Sleaford and North Hykeham (UK Parliament constituency)

Sleaford and North Hykeham is a parliamentary constituency[n 1] in Lincolnshire, England which elects a single Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It has been represented since 2016 by Dr Caroline Johnson, who is a member of the Conservative Party. The seat was created in 1997 and has always been represented by Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Conservative Party; like all British constituencies, it elects one candidate by the first-past-the-post voting system. Johnson became the MP for the constituency after a by-election in December 2016, following the resignation of the previous MP for the seat, Stephen Phillips. The constituency is considered a safe seat for the Conservatives.

Sleaford and North Hykeham
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Sleaford and North Hykeham in Lincolnshire; or specifically, the parts of Lincolnshire within the Lincolnshire County Council Area
Location of Lincolnshire; or specifically, the parts of Lincolnshire within the Lincolnshire County Council Area within England
CountyLincolnshire
Electorate85,561 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsSleaford, North Hykeham
Current constituency
Created1997
Member of ParliamentCaroline Johnson (Conservative)
Number of membersOne
Created fromGrantham, Lincoln

Boundaries

1997–2010: The District of North Kesteven except for the ward of Bracebridge Heath, and the District of South Kesteven wards of Ermine, Heath, Loveden, Saxonwell, and Witham Valley.

2010–present: The District of North Kesteven wards of Ashby de la Launde, Bassingham, Billinghay, Branston and Mere, Brant Broughton, Cliff Villages, Cranwell and Byard’s Leap, Eagle and North Scarle, Heckington Rural, Heighington and Washingborough, Kyme, Leasingham and Roxholm, Martin, Metheringham, North Hykeham Forum, North Hykeham Memorial, North Hykeham Mill, North Hykeham Moor, North Hykeham Witham, Osbournby, Ruskington, Sleaford Castle, Sleaford Holdingham, Sleaford Mareham, Sleaford Navigation, Sleaford Quarrington, Sleaford Westholme, and Waddington West, and the District of South Kesteven wards of Barrowby, Ermine, Heath, Loveden, Peascliffe, Saxonwell, and Witham Valley.

The constituency covers the towns of Sleaford and North Hykeham and a large area of rural Lincolnshire south west of Lindsey. The constituency's boundaries roughly correspond to those of North Kesteven local government district. In their formative proposals for 1997, the Boundary Commission for England proposed calling the new constituency Mid Lincolnshire, however the name was changed to its current form during the local inquiry process.[2] The inclusion of North Hykeham in the constituency title was criticised by the author and psephologist Robert Waller in 1995, on the grounds that North Hykeham was effectively an overspill area of the City of Lincoln; however, not on the grounds of its actual inclusion, as its local government authority has long been seen as linked with the villages to the south in this seat, and wholly separate from the city.[3]

Following another Boundary Commission review, the constituency boundaries with two of its neighbouring seats Lincoln and Grantham and Stamford were changed for the 2010 general election.

The areas within the constituency of Sleaford and North Hykeham are under the control and come under the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council for the provision of certain public services, such as roads and local authority education.[4]

History

1997–2015

Douglas Hogg moved to represent Sleaford and North Hykeham from the previously existing Grantham constituency, a safe Conservative seat which he had held since 1979. At the 1997 general election, Hogg won 43.9% of the vote, giving him a majority of 5,123 votes (9.6%) ahead of the second-placed Labour Party.[5] At the 2001 general election, the Conservatives increased their vote share by 5.7%, while the Labour Party's vote share decreased;[6] the seat had a majority of 8,622 votes (17.7%), which was the 104th-smallest percentage majority out of the 166 seats won by the Conservatives.[7] At the 2005 general election, Hogg won a majority of 12,705 votes (23.8%); this was the 35th-largest absolute majority (number of votes) and 52nd-largest percentage majority of the 198 seats won by the Conservative Party.[8] UKIP, a minor party, won 5% of the vote in the constituency (coming fourth), retaining its deposit.[9] He stood down at the 2010 general election owing to controversy over his expenses claims, making him the first MP to resign because of the scandal.[10]

Hogg was replaced by fellow Conservative Stephen Phillips.[11] In 2010, he won a majority of 19,905 votes (33.4%); the Liberal Democrats came second.[12] Out of the 650 UK Parliament constituencies contested at the election, Sleaford and North Hykeham had the 14th-largest absolute majority and the 72nd-largest percentage majority.[13] The Lincolnshire Independents, a minor party, won 6.4% of the vote in the seat and came fourth; as this was more than 5%, the party retained its deposit.[14] At the 2015 general election, Phillips won a majority of 24,115 votes (38.9%), with the Labour Party coming second in the seat. This made the constituency the 34th-safest by absolute majority, and the 99th-safest by percentage majority, out of the 650 constituencies.[15]

2016 by-election
Main article: 2016 Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election

