Harborough (UK Parliament constituency)

Harborough (/ˈhɑːrbərə, -bʌrə/) is a constituency[n 1] covering the south east of Leicestershire[n 2] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament[n 3] since 2017 by Neil O'Brien of the Conservative Party.

Harborough
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Harborough in Leicestershire for the 2010 general election
Location of Leicestershire within England
CountyLeicestershire
Electorate78,753 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsMarket Harborough, Oadby, Wigston
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentNeil O'Brien (Conservative)
Number of membersOne
Created fromSouth Leicestershire

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Leicester, the Sessional Divisions of Lutterworth and Market Harborough, and parts of the Sessional Divisions of Leicester and East Norton.

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Market Harborough, Oadby, and Wigston, and the Rural Districts of Blaby, Hallaton, Lutterworth, and Market Harborough.

1950–1955: The Urban Districts of Market Harborough, Oadby, and Wigston, and the Rural Districts of Blaby, Lutterworth, and Market Harborough.

1955–1974: The Urban Districts of Market Harborough and Wigston, and the Rural Districts of Blaby, Lutterworth, and Market Harborough.

1974–1983: The Urban Districts of Market Harborough, Oadby, and Wigston, and the Rural Districts of Billesdon and Market Harborough.

1983–1997: The District of Harborough wards of Billesdon, Bosworth, Easton, Fleckney, Glen, Houghton, Kibworth, Langton, Lubenham, Market Harborough Bowden, Market Harborough North, Market Harborough South, Market Harborough West, Scraptoft, Thurnby, and Tilton, and the Borough of Oadby and Wigston.

1997–2010: The District of Harborough wards of Bosworth, Fleckney, Glen, Kibworth, Langton, Lubenham, Market Harborough Bowden, Market Harborough North, Market Harborough South, and Market Harborough West, and the Borough of Oadby and Wigston wards of All Saints, Bassett, Brocks Hill, Brookside, Central, Fairfield, Grange, St Peter's, St Wolstan's, and Westfield.

2010–present: The District of Harborough wards of Bosworth, Fleckney, Glen, Kibworth, Lubenham, Market Harborough Great Bowden and Arden, Market Harborough Little Bowden, Market Harborough Logan, and Market Harborough Welland, and the Borough of Oadby and Wigston wards of Oadby Brocks Hill, Oadby Grange, Oadby St Peter's, Oadby Uplands, Oadby Woodlands, South Wigston, Wigston All Saints, Wigston Fields, Wigston Meadowcourt, and Wigston St Wolstan's.

The constituency takes its name from Market Harborough, seat of the Harborough local government district. The constituency excludes parts of the Harborough district (including some eastern suburbs of Leicester which are in the Rutland & Melton constituency, but includes the smaller borough of Oadby and Wigston that adjoins Leicester.

Constituency profile

Harborough is one of the wealthier constituencies in the East Midlands.[2] It is a safe seat for the Conservatives, who have held the seat for 70 years.

History

The seat was created in the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and in boundary changes in 1974 reflecting the growth in population and electorate of Leicestershire lost a large amount of its territory to the new seat of Blaby.

