and was contested by ten candidates. [16] The Labour Party candidate Debbie Abrahams won, and held the seat in subsequent general elections.

Boundaries

Oldham East and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)
Map of current boundaries

1997–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham wards of Crompton, Lees, St James', St Mary's, Saddleworth East, Saddleworth West, Shaw, and Waterhead, and the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale ward of Milnrow.

2010–present: The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham wards of Alexandra, Crompton, St James', St Mary's, Saddleworth North, Saddleworth South, Saddleworth West and Lees, Shaw, and Waterhead.

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged. [17]

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember [18] PartyNotes
1997 Phil Woolas Labour
2011 by-election Debbie Abrahams Labour Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2016-2018)

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Oldham East and Saddleworth [19] [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Debbie Abrahams 14,091 35.2 −8.3
Reform UK Jacob Barden7,73419.3+12.8
Conservative Tom Fish6,83817.1−23.2
Workers Party Shanaz Saddique4,64711.6N/A
Liberal Democrats Sam Al-Hamdani3,3868.5+3.3
Green Fesl Reza-Khan1,4903.7+2.0
Independent Paul Errock1,3623.4N/A
Independent Nick Buckley5171.3N/A
Majority6,35715.9+12.7
Turnout 40,06554.8−8.9
Registered electors 72,760
Labour hold Swing -10.6

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Oldham East and Saddleworth [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Debbie Abrahams 20,088 43.5 −11.0
Conservative Tom Lord18,58940.3+3.2
Brexit Party Paul Brierley2,9806.5N/A
Liberal Democrats Sam Al-Hamdani2,4235.2+1.6
Proud of Oldham & SaddleworthPaul Errock1,0732.3N/A
Green Wendy Olsen7781.7N/A
Independent Amoy Lindo2330.5N/A
Majority1,5033.2−14.2
Turnout 46,16464.0−1.3
Labour hold Swing -7.1
General election 2017: Oldham East and Saddleworth [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Debbie Abrahams 25,629 54.5 +15.1
Conservative Kashif Ali17,44737.1+11.2
UKIP Ian Bond2,2784.8−14.4
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Smith1,6833.6−9.3
Majority8,18217.4+3.9
Turnout 47,03765.3+3.5
Labour hold Swing +2.0
General election 2015: Oldham East and Saddleworth [23] [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Debbie Abrahams 17,529 39.4 +7.5
Conservative Sajjad Hussain11,52725.9−0.5
UKIP Peter Klonowski8,55719.2+15.3
Liberal Democrats Richard Marbrow5,71812.9−18.7
Green Miranda Meadowcroft1,1522.6N/A
Majority6,00213.5+13.2
Turnout 44,48361.8+0.6
Labour hold Swing +4.0
By-election 2011: Oldham East and Saddleworth [12] [16] [25] [26] [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Debbie Abrahams 14,718 42.1 +10.2
Liberal Democrats Elwyn Watkins 11,16031.9+0.3
Conservative Kashif Ali4,48112.8−13.6
UKIP Paul Nuttall 2,0295.8+1.9
BNP Derek Adams1,5604.5−1.2
Green Peter Allen5301.5N/A
Monster Raving Loony Nick "The Flying Brick" Delves1450.4N/A
English Democrat Stephen Morris1440.4N/A
Pirate Loz Kaye960.3N/A
Bus-Pass Elvis David Bishop 670.1N/A
Majority3,55810.2+9.9
Turnout 34,93048.0−13.2
Labour hold Swing +4.95
General election 2010: Oldham East and Saddleworth [28] [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Phil Woolas 14,186 31.9 −10.7
Liberal Democrats Elwyn Watkins 14,08331.6−0.5
Conservative Kashif Ali11,77326.4+8.7
BNP Alwyn Stott2,5465.7+0.8
UKIP David Bentley1,7203.9+1.8
Christian Gulzar Nazir2120.5N/A
Majority1030.3−10.1
Turnout 44,52061.2+4.4
Void election resultSwing−5.1

