Stone (UK Parliament constituency)

Stone
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Stone in Staffordshire
Location of Staffordshire within England
County	Staffordshire
Electorate	66,729 (December 2010) [1]
Current constituency
Created	1997
Member of Parliament	Sir Bill Cash (Conservative Party (UK))
Seats	One
1918–1950
Seats	One
Type of constituency	County constituency
Created from	North West Staffordshire, West Staffordshire, Leek and Burton
Replaced by	Stafford and Stone

Stone is a constituency ^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its 1997 recreation by Sir Bill Cash, a Conservative. ^{[n 2]} On 9 June 2023, he announced his intention to stand down at the next general election. ^[2]

The seat is due to be abolished for the next general election. ^[3]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1918–1950

Election		Member [4]	Party
	1918	Sir Smith Child, Bt.	Coalition Conservative
	1922	Sir Joseph Lamb	Conservative
	1945	Hugh Fraser	Conservative
	1950	Constituency abolished

MPs since 1997

Election		Member [4]	Party
	1997	Sir Bill Cash	Conservative

Constituency profile

This is a mostly rural seat to the south of the Stoke-on-Trent conurbation. Electoral Calculus describes the seat as "Strong Right" characterised by retired, socially conservative voters who strongly supported Brexit. ^[5]

Boundaries

Map of current boundaries

Stone is in the top decile in geographical size in England. It covers the area from Madeley in the north to the west of Newcastle-under-Lyme, then runs south and out to the outskirts of Market Drayton, running down to the northern edge of Newport. The boundary heads north alongside the western boundary of Stafford around the north of Stafford and down its eastern boundary. It runs across the north of Abbots Bromley before reaching its eastern end. It continues to the west of Uttoxeter in the Burton constituency. It then extends eastwards between the Burton constituency and up to Cheadle and to the south of Stoke-on-Trent. Currently within the constituency are the towns of Eccleshall, Cheadle and Stone.

2010–present: The Borough of Stafford wards of Barlaston and Oulton, Chartley, Church Eaton, Eccleshall, Fulford, Gnosall and Woodseaves, Milwich, St Michael's, Stonefield and Christchurch, Swynnerton, and Walton, the District of Staffordshire Moorlands wards of Cheadle North East, Cheadle South East, Cheadle West, Checkley, and Forsbrook, and the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme wards of Loggerheads and Whitmore, and Madeley.

1997–2010: The Borough of Stafford wards of Barlaston, Chartley, Church Eaton, Eccleshall, Fulford, Gnosall, Milwich, Oulton, St Michael's, Stonefield and Christchurch, Swynnerton, Walton, and Woodseaves, the District of Staffordshire Moorlands wards of Alton, Cheadle North East, Cheadle South East, Cheadle West, Checkley, Forsbrook, and Kingsley, and the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme wards of Loggerheads, Madeley, and Whitmore.

1918–1950: The Urban District of Stone, and the Rural Districts of Blore Heath, Cheadle, Mayfield, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Stone.

There were various alterations to the constituency shape in boundary changes put in place for the 2010 general election. Stone took the areas covered by the Bradley, and Salt and Enson civil parish from the neighbouring Stafford constituency. In turn, the parishes of Hixon, Ellenhall, and Ranton, were moved back from Stone to Stafford. In the largest alteration, the north-eastern parishes covering Kingsley, Oakamoor, Alton, Farley, and Cotton, were all moved to the altered Staffordshire Moorlands. ^[6]

From the next general election, the constituency will be merged with parts of the current South Staffordshire and Dudley South constituencies to form the new constituency of Stone, Great Wyrely and Penkridge. Gavin Williamson, current MP for South Staffordshire, will stand as the Conservative candidate in place of Bill Cash who announced his retirement from the House of Commons in June 2023. ^{[7] [8]}

History

The earlier constituency of the same name that existed 1918-1950 elected Conservatives, all three officers who had fought with some distinction in either of the two World Wars.

The current constituency was created for the 1997 general election, when Parliament approved for Staffordshire the additional seat proposed by the Boundary Commission. The constituency was formed from parts of the Stafford, Staffordshire Moorlands and Mid Staffordshire.

Presenting a safe seat for the Conservatives and proving to be one, ^[9] its creation reduced the Conservative majority in the Staffordshire Moorlands and Stafford constituencies, ^[9] both of which were gained by a Labour Party member at the 1997 general election.

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 to a newly created seat and four neighbouring constituencies: ^[3]

• The town of Stone to the new constituency of Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
• The villages of Checkley, Forsbrook, Barlaston, Fulford, Swynnerton and Oulton to Stoke on Trent South
• The town of Cheadle to Staffordshire Moorlands
• Western rural areas, including the town of Eccleshall, to Stafford
• The village of Madeley to Newcastle-under-Lyme

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Stone ^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bill Cash	31,687	63.6	+0.4
	Labour	Mike Stubbs	11,742	23.6	–4.6
	Liberal Democrats	Alec Sandiford	4,412	8.9	+4.5
	Green	Tom Adamson	2,002	4.0	+2.6
Majority			19,945	40.0	+5.0
Turnout			49,843	71.8	–2.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.6

General election 2017: Stone

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bill Cash	31,614	63.2	+8.5
	Labour Co-op	Sam Hale	14,119	28.2	+8.0
	Liberal Democrats	Martin Lewis	2,222	4.4	–0.9
	UKIP	Edward Whitfield	1,370	2.7	–13.5
	Green	Sam Pancheri	707	1.4	–1.1
Majority			17,495	35.0	+0.5
Turnout			50,032	73.8	+3.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.2

