Derby North (UK Parliament constituency)

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Derby North
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Derby North in Derbyshire for the 2010 general election
Outline map
Location of Derbyshire within England
CountyDerbyshire
Electorate72,617 (December 2010)[1]
Current constituency
Created1950
Member of ParliamentAmanda Solloway (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromDerby

Derby North (/ˈdɑːrbi/) is a constituency[n 1] formed of part of the city of Derby, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Amanda Solloway, a Conservative.[n 2]

Between 1983 and 2005, the seat was a bellwether; in 2010 and 2017, the seat leaned more to the political left than the overall result. The seat has been relative to others a marginal seat since 2001, as well as a swing seat, as its winner's majority has not exceeded 8.6% of the vote since the 15.9% majority won at that year's general election. The seat has changed hands twice since then.

Boundaries[edit]

Map
Map of present boundaries
Boundaries of Derby North from 1983 to 2010

1950–1955: The County Borough of Derby wards of Abbey, Babington, Becket, Bridge, Derwent, Friar Gate, King's Mead, and Rowditch.

1955–1974: The County Borough of Derby wards of Abbey, Babington, Becket, Bridge, Derwent, Friar Gate, King's Mead, and Rowditch, and the parish of Chaddesden in the Rural District of Shardlow.

1974–1983: The County Borough of Derby wards of Abbey, Allestree, Breadsall, Chaddesden, Darley, Derwent, Friar Gate, Mickleover, and Spondon.

1983–2010: The City of Derby wards of Abbey, Allestree, Breadsall, Chaddesden, Darley, Derwent, Mackworth, and Spondon.

2010–2023: The City of Derby wards of Abbey, Chaddesden, Darley, Derwent, Littleover, Mackworth, and Mickleover.

Many constituency boundaries changed for the 2010 general election; this seat changed quite significantly, by removing three wards (Allestree, Spondon and Oakwood) which at that point were heavily Conservative to the newly created Mid Derbyshire seat. In their place, Littleover and Mickleover wards moved in from Derby South, both of which tended to favour the Liberal Democrats in local elections.

2023–present: Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023,[2][3] the constituency now comprises the following wards of the City of Derby:

  • Arboretum (very small part); Abbey (most), Chaddesden East, Chaddesden North (most), Chaddesden West, Darley (most), Littleover, Mackworth & New Zealand; Mickleover; Normanton (small part); Oakwood (small part).[4]

Proposed[edit]

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, the composition of the constituency (based on the ward structure which existed on 1 December 2020) will be unchanged from the next general election (due by January 2025).[5]

Members of Parliament[edit]

Election Member[6] Party
1950 Clifford Wilcock Labour
1962 by-election Niall MacDermot
1970 Phillip Whitehead
1983 Greg Knight Conservative
1997 Bob Laxton Labour
2010 Chris Williamson
2015 Amanda Solloway Conservative
2017 Chris Williamson Labour
2019[7] Independent
2019 Labour
2019 Independent
2019 Amanda Solloway Conservative

Constituency profile[edit]

The constituency covers a largely residential area immediately north of Derby city centre, including some of the city's most affluent suburbs, as well as some of its council housing, though much of this is now in private ownership because of Right to Buy. Unemployment is below the national average. Average incomes are above the national average.[8]

History[edit]

A seat contested relatively closely between the two largest parties since 1950, Derby North was held consecutively by the Labour Party's Clifford Wilcock, Niall MacDermot, and Phillip Whitehead.[n 3] At the 1979 general election, it was covered by the BBC as the bellwether seat as the 41st of 41 seats that the Conservative Party needed to win; that year it stayed under control of Labour, but the Conservatives won the election regardless. Its exit poll was a central point of discussion of the BBC's election night coverage.[9]

The Conservative Greg Knight gained the seat in 1983, and held it until 1997.[n 4]

