Wirral West | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Merseyside |
Electorate | 55,077 (December 2010) [1] |
Major settlements | Hoylake, West Kirby |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1983 |
Member of Parliament | Margaret Greenwood (Labour) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Wirral |
Wirral West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Margaret Greenwood of the Labour Party since 2015.
The constituency is one of four covering the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. It includes Hoylake, West Kirby, Woodchurch and the north edge of Heswall. This is one of the more affluent areas within Merseyside, [2] reflected in higher house prices and wages than the wider North West region. [3]
Wirral West was created in 1983 from the northern part of the former Wirral constituency, which had traditionally elected Conservative MPs. Selwyn Lloyd was the predecessor constituency's MP from 1945 to 1976, serving as Foreign Secretary during the Eden ministry, Chancellor of the Exchequer during the Macmillan ministry and becoming Speaker of the Commons in 1971. Raised to the peerage in 1976, Lloyd resigned his seat and the ensuing by-election was won by David Hunt, who became the first MP for Wirral West in 1983. Hunt was a Cabinet member under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, serving as Secretary of State for Employment and twice as Secretary of State for Wales.
Hunt held the seat until 1997, when he lost to barrister Stephen Hesford of the Labour Party, but remained in Parliament as a member of the House of Lords. Hesford increased his majority in 2001 and narrowly retained the seat in 2005, despite a challenge at the latter election from former TV presenter and Conservative Esther McVey. On 22 January 2010, he announced his intention to step down at the next general election for family reasons.
New boundary changes implemented, McVey stood again and won the seat for the Conservatives at the 2010 general election, serving in the coalition government as a Work and Pensions minister during her tenure. If implemented in 2005, the 2010 boundary changes would have seen the Conservatives win the seat by 569 votes.
Wirral West had been described as a bellwether since its establishment, [4] [5] but bucked the trend at the 2015 general election when Labour's Margaret Greenwood narrowly defeated McVey, despite the Conservatives winning a parliamentary majority. Like the nearby City of Chester, it was one of the few Conservative-held marginals outside of London to be gained by Labour, who benefited from the constituency's collapse in Liberal Democrat support.
Sixth on the Conservative target list in 2017, Greenwood was comfortably re-elected to Wirral West with the highest winning vote share since the seat was first up for election in 1983. She was promoted to Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet as the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary in 2018, shadowing McVey who had returned to Parliament as the MP for Tatton. Greenwood was re-elected with a reduced vote share in 2019, and departed from the shadow cabinet upon Keir Starmer's election as Labour leader.
1983–2010: Metropolitan Borough of Wirral wards of Hoylake, Prenton, Royden, Thurstaston, and Upton.
2010–present: Metropolitan Borough of Wirral wards of Greasby, Frankby and Irby, Hoylake and Meols, Pensby and Thingwall, Upton, and West Kirby and Thurstaston.
In the 2005 Boundary Commission report, Wirral West lost part of the Prenton ward to the Birkenhead constituency, and gained part of Barnston from Wirral South.
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the next general election, due by January 2025, the constituency will be composed of the following wards of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
To bring the electorate within the permitted range, the Clatterbridge and Heswall wards will be added from the, to be abolished, constituency of Wirral South. The northern part of the Upton ward will be transferred to Wallasey.
Election | Member [7] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | David Hunt | Conservative | |
1997 | Stephen Hesford | Labour | |
2010 | Esther McVey | Conservative | |
2015 | Margaret Greenwood | Labour |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Emily Charley [8] | ||||
True and Fair Party | Paul Farragher [9] | ||||
Reform UK | Ken Ferguson [10] | ||||
Conservative | Jenny Johnson [11] | ||||
Labour | Matthew Patrick [12] | ||||
Liberal Democrats | Peter Reisdorf [13] | ||||
Majority | |||||
Turnout | |||||
Registered electors | |||||
Swing | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Margaret Greenwood | 20,695 | 48.2 | 6.1 | |
Conservative | Laura Evans | 17,692 | 41.2 | 0.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Andy Corkhill | 2,706 | 6.3 | 3.7 | |
Green | John Coyne | 965 | 2.2 | 1.2 | |
Brexit Party | John Kelly | 860 | 2.0 | New | |
Majority | 3,003 | 7.0 | 5.2 | ||
Turnout | 42,918 | 77.5 | 1.1 | ||
Registered electors | 55,550 | 0.8 | |||
Labour hold | Swing | 2.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Margaret Greenwood | 23,866 | 54.3 | 9.2 | |
Conservative | Tony Caldeira | 18,501 | 42.1 | 2.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Peter Reisdorf | 1,155 | 2.6 | 0.8 | |
Green | John Coyne | 429 | 1.0 | New | |
Majority | 5,365 | 12.2 | 11.3 | ||
Turnout | 42,951 | 78.6 | 3.0 | ||
Registered electors | 55,995 | 1.1 | |||
Labour hold | Swing | 5.7 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Margaret Greenwood | 18,898 | 45.1 | 8.8 | |
Conservative | Esther McVey | 18,481 | 44.2 | 1.7 | |
UKIP | Hilary Jones | 2,772 | 6.6 | 4.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Peter Reisdorf | 1,433 | 3.4 | 13.4 | |
Independent | David James | 274 | 0.7 | 0.1 | |
Majority | 417 | 0.9 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 41,858 | 75.6 | 4.1 | ||
Registered electors | 55,377 | 0.6 | |||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 3.6 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Esther McVey | 16,726 | 42.5 | ||