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember[3]Party
1885 Thomas Paget Liberal
1886 Thomas Tapling Conservative
1891 by-election Paddy Logan Liberal
1904 by-election Philip Stanhope Liberal
1906 R. C. Lehmann Liberal
December 1910 Paddy Logan Liberal
1916 by-election Percy Harris Liberal
1918 Sir Keith Fraser Coalition Conservative
1923 John Wycliffe Black Liberal
1924 Lewis Winby Conservative
1929 Arthur Stewart Conservative
1933 by-election Ronald Tree Conservative
1945 Humphrey Attewell Labour
1950 John Baldock Conservative
1959 Sir John Farr Conservative
1992 Edward Garnier Conservative
2017 Neil O'Brien Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Harborough[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil O'Brien 31,698 55.3 +3.0
Labour Celia Hibbert 14,420 25.2 -5.6
Liberal Democrats Zuffar Haq 9,103 15.9 +3.2
Green Darren Woodiwiss 1,709 3.0 +1.1
Independent Robin Lambert 389 0.7 +0.7
Majority 17,278 30.1 +8.5
Turnout 57,320 71.2 -1.9
Conservative hold Swing +4.3
General election 2017: Harborough[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil O'Brien[6] 30,135 52.3 −0.4
Labour Andrew Thomas 17,706 30.7 +15.4
Liberal Democrats Zuffar Haq[7] 7,286 12.6 −0.8
UKIP Teck Khong 1,361 2.4 −12.0
Green Darren Woodiwiss 1,110 1.9 -2.2
Majority 12,429 21.6 -15.8
Turnout 57,598 73.1 +5.6
Conservative hold Swing 7.92
General election 2015: Harborough[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Garnier 27,675 52.7 +3.8
Labour Sundip Meghani 8,043 15.3 +2.6
UKIP Mark Hunt 7,539 14.4 +11.7
Liberal Democrats Zuffar Haq 7,037 13.4 −17.7
Green Darren Woodiwiss 2,177 4.1 N/A
Majority 19,632 37.4 +19.4
Turnout 52,471 67.5 −2.9
Conservative hold Swing +0.6

UKIP originally selected Clive Langley, who was replaced by Mark Hunt in March 2015.[9]

General election 2010: Harborough[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Garnier 26,894 49.0 +6.1
Liberal Democrats Zuffar Haq 17,017 31.0 −3.6
Labour Kevin McKeever 6,981 12.7 -6.6
BNP Geoff Dickens 1,715 3.1 +3.1
UKIP Marietta King 1,462 2.7 −0.5
English Democrat David Ball 568 1.0 +1.0
Independent Jeff Stephenson 228 0.4 +0.4
Majority 9,877 18.0 +9.9
Turnout 54,865 70.4 +6.3
Conservative hold Swing +4.85

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Harborough[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Garnier 20,536 42.9 −1.8
Liberal Democrats Jill Hope 16,644 34.7 +1.3
Labour Peter Evans 9,222 19.2 −0.8
UKIP Marietta King 1,520 3.2 +1.2
Majority 3,892 8.1
Turnout 47,922 64.3 +1.0
Conservative hold Swing −1.6
General election 2001: Harborough[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Garnier 20,748 44.7 +2.9
Liberal Democrats Jill Hope 15,496 33.4 +3.9
Labour Raj Jethwa 9,271 20.0 -5.2
UKIP David Knight 912 2.0 N/A
Majority 5,252 11.3
Turnout 46,427 63.3 -11.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Harborough[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Garnier 22,170 41.83
Liberal Democrats Mark Cox 15,646 29.52
Labour Nick Holden 13,332 25.15
Referendum Neil Wright 1,859 3.51
Majority 6,524 12.31
Turnout 53,007 75.27
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1992: Harborough[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Garnier 34,280 54.6 −4.9
Liberal Democrats MA Cox 20,737 33.0 +5.3
Labour C Mackay 7,483 11.9 −1.0
Natural Law AP Irwin 328 0.5 +0.5
Majority 13,543 21.6 −10.2
Turnout 62,828 82.1 +2.8
Conservative hold Swing −5.1