Phillips stood down as an MP on 4 November 2016, owing to "irreconcilable differences" with the Government over the issue of Brexit.[16][17] This triggered a by-election within the constituency, which was held on 8 December;[18] Caroline Johnson retained the seat for the Conservatives with a large majority.[19]

2017–present

At the 2017 general election, Johnson won a majority of 25,237 votes; this was the second-largest majority of any seat in the East Midlands region (after Leicester South.[20] Johnson's 42,245 votes were the greatest tally for her party in that election.[21] The majority in percentage was surpassed by six candidates of the same party. At the 2019 general election, the Conservatives increased their majority to further to 32,565. This was the largest Conservative majority (measured by number of votes) at the election, and the largest majority of any seat in the East Midlands.[22]


The seat is overweight in electorate meaning each elector's potential vote counts for about 15% less than the smallest mainland seats and each potential vote has 24.4% of the potential effect as the remote seat covering Na h-Eileanan an Iar (the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides). A seat consisting of the latter seat multiplied by four times its electorate would, narrowly, be smaller than this seat's adult eligible voters (electorate).

Members of Parliament
ElectionMember[23] Party
1997 Douglas Hogg Conservative
2010 Stephen Phillips Conservative
2016 by-election Caroline Johnson Conservative

Elections
Graph of election results in Sleaford and North Hykeham, including the 2016 by-election (minor parties that never received more than 5% of the vote are omitted)

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Sleaford and North Hykeham[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Caroline Johnson 44,683 67.1 +2.9
Labour Linda Edwards-Shea 12,118 18.2 -7.6
Liberal Democrats Olly Craven 5,355 8.0 +3.9
Lincolnshire Independent Marianne Overton 1,999 3.0 N/A
Green Simon Tooke 1,742 2.6 +1.1
Independent Caroline Coram 657 1.0 N/A
Majority 32,565 48.9 +10.5
Turnout 66,554 70.2 -2.2
Conservative hold Swing +5.3
General election 2017: Sleaford and North Hykeham[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Caroline Johnson 42,245 64.2 +8.0
Labour Jim Clarke 17,008 25.8 +8.6
Liberal Democrats Ross Pepper 2,722 4.1 −1.5
UKIP Sally Chadd 1,954 3.0 −12.7
Green Fiona McKenna 968 1.5 +1.5
Independent Paul Coyne 900 1.4 +1.4
Majority 25,237 38.4 -0.5
Turnout 65,797 72.4 +2.2
Conservative hold Swing −0.3
By-election 2016: Sleaford and North Hykeham[26][27][28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Caroline Johnson 17,570 53.5 −2.7
UKIP Victoria Ayling 4,426 13.5 −2.2
Liberal Democrats Ross Pepper 3,606 11.0 +5.3
Labour Jim Clarke 3,363 10.2 −7.1
Lincolnshire Independent Marianne Overton 2,892 8.8 +3.1
Independent Sarah Stock 462 1.4 N/A
Monster Raving Loony The Iconic Arty-Pole 200 0.6 N/A
No description Paul Coyne 186 0.6 N/A
No description Mark Suffield 74 0.2 N/A
Bus-Pass Elvis David Bishop 55 0.2 N/A
Majority 13,144 40.0 +1.1
Turnout 32,893 37.1 −33.1
Conservative hold Swing +0.2
General election 2015: Sleaford and North Hykeham[30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Phillips 34,805 56.2 +4.6
Labour Jason Pandya-Wood 10,690 17.3 +0.4
UKIP Steven Hopkins 9,716 15.7 +12.1
Liberal Democrats Matthew Holden 3,500 5.7 -12.5
Lincolnshire Independent Marianne Overton 3,233 5.2 -1.2
Majority 24,115 38.9 +5.5
Turnout 61,944 70.2 +0.6
Conservative hold Swing +2.1
General election 2010: Sleaford and North Hykeham[32][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Phillips 30,719 51.6 +1.0
Liberal Democrats David Harding-Price 10,814 18.2 +0.1
Labour James Normington 10,051 16.9 -9.5
Lincolnshire Independent Marianne Overton[34] 3,806 6.4 N/A
UKIP Roger Doughty 2,163 3.6 -1.3
BNP Mike Clayton[35] 1,977 3.3 N/A
Majority 19,905 33.4 +9.6
Turnout 59,530 69.6 +2.8
Conservative hold Swing +0.45

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Sleaford and North Hykeham[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Hogg 26,855 50.3 +0.6
Labour Katrina Bull 14,150 26.5 −5.5
Liberal Democrats David Harding-Price 9,710 18.2 +2.0
UKIP Guy Croft 2,682 5.0 +2.8
Majority 12,705 23.8 +6.1
Turnout 53,397 66.8 +1.9
Conservative hold Swing +3.05
General election 2001: Sleaford and North Hykeham[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Hogg 24,190 49.7 +5.7
Labour Elizabeth Donnelly 15,568 32.0 -2.3
Liberal Democrats Robert Arbon 7,894 16.2 +1.0
UKIP Michael Ward-Barrow 1,067 2.2 N/A
Majority 8,622 17.7 +8.1
Turnout 48,719 64.9 -9.3
Conservative hold Swing +4.0