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Oldham East and Saddleworth [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Phil Woolas 17,968 41.4 +2.8
Liberal Democrats Tony Dawson14,37833.2+0.6
Conservative Keith Chapman7,90118.2+2.1
BNP Michael Treacy2,1094.9−6.3
UKIP Valerie Nield8732.0+0.5
Independent Philip O'Grady1380.3N/A
Majority3,5908.2+2.2
Turnout 43,36757.3−3.7
Labour hold Swing +1.1
General election 2001: Oldham East and Saddleworth [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Phil Woolas 17,537 38.6 −3.1
Liberal Democrats Howard Sykes14,81132.6−2.8
Conservative Craig Heeley7,30416.1−3.6
BNP Michael Treacy5,09111.2N/A
UKIP Barbara Little6771.5N/A
Majority2,7266.0−0.3
Turnout 45,42061.0−12.9
Labour hold Swing +0.13

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Oldham East and Saddleworth [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Phil Woolas 22,546 41.7 +11.5
Liberal Democrats Chris Davies 19,15735.4+1.0
Conservative John Hudson10,66619.7−15.7
Referendum Douglas Findlay1,1162.0
Socialist Labour John Smith4700.9
Natural Law Ian Dalling1460.3
Majority3,3896.3
Turnout 54,10173.92
Labour win (new seat)

Chris Davies was MP for the former Littleborough and Saddleworth seat since the 1995 by-election.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The phrase comes from the estimated size of the winner's majority.
  2. ↑ Determined by High Court of England and Wales Judges Mr Justice Nigel Teare and Mr Justice Griffith Williams

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Oldham East & Saddleworth: Constituency – Telegraph". London: Ukpolitics.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2011.[ dead link ]
  2. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "UKPollingreport – Constituency Guide » Oldham East and Saddleworth". Ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Oldham East and Saddleworth – Manchester Evening News". Menmedia.co.uk. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Greater Manchester: New Constituencies Ward Breakdown". Electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  6. ↑ White, Michael (7 January 2011). "Oldham byelection race remains too close to call | Politics". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  7. ↑ "BNP makes its mark in Oldham". The Guardian. 8 June 2001. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  8. ↑ "'Something has gone wrong in Oldham,' MP warns, following surprise BNP vote". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "Losing candidate challenges Oldham election result". BBC News. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  10. ↑ Election Petition submitted to the High Court – Part 1, Part 2 Archived 18 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine and Part 3. Parts 2 and 3 includes copies of the election literature challenged. (Oldham Council website. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  11. ↑ "Watkins v Woolas 2010 EWHC 2702 (QB)". British and Irish Legal Information Institute. 5 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  12. 1 2 Oldham East and Saddleworth UK Polling Report
  13. ↑ Judges order election re-run in ex-minister's seat BBC News. 5 November 2010
  14. ↑ "R on the application of Woolas v The Parliamentary Election Court and others (2010) EWHC 3169 (Admin)". British and Irish Legal Information Institute. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
  15. ↑ "Judges order election re-run in ex-minister's seat". BBC News. 5 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  16. 1 2 "Ten Candidates To Fight By-Election". Saddleworth News. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  17. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  18. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "O"
  19. ↑ "General Election 4 July 2024 results". Oldham Council. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  20. ↑ "Oldham East and Saddleworth results". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  21. ↑ Sansome, Jessica; Otter, Saffron (14 November 2019). "All the Greater Manchester General Election 2019 candidates". men. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  22. ↑ "Oldham East & Saddleworth parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  23. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  24. ↑ "Election 2015 – Oldham East & Saddleworth". BBC News. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  25. ↑ "BNP's Nick Griffin in bid for Phil Woolas' Oldham seat". thejc.com. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  26. ↑ "Three on Labour's Saddleworth Shortlist". Saddleworth News. 10 December 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  27. ↑ "Official Monster Raving Loony Party Homepage". Omrlp.com. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  28. ↑ "Election 2010 – Oldham East & Saddleworth". BBC News. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  29. ↑ "UK General Election results May 2010". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2010.
  30. ↑ "UK General Election results May 2005". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2010.
  31. 1 2 "Oldham East & Saddleworth, 1997 and 2001". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Retrieved 24 December 2010.

53°36′N2°06′W / 53.6°N 2.1°W / 53.6; -2.1

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