Labour's Bob Laxton defeated Knight in 1997 and held the seat until retiring in 2010, when the seat was retained for Labour by Chris Williamson. In 2015, Amanda Solloway, a Conservative; gained the seat with a swing of 0.8%. The 2015 result gave the seat the second-most marginal majority (measured by percentage) of the Conservative Party's 331 seats.[10] Williamson regained the seat in 2017. He was subsequently suspended from the Labour Party, and was blocked in November 2019 from running as a Labour candidate at the following election;[11] he resigned from the party and stated his intention to run as an independent.[12]

Elections[edit]

Elections in the 2020s[edit]

Next general election: Derby North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Catherine Atkinson[13]
Reform UK Timothy Prosser[14]
Majority
Turnout

Elections in the 2010s[edit]

General election 2019: Derby North[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Amanda Solloway 21,259 45.2 +0.8
Labour Tony Tinley 18,719 39.8 −8.7
Liberal Democrats Greg Webb 3,450 7.3 +2.7
Brexit Party Alan Graves 1,908 4.1 New
Green Helen Hitchcock 1,046 2.2 New
Independent Chris Williamson 635 1.4 N/A
Majority 2,540 5.4 N/A
Turnout 47,017 64.2 −4.9
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +4.8
Results of UK House of Commons seat Derby North, created 1950, since 2005
General election 2017: Derby North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chris Williamson 23,622 48.5 +11.9
Conservative Amanda Solloway 21,607 44.4 +7.7
Liberal Democrats Lucy Care[16] 2,262 4.6 -4.0
UKIP Bill Piper[17] 1,181 2.4 -12.2
Majority 2,015 4.1 N/A
Turnout 48,672 69.1 0.0
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +2.1
General election 2015: Derby North[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Amanda Solloway[19] 16,402 36.66 +5.0
Labour Chris Williamson 16,361 36.57 +3.6
UKIP Tilly Ward[20] 6,532 14.6 +12.8
Liberal Democrats Lucy Care 3,832 8.6 -19.4
Green Alice Mason-Power[21] 1,618 3.6 New
Majority 41 0.09 N/A
Turnout 44,745 69.1 +6.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +0.8
General election 2010: Derby North[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chris Williamson 14,896 33.0 −9.0
Conservative Stephen Mold 14,283 31.7 +5.8
Liberal Democrats Lucy Care 12,638 28.0 +0.5
BNP Pete Cheeseman 2,000 4.4 New
UKIP Elizabeth Ransome[24] 829 1.8 −0.2
Independent David Gale 264 0.6 New
Pirate David Geraghty[25] 170 0.4 New
Majority 613 1.4 −13.2
Turnout 45,080 63.1
Labour hold Swing -7.4

Boundary changes occurred in 2010, so percentage changes are based on notional results

Elections in the 2000s[edit]

General election 2005: Derby North[26][27][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Laxton 19,272 44.0 −6.9
Conservative Richard Aitken-Davies 15,515 35.4 +0.4
Liberal Democrats Jeremy Beckett 7,209 16.5 +2.4
Veritas Martin Bardoe 958 2.2 New
UKIP Michelle Medgyesy 864 2.0 New
Majority 3,757 8.6 −7.3
Turnout 43,818 64.3 +6.5
Labour hold Swing -1.8
General election 2001: Derby North[29][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Laxton 22,415 50.9 −2.3
Conservative Barry Holden 15,433 35.0 +0.8
Liberal Democrats Robert Charlesworth 6,206 14.1 +5.1
Majority 6,982 15.9 −3.0
Turnout 44,054 57.8 −16.0
Labour hold Swing -1.5

Elections in the 1990s[edit]