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Sleaford and North Hykeham[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Hogg 23,358 43.9 N/A
Labour Sean Hariss 18,235 34.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats John Marriott 8,063 15.2 N/A
Referendum Peter Clery 2,942 5.5 N/A
Independent Conservative Richard Overton 578 1.1 N/A
Majority 5,123 9.6 N/A
Turnout 74.4 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

References

Notes
  1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)

Citations
  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. "Lincolnshire". Fourth Periodic Report (Report). Boundary Commission for England. 1995.
  3. "Sleaford and North Hykeham constituency". Almanac of British Politics (5th ed.). 1995.
  4. "Final Recommendations for Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in the County of Lincolnshire". Boundary Commission for England. 14 November 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  5. Mellows-Facer 2001a, pp. 32, 46.
  6. Mellows-Facer 2001b, p. 95.
  7. Mellows-Facer 2001b, pp. 30–31, 95.
  8. Mellows-Facer 2006, pp. 8, 198.
  9. Mellows-Facer 2006, p. 124.
  10. Siddique, Haroon (19 May 2009). "Douglas Hogg becomes first politician to step down over expenses". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  11. Rhodes, Cracknell & McGuiness 2011, p. 60.
  12. Rhodes, Cracknell & McGuiness 2011, p. 107.
  13. Rhodes, Cracknell & McGuiness 2011, pp. 1, 107.
  14. Rhodes, Cracknell & McGuiness 2011, pp. 20, 95.
  15. Hawkins et al. 2015, pp. 6, 118.
  16. "Tory MP Stephen Phillips quits over 'irreconcilable differences'". 4 November 2016. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  17. Hubbert, Andy (4 November 2016). "BREAKING NEWS: Sleaford MP Steven Phillips resigns". Louth Leader. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  18. "Sleaford and North Hykeham voters to choose new MP". BBC News. 8 December 2016. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  19. "Conservatives hold Sleaford as Labour pushed into fourth". BBC News. 9 December 2016. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  20. Baker et al. 2019, p. 29.
  21. Results of the 2017 United Kingdom general election
  22. Uberoi, Baker & Cracknell 2019, pp. 10, 29.
  23. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 3)
  24. "Sleaford & North Hykeham parliamentary constituency". BBC News. 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  25. "Sleaford & North Hykeham parliamentary constituency". BBC News. 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  26. Pidluznyj, Stefan (10 November 2016). "First three candidates come forward for Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election". Lincolnshire Reporter. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  27. "First three candidates come forward for Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election". lincolnshirereporter.co.uk.
  28. Pack, Mark (11 November 2016). "Lib Dems select Ross Pepper for Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election". markpack.org.uk. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  29. "UKIP members vying for chance at Sleaford and North Hykeham seat". Lincs FM. 6 November 2016. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  30. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  31. "Sleaford and North Hykeham parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  32. "UKPollingReport Election Guide 2010 » Sleaford and North Hykeham". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
  33. "UK > England > East Midlands > Sleaford & North Hykeham". Election 2010. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  34. "Four-way election race to be Hogg's successor". Lincolnshire Echo. 15 March 2010. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  35. "£1005 Raised as North Kesteven BNP Announces another Two Candidates". British National Party. 7 March 2010. Archived from the original on 11 March 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  36. "Result: Sleaford & North Hykeham". BBC News. 2005. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  37. "Sleaford & North Hykeham". BBC News. 2001. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.

Works cited
  • Morgan, Bryn (29 March 2001a). General Election results, 1 May 1997 (PDF) (Report). House of Commons Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  • Morgan, Bryn (18 June 2001b). General Election results, 7 June 2001 (PDF) (Report). House of Commons Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  • Mellows-Facer, Adam (10 March 2006). General Election 2005 (PDF) (Report). House of Commons Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  • Rhodes, Christopher; Cracknell, Richard; McGuiness, Feargal (2 February 2011). General Election 2010 (PDF) (Report). House of Commons Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  • Hawkins, Oliver; Keen, Richard; Nakatudde, Nambassa; Ayres, Steven; Baker, Carl; Harker, Rachael; Bolton, Paul; Johnston, Neil; Cracknell, Richard (28 July 2015). General Election 2015 (PDF) (Report). House of Commons Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  • Baker, Carl; Hawkins, Oliver; Audickas, Lukas; Bate, Alex; Cracknell, Richard; Apostolova, Vyara; Dempsey, Noel; McInnes, Roderick; Rutherford, Tom; Uberoi, Elise (29 January 2019). General Election 2017: results and analysis (PDF) (Report). House of Commons Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  • Uberoi, Elise; Baker, Carl; Cracknell, Richard (19 December 2019). General Election 2019: results and analysis (PDF) (Report). House of Commons Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.

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