General election 2015: Stone ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bill Cash	25,733	54.7	+4.1
	Labour	Sam Hale	9,483	20.2	–0.5
	UKIP	Andrew Illsley [12]	7,620	16.2	+10.9
	Liberal Democrats	Martin Lewis	2,473	5.3	–17.1
	Green	Wenslie Naylon	1,191	2.5	+1.5
	Independent	John Coutouvidis	531	1.1	New
Majority			16,250	34.5	+6.3
Turnout			47,031	70.1	–0.4
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 2010: Stone ^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bill Cash	23,890	50.6	+2.2
	Liberal Democrats	Christine Tinker	10,598	22.4	+3.8
	Labour	Joanne Lewis	9,770	20.7	–9.0
	UKIP	Andrew Illsley	2,481	5.3	+2.0
	Green	Damon Hoppe	490	1.0	New
Majority			13,292	28.2	+8.9
Turnout			47,229	70.5	+3.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	–0.8

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Stone ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bill Cash	22,733	48.3	–0.8
	Labour	Mark Davis	13,644	29.0	–6.8
	Liberal Democrats	Richard Stevens	9,111	19.4	+4.3
	UKIP	Mike Nattrass	1,548	3.3	New
Majority			9,089	19.3	+6.0
Turnout			47,036	66.9	+0.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.0

General election 2001: Stone ^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bill Cash	22,395	49.1	+2.3
	Labour	John Palfreyman	16,359	35.8	–3.8
	Liberal Democrats	Brendan McKeown	6,888	15.1	+3.1
Majority			6,036	13.3	+6.1
Turnout			45,642	66.3	–12.5
	Conservative hold		Swing

Election in the 1990s

General election 1997: Stone ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Bill Cash	24,859	46.8
	Labour	John Wakefield	21,041	39.6
	Liberal Democrats	Barry Stamp	6,392	12.0
	Liberal	Ann Winfield	545	1.0
	Natural Law	Dinah Grice	237	0.4
Majority			3,818	7.2
Turnout			53,074	77.8
	Conservative win (new seat)

Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Stone

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Hugh Fraser	20,279	42.9	-18.1
	Labour	W Simcock	18,173	38.4	-0.6
	Liberal	John Wedgwood	8,853	18.7	New
Majority			2,106	4.5	-17.5
Turnout			47,305	72.6	+6.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Stone

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Joseph Lamb	20,498	61.0	-1.1
	Labour	WI Simcock	13,099	39.0	+20.7
Majority			7,399	22.0	-20.5
Turnout			33,597	66.3	-8.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 1931: Stone

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Joseph Lamb	20,327	62.1	+22.1
	Liberal	Walter Meakin	6,407	19.6	-8.7
	Labour	WI Simcock	5,993	18.3	-9.4
Majority			13,920	42.5	+26.8
Turnout			32,727	74.6	-2.3
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Stone ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Joseph Lamb	13,965	44.0	−13.3
	Liberal	Walter Meakin	8,975	28.3	+4.5
	Labour	George Belt	8,792	27.7	+8.8
Majority			4,990	15.7	−17.8
Turnout			31,732	76.9	+2.0
Registered electors			41,268
	Unionist hold		Swing	−8.9

General election 1924: Stone ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Joseph Lamb	12,856	57.3	+6.5
	Liberal	Walter Meakin	5,351	23.8	−25.4
	Labour	C.A. Brook	4,245	18.9	New
Majority			7,505	33.5	+31.9
Turnout			22,452	74.9	+7.4
Registered electors			29,994
	Unionist hold		Swing	+16.0

General election 1923: Stone ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Joseph Lamb	10,001	50.8	+12.5
	Liberal	Walter Meakin	9,687	49.2	+13.5
Majority			314	1.6	−1.0
Turnout			19,688	67.5	−3.9
Registered electors			29,151
	Unionist hold		Swing	−0.5

General election 1922: Stone ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Unionist	Joseph Lamb	7,742	38.3	−8.4
	Liberal	George Townsend	7,198	35.7	+1.3
	Agriculturalist	W.L. Steel	5,243	26.0	+7.1
Majority			544	2.6	−9.7
Turnout			20,183	71.4	+9.4
Registered electors			28,273
	Unionist hold		Swing	−4.9

Election in the 1910s

General election 1918: Stone ^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
C	Unionist	Smith Child	7,568	46.7
	Liberal	George Townsend	5,573	34.4
	Agriculturalist	Joseph Lamb	3,056	18.9
Majority			1,995	12.3
Turnout			16,197	62.0
Registered electors			26,113
	Unionist win (new seat)
Cindicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Staffordshire

Notes

1. A county 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.

References

1. "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.
2. Castle, Richard (9 June 2023). "Stone MP Sir Bill Cash announces retirement after 40 years in Parliament". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
3. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – West Midlands | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
4. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 5)
5. Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Stone
6. 2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England
7. "Sir Gavin to stand for Tories in new constituency". BBC News. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
8. "Veteran Tory MP and arch Eurosceptic Sir Bill Cash to retire at next election". The Independent. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
9. Almanac of British Politics, 5th ed, Robert Waller
10. "Stone parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". Election 2019 selected. BBC. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
11. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
12. "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
13. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
14. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
15. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
16. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
17. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Fred W. S. Craig Parliamentary Research Services, 1983

Sources

• Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN   0-900178-06-X.
• Iain Dale, ed. (2003). The Times House of Commons 1929, 1931, 1935. Politico's (reprint). ISBN   1-84275-033-X.
• The Times House of Commons 1945. 1945.