General election 1997: Derby North[30][28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Laxton 29,844 53.2 +12.3
Conservative Gregory Knight 19,229 34.3 −14.1
Liberal Democrats Robert Charlesworth 5,059 9.0 −0.6
Referendum Paul Reynolds 1,816 3.2 New
ProLife Alliance Jane H.M. Waters 195 0.3 New
Majority 10,615 18.9 N/A
Turnout 56,143 73.8 −6.9
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.2
General election 1992: Derby North[31][32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gregory Knight 28,574 48.4 −0.5
Labour Bob Laxton 24,121 40.9 +3.7
Liberal Democrats Robert Charlesworth 5,638 9.6 −3.8
Green Eric Wall 383 0.7 +0.2
National Front Peter Hart 245 0.4 New
Natural Law N. Onley 58 0.1 New
Majority 4,453 7.5 −3.8
Turnout 59,019 80.7 +4.9
Conservative hold Swing −2.0

Elections in the 1980s[edit]

General election 1987: Derby North[33][34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gregory Knight 26,561 48.9 +5.2
Labour Phillip Whitehead 20,236 37.2 +0.4
Liberal Stephen Connolly 7,268 13.4 −6.1
Green Eric Wall 291 0.5 New
Majority 6,325 11.7 +4.8
Turnout 54,356 75.8 +3.3
Conservative hold Swing +2.4
General election 1983: Derby North[35][36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gregory Knight 22,303 43.7 −0.8
Labour Phillip Whitehead 18,797 36.8 −8.1
Liberal Stephen Connolly 9,924 19.5 +10.0
Majority 3,506 6.9 +6.5
Turnout 51,024 72.5 −4.3
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +3.2

Elections in the 1970s[edit]

General election 1979: Derby North[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Whitehead 28,797 44.9 +0.4
Conservative R.N. Kemm 28,583 44.5 +6.9
Liberal R.F. Whitehouse 6,093 9.5 −8.0
National Front C. Bayliss 592 0.9 New
United English National S.P. Gibson 116 0.2 New
Majority 214 0.4 −6.5
Turnout 64,181 76.8 +3.6
Labour hold Swing -3.3
General election October 1974: Derby North[38]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Whitehead 26,960 44.5 +4.3
Conservative D.J. Penfold 22,767 37.6 −0.6
Liberal M.D. Peel 10,595 17.5 −4.1
More Prosperous Britain H. Smith 242 0.4 New
Majority 4,193 6.9 +4.9
Turnout 60,564 73.2 −5.9
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Derby North[39]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Whitehead 26,029 40.2 −14.5
Conservative D.J. Penfold 24,736 38.2 −7.1
Liberal M.D. Peel 13,995 21.6 New
Majority 1,293 2.0 −7.4
Turnout 64,760 79.1 +6.9
Labour hold Swing
General election 1970: Derby North[40][41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Whitehead 20,114 54.7 −7.1
Conservative John W Roberts 16,635 45.3 +7.1
Majority 3,479 9.4 −14.2
Turnout 36,749 64.2 −6.6
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s[edit]

General election 1966: Derby North[42][43]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Niall MacDermot 23,033 61.8 +8.9
Conservative Derek H Hene 14,215 38.2 +3.6
Majority 8,818 23.6 +5.3
Turnout 37,248 70.8 −3.6
Labour hold Swing
General election 1964: Derby North[44][45]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Niall MacDermot 21,386 52.9 +0.1
Conservative Derek H Hene 13,991 34.6 -12.6
Liberal Alfred Leslie Smart 5,057 12.5 n/a
Majority 7,395 18.3 +12.7
Turnout 40,434 74.4 -2.3
Labour hold Swing
1962 Derby North by-election[46]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Niall MacDermot 16,497 49.4 −3.4
Liberal Lyndon Irving 8,479 25.4 new
Conservative T.M. Wray 7,502 22.5 −24.7
Independent T. Lynch 886 2.7 new
Majority 8,018 24.0 +18.4
Turnout 33,364
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s[edit]