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Harborough[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Farr 35,216 59.40
Liberal Timothy Swift 16,406 27.70
Labour Philip Harley 7,646 12.90
Majority 18,810 31.70
Turnout 79.30
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Harborough[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Farr 32,957 60.10 -0.27
Liberal TJ Swift 14,472 26.40 +9.14
Labour M Upham 6,285 11.50 -9.06
Ecology Brian Fewster 802 1.46
BNP J Taylor 280 0.51
Majority 18,485 33.73 -6.08
Turnout 75.92
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Farr 33,328 60.37
Labour Peter Soulsby 11,350 20.56
Liberal P Weatherall 9,529 17.26
National Front A Ashby 1,002 1.81
Majority 21,978 39.81
Turnout 80.03
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Farr 25,776 51.27
Liberal NG Reynolds 12,567 25.00
Labour RLW Briant 11,934 23.74
Majority 13,209 26.27
Turnout 76.35
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Farr 27,974 50.81
Liberal N Reynolds 15,501 28.16
Labour JW Robinson 11,579 21.03
Majority 12,473 22.66
Turnout 84.41
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Farr 44,933 56.35
Labour Jim Marshall 25,728 32.26
Liberal Wilfrid EH Pickard 9,079 11.39
Majority 19,205 24.08
Turnout 77.13
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Farr 32,450 46.11
Labour Wilfred Frank Higgins 25,453 36.17
Liberal Jack O Galloway 12,475 17.73
Majority 6,997 9.94
Turnout 81.65
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Farr 32,905 49.24
Labour George Perry 20,389 30.51
Liberal Edward G Rushworth 13,533 20.25
Majority 12,516 18.73
Turnout 83.41
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Farr 29,281 51.03
Labour John R Mably 16,767 29.22
Liberal Edward G Rushworth 11,333 19.75
Majority 12,514 21.81
Turnout 84.65
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Baldock 27,257 53.60
Labour Robert N Hales 17,073 33.57
Liberal Edward G Rushworth 6,524 12.83
Majority 10,184 20.03
Turnout 83.34
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Baldock 29,395 52.21
Labour Christopher Boyd 21,648 38.45
Liberal Henry Bazeley 5,258 9.34
Majority 7,747 13.76
Turnout 87.58
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Baldock 27,842 49.75
Labour Humphrey Attewell 21,381 38.21
Liberal Henry Bazeley 6,467 11.56
Independent NH Symington 273 0.49
Majority 6,461 11.55
Turnout 89.01
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Humphrey Attewell 23,353 42.50
Conservative Ronald Tree 23,149 42.13
Liberal Wilfrid Horace Kirby 8,451 15.38
Majority 204 0.37
Turnout 75.99
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

General Election 1939/40:

Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940, however this did not happen due to the Second World War. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected:

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1935: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ronald Tree 25,308 63.23
Labour Ronald McKinnon Wood 14,718 36.77
Majority 10,590 26.46
Turnout 72.25
Conservative hold Swing
1933 Harborough by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ronald Tree 19,320
Labour William Bennett 12,460
Liberal W Wilson 6,144
Majority 6,860
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Stuart 29,790 74.47
Labour Frederick Wise 10,212 25.53
Majority 19,578 48.94
Turnout 78.09
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1929: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Arthur Stuart 16,164 41.8 −10.8
Labour Frederick Wise 12,620 32.7 +8.4
Liberal George Nicholls 9,846 25.5 +2.4
Majority 3,544 9.1 −19.2
Turnout 38,630 81.9 +0.9
Registered electors 47,196
Unionist hold Swing −9.7
General election 1924: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Lewis Phillips Winby 13,024 52.6 +5.8
Labour J. S. Hyder 6,032 24.3 N/A
Liberal John Wycliffe Black 5,726 23.1 −30.1
Majority 6,992 28.3 N/A
Turnout 24,782 81.0 +11.9
Registered electors 30,602
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +18.0
General election 1923: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Wycliffe Black 10,841 53.2 +24.0
Unionist Keith Fraser 9,537 46.8 +4.2
Majority 1,304 6.4 N/A
Turnout 20,378 69.1 −7.8
Registered electors 29,505
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +9.9
W.J. Baker
General election 1922: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Keith Fraser 9,356 42.6 −5.6
Liberal John Wycliffe Black 6,427 29.2 +3.0
Labour Walter Baker 6,205 28.2 +2.6
Majority 2,929 13.4 −8.6
Turnout 21,988 76.9 +13.6
Registered electors 28,594
Unionist hold Swing −4.3

Elections in the 1910s
General election 1918: Harborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Keith Fraser 8,465 48.2 +1.5
Liberal Percy Harris 4,608 26.2 −27.1
Labour Walter Baker 4,495 25.6 N/A
Majority 3,857 22.0 N/A
Turnout 17,568 63.3 −22.1
Registered electors 27,742
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +14.3
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1885: Harborough[18][19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Paget 5,502 50.8 N/A
Conservative Thomas Tapling 5,336 49.2 N/A
Majority 166 1.6 N/A
Turnout 10,838 86.9 N/A
Registered electors 12,476
Liberal win (new seat)
Tapling
General election 1886: Harborough[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Tapling 5,708 55.5 +6.3
Liberal James Harris Sanders 4,570 44.5 -6.3
Majority 1,138 11.0 N/A
Turnout 10,278 82.4 -4.5
Registered electors 12,476
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +6.3