Labour | Phil Davies | 14,290 | 36.3 | ||
Liberal Democrats | Peter Reisdorf | 6,630 | 16.8 | ||
UKIP | Philip Griffiths | 899 | 2.3 | ||
Independent | David Kirwan | 506 | 1.3 | ||
Common Sense | David James | 321 | 0.8 | ||
Majority | 2,436 | 6.2 | |||
Turnout | 39,372 | 71.5 | |||
Registered electors | 55,050 | ||||
Conservative win (new boundaries) |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Stephen Hesford | 17,543 | 42.5 | 4.7 | |
Conservative | Esther McVey | 16,446 | 39.9 | 2.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Jeffrey Clarke | 6,652 | 16.1 | 0.5 | |
UKIP | John Moore | 429 | 1.0 | New | |
Alternative | Roger Taylor | 163 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 1,097 | 2.6 | 7.4 | ||
Turnout | 41,233 | 67.5 | 2.5 | ||
Registered electors | 61,050 | 2.0 | |||
Labour hold | Swing | 3.7 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Stephen Hesford | 19,105 | 47.2 | 2.3 | |
Conservative | Chris Lynch | 15,070 | 37.2 | 1.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Simon Holbrook | 6,300 | 15.6 | 2.9 | |
Majority | 4,035 | 10.0 | 4.1 | ||
Turnout | 40,475 | 65.0 | 12.0 | ||
Registered electors | 62,294 | 2.3 | |||
Labour hold | Swing | 2.1 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Stephen Hesford | 21,035 | 44.9 | 13.9 | |
Conservative | David Hunt | 18,297 | 39.0 | 13.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | John Thornton | 5,945 | 12.7 | 1.9 | |
Referendum | Derek Wharton | 1,613 | 3.4 | New | |
Majority | 2,738 | 5.9 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 46,890 | 77.0 | 4.6 | ||
Registered electors | 60,908 | 2.5 | |||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 13.8 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Hunt | 26,852 | 52.7 | 0.8 | |
Labour | Helen Stephenson | 15,788 | 31.0 | 4.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | John Thornton | 7,420 | 14.6 | 5.6 | |
Green | Garnette Bowler | 700 | 1.4 | 0.2 | |
Natural Law | Nigel Broome | 188 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 11,064 | 21.7 | 3.9 | ||
Turnout | 50,948 | 81.6 | 3.7 | ||
Registered electors | 62,453 | 1.8 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | 2.0 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Hunt | 25,736 | 51.9 | 4.0 | |
Labour | Alexander Dunn | 13,013 | 26.3 | 4.5 | |
Liberal | Allan Brame | 10,015 | 20.2 | 2.2 | |
Green | David Burton | 806 | 1.6 | New | |
Majority | 12,723 | 25.6 | 7.9 | ||
Turnout | 49,570 | 77.9 | 4.5 | ||
Registered electors | 63,597 | 3.2 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | 4.3 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Hunt | 25,276 | 55.9 | ||
Liberal | Stephen Mulholland | 10,125 | 22.4 | ||
Labour | John McCabe | 9,855 | 21.8 | ||
Majority | 15,151 | 33.5 | |||
Turnout | 45,256 | 73.4 | |||
Registered electors | 61,646 | ||||
Conservative win (new seat) |
Thingwall is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside, England. The village is situated approximately 8 km (5.0 mi) to the south west of Birkenhead and 3 km (1.9 mi) north east of Heswall. Historically part of Cheshire, the area is within the Pensby and Thingwall Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West.
Irby is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside, England. The village covers an area of 20 square kilometres. To the north of Irby lies the associated hamlet of Irby Hill. It is part of the Greasby, Frankby and Irby Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and is within the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West.
Wirral South is a constituency in Merseyside, England represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Alison McGovern of the Labour Party since 2010.
Wallasey is a constituency in Merseyside created in 1918 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1992 by Angela Eagle, a member of the Labour Party.
The 2004 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
The 2006 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
Frankby is a village and former civil parish, in the Wirral district, in Merseyside, England. It is located on the Wirral Peninsula between Greasby and Newton on the outskirts of the town of West Kirby and south of Hoylake. The hamlet of Larton is to the north west. Historically within the county of Cheshire, it is part of the Greasby, Frankby and Irby Ward and is in the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West.
The 2007 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
The 2008 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2008 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
David Burgess-Joyce was the Chief Officer of Merseyside Police Special Constabulary. He served from 1982 and was Head of Organisation Development for the Serious Organised Crime Agency from 2004 until he was either dismissed for gross misconduct in 2013 or retired in early 2014. Details of the alleged misconduct were not revealed, but were reported to have potentially involved improper expenses claims. He denied any such conduct, saying "I totally refute any allegations of untoward expenses claims on my part during my time working with the agency," and saying he had actually retired in early 2014 due to ill health.
The 2011 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
The 2012 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
The 2015 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
The 2016 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2016 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
The 2019 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 2 May 2019 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections.
Pensby and Thingwall is a Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council Ward in the Wirral West Parliamentary constituency.
The 2022 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2022 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This is expected to be the last election to the council where a third of councillors are elected, following recommendations from a government report into the Council's finances.