General election 1959: Derby North[47]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Wilcock 22,673 52.8 −3.0
Conservative Robin Maxwell-Hyslop 20,266 47.2 +3.0
Majority 2,407 5.6 −6.0
Turnout 42,939 76.7 +1.0
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Derby North[48][49]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Wilcock 24,162 55.8 +0.6
Conservative Rolla CP Rouse 19,156 44.2 +7.3
Majority 5,006 11.6 −6.7
Turnout 43,318 75.7 −9.8
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Derby North[50]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Wilcock 22,390 57.09
Conservative Victor Echevarri Waldron 16,828 42.91
Majority 5,562 14.18
Turnout 39,218 82.49
Labour hold Swing
General election 1950: Derby North[51]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Wilcock 22,410 55.2
Conservative V. Seely 14,980 36.9
Liberal Gerald Ivan Walters 3,190 7.9
Majority 7,430 18.3
Turnout 40,580 85.5
Labour win (new seat)

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  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.
  3. ^ Whitehead was later an MEP
  4. ^ Knight was Deputy Chief Whip from 1993 to 1996 and Minister for Industry from 1996 to 1997.

References[edit]

  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. ^ LGBCE. "Derby | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  3. ^ "The Derby (Electoral Changes) Order 2023".
  4. ^ "New Seat Details - Derby North". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part I.
  6. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 1)
  7. ^ "Labour MP Chris Williamson suspended over antisemitism row". Sky News.
  8. ^ "Local statistics- Office for National Statistics". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 11 February 2003. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  9. ^ Page 516, When the Lights Went Out: Britain in the Seventies by Andy Beckett
  10. ^ "Conservative Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  11. ^ Syal, Rajeev (6 November 2019). "Labour NEC drops antisemitism row MP as election candidate". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  12. ^ Williamson, Chris [@derbychrisw] (6 November 2019). "After almost 44 years of loyal service and commitment, it's with a heavy heart that I'm resigning from the Labour Party. I'll be standing as an independent candidate for Derby North to fight for social justice, internationalism and socialist values" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "Derby North selects Catherine Atkinson as Labour Candidate". Derby Labour Party. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Reform UK Derby North Website".
  15. ^ "Derby North Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Lucy Care". libdems.org.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  17. ^ "Who are Derbyshire's UKIP candidates in the General Election?". 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  18. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Amanda Solloway". Archived from the original on 7 January 2014.
  20. ^ "John Charlesworth: UKIP replaces its General Election candidate for Derby North". 27 February 2015. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  21. ^ "General Election: Green Party announces it will contest both Derby seats". 17 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  23. ^ "BBC News - Election 2010 - Constituency - Derby North". news.bbc.co.uk.
  24. ^ "UK Independence Party »". candidates.ukip.org. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011.
  25. ^ "National Press Releases - The Pirate Party". www.pirateparty.org.uk. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
  26. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "General Election Results For Derby North". Derby City Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
  28. ^ a b c "Election history". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  29. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  30. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  32. ^ "UK General Election results: April 1992". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 25 September 2006. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  33. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  34. ^ "UK General Election results: June 1987". Richard Kimber. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  35. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  36. ^ "UK General Election results: June 1983". Richard Kimber. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  37. ^ "UK General Election results: May 1979". Richard Kimber. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  38. ^ "UK General Election results: October 1974". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  39. ^ "UK General Election results: February 1974". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  40. ^ "UK General Election results: 1970". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  41. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1970.
  42. ^ "UK General Election results: March 1966". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  43. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1966.
  44. ^ "UK General Election results: October 1964". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  45. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1964.
  46. ^ "1962 By Election Results". www.geocities.com/by_elections/. Archived from the original on 24 October 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  47. ^ "UK General Election results: October 1959". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  48. ^ "UK General Election results: May 1955". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  49. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
  50. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
  51. ^ "UK General Election results: February 1950". Richard Kimber. Retrieved 29 January 2009.

52°57′N 1°29′W / 52.95°N 1.49°W / 52.95; -1.49

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