Elections in the 1890s
Logan
1891 Harborough by-election[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Logan 5,982 52.1 +7.6
Conservative Gerald Holbech Hardy 5,493 47.9 -7.6
Majority 489 4.2 N/A
Turnout 11,475 86.3 +3.9
Registered electors 13,291
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +7.6
General election 1892: Harborough[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Logan 6,244 52.8 +8.3
Conservative Francis Lowe 5,588 47.2 −8.3
Majority 656 5.6 N/A
Turnout 11,832 86.5 +4.1
Registered electors 13,676
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +8.3
General election 1895: Harborough[18][19][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Logan 6,699 54.1 +1.3
Conservative Cecil Du Pre Panton Powney 5,673 45.9 -1.3
Majority 1,026 8.2 +2.6
Turnout 12,372 85.7 -0.8
Registered electors 14,440
Liberal hold Swing +1.3

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1900: Harborough[18][19][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Logan 7,269 55.0 +0.9
Conservative Charles Harvey Dixon 5,946 45.0 −0.9
Majority 1,323 10.0 +1.8
Turnout 13,215 81.9 −3.8
Registered electors 16,128
Liberal hold Swing +0.9
Stanhope
1904 Harborough by-election[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Philip Stanhope 7,843 56.2 +1.2
Conservative Charles Harvey Dixon 6,110 43.8 −1.2
Majority 1,733 12.4 +2.4
Turnout 13,953 82.9 +1.0
Registered electors 16,829
Liberal hold Swing +1.2
R. C. Lehmann
General election 1906: Harborough[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal R. C. Lehmann 8,380 56.8 +1.8
Conservative Charles Harvey Dixon 6,382 43.2 −1.8
Majority 1,998 13.6 +3.6
Turnout 14,762 85.7 +3.8
Registered electors 17,227
Liberal hold Swing +1.8

Elections in the 1910s
General election January 1910: Harborough[18][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal R. C. Lehmann 8,632 53.3 -3.5
Conservative Joseph Marshall 7,561 46.7 +3.5
Majority 1,071 6.6 -7.0
Turnout 16,193 90.4 +4.7
Registered electors 17,921
Liberal hold Swing -3.5
General election December 1910: Harborough[18][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Logan 8,192 53.5 +0.2
Conservative Joseph Marshall 7,115 46.5 −0.2
Majority 1,077 7.0 +0.4
Turnout 15,307 85.4 −5.0
Registered electors 17,921
Liberal hold Swing +0.2

General Election 1914/15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915, however this was not held due to the First World War. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected:

1916 Harborough by-election[18][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Percy Harris 7,826 67.8 +14.3
Leicestershire Attested Married Men's Protest Society Thomas Gibson Bowles 3,711 32.2 n/a
Majority 4,115 35.6 +28.6
Liberal hold Swing n/a

See also

Notes
  1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. But excluding Blaby District since 1974
  3. 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
References
  1. "Electorate Figures". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Harborough
  3. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 1)
  4. Anne Court (14 November 2019). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll - Election of a Member of Parliament - Harborough Constituency" (PDF). Oadby & Wigston District Council. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  5. "General Election 2017: Harborough". The Express. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  6. "Neil O'Brien chosen as Conservative candidate to fight the General Election in Harborough". Leicester Mercury. Local World. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  7. "Who are the Tory candidates hoping to succeed Edward Garnier as Harborough MP?". Leicester Mercury. Local World. 4 May 2017. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  8. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. "Harborough UKIP parliamentary candidate Clive Langley quits the election race". Leicester Mercury. Local World. 14 March 2015. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  10. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. Richard Kimber (9 April 1992). "UK General Election results April 1992". Election 1992. Politics Resources. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  16. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
  19. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  20. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  21. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  22. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  23. Standard, 23 February 1914

Sources
  • Craig, FWS (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.

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