Warwick and Leamington (UK Parliament constituency)

Warwick and Leamington is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since the 2017 general election by Matt Western, of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Warwick and Leamington
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Warwick and Leamington in Warwickshire
Location of Warwickshire within England
CountyWarwickshire
Electorate66,278 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsWarwick and Leamington
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentMatt Western (Labour)
Number of membersOne
Created fromWarwick

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[2]PartyNotes
1885Arthur PeelLiberalSpeaker of the House of Commons 1884–95
1886 Liberal Unionist
1895 by-electionAlfred LytteltonLiberal Unionist
1906Thomas BerridgeLiberal
Jan 1910Ernest PollockConservative Solicitor General then Attorney General (1919–1922)
1923Sir Anthony EdenConservative Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister (1955–1957), resigned January 1957
1957 by-electionJohn HobsonConservative Solicitor General then Attorney General (1962–1964), died December 1967
1968 by-electionDudley SmithConservative
1997James PlaskittLabour
2010Chris WhiteConservative
2017Matt WesternLabour

Constituency profile

The seat comprises the two eponymous towns, with modest hills surrounding them, in the upper valley of the River Avon.

The towns of Warwick and Royal Leamington Spa are still distinct, however, and form, in the modern seat, a contiguous urban area. Both towns are relatively affluent, although there are pockets of deprivation in Leamington. Warwick, with its historic castle, is an internationally advertised tourist destination, while Leamington's economy is more dependent on storage, distribution, manufacturing, processing, engineering and industry. Leamington is also more ethnically diverse (e.g. five per cent of the constituency's population is of Asian ethnicity) and is home to some students of the University of Warwick that lies close to Coventry.

Unemployment claimants who were registered jobseekers were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.2% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[3]

Boundaries

2010–present: The District of Warwick wards of Bishop's Tachbrook, Brunswick, Budbrooke, Clarendon, Crown, Manor, Milverton, Warwick North, Warwick South, Warwick West, Whitnash, and Willes. The 2010 boundary changes reduced the constituency's area by removing outlying villages, reflecting population and housing growth.

1997–2010: The District of Warwick wards of Bishop's Tachbrook, Brunswick, Budbrooke, Clarendon, Crown, Cubbington, Lapworth, Leek Wootton, Manor, Milverton, Radford Semele, Warwick North, Warwick South, Warwick West, Whitnash, and Willes, and the District of Stratford-on-Avon wards of Henley, Tanworth, and Tanworth Earlswood.

1983–1997: The District of Warwick wards of Bishop's Tachbrook, Brunswick, Budbrooke, Clarendon, Crown, Cubbington, Lapworth, Leek Wootton, Manor, Milverton, Radford Semele, Warwick North, Warwick South, Warwick West, Whitnash, and Willes.

1974–1983: As 1950 but with redrawn boundaries.

1950–1974: The Boroughs of Warwick and Royal Leamington Spa, the Urban District of Kenilworth, and the Rural District of Warwick.

1918–1950: The Boroughs of Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa, and Stratford-on-Avon, the Urban District of Kenilworth, the Rural Districts of Warwick and Alcester, and parts of the Rural Districts of Stratford-on-Avon and Brailes.

History

The constituency was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, partially replacing the earlier and ancient Warwick constituency which until that year had sent two MPs to Westminster.[4]

Political history

Represented by Conservatives from 1910–1997, the seat was for much of this time a safe seat, seeing frequent majorities of more than 10,000 votes, and the seat was uncontested in both 1918 and 1922. The seat had not been expected to change hands in the 1997 general election: as such James Plaskitt's defeat of Dudley Smith was a Portillo moment, without the decapitation of a government frontbencher. Plaskitt increased his majority in the 2001 election, but on a lower turnout. In the 2005 election, Warwick and Leamington was 85th on the Conservative list of target seats, meaning that to gain it they would have required a somewhat greater swing than was seen nationally. With a greater swing from Labour to the Liberal Democrats, Plaskitt narrowly held the seat with a majority slashed from nearly 6,000 votes to only 266.

However, minor boundary changes in Labour's favour took effect at the 2010 general election and the winner was variously predicted. In the event the seat was gained by a Conservative, Chris White, with a majority of 7% of the vote. On this occasion the Conservative Party was the main beneficiary from swings away from the Labour Party and the Green Party. White held the seat in 2015 with an increased majority of 6,606. Labour's Matthew Western won the seat from the Conservatives on a swing of 7.6% in the 2017 election, overturning a 6,606 vote lead[5] (this was the 4th biggest lead overturned by Labour at this election). This made Matt Western just the second Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington in the seat's history. In 2019, Western held the seat with a slightly reduced majority.

Prominent members

From 1923 until 1957 the seat was represented by Anthony Eden, who was Prime Minister from 1955-57.

In part of the early 1920s, the Solicitor General for England and Wales, then Attorney General for England and Wales represented the seat, Sir Ernest Pollock – Eden's successor was also in these senior positions, Sir John Hobson, in the part of early 1960s.

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Warwick and Leamington[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Matt Western 23,718 43.8 -2.9
Conservative Jack Rankin 22,929 42.3 -2.1
Liberal Democrats Louis Adam 4,995 9.2 +4.0
Green Jonathan Chilvers 1,536 2.8 +0.6
Brexit Party Tim Griffiths 807 1.5 +1.5
Independent Bob Dhillon 153 0.3 +0.3
SDP Xander Bennett 67 0.1 +0.1
Majority 789 1.5 -0.7
Turnout 54,205 71.0 -1.8
Labour hold Swing −0.4
General election 2017: Warwick and Leamington[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Matt Western 25,227 46.7 +11.7
Conservative Chris White 24,021 44.4 -3.5
Liberal Democrats Nick Solman 2,810 5.2 +0.2
Green Jonathan Chilvers 1,198 2.2 -1.7
UKIP Bob Dhillon 799 1.5 -6.8
Majority 1,206 2.2 N/A
Turnout 54,160 72.8 +2.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +7.6
General election 2015: Warwick and Leamington[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris White 24,249 47.9 +5.4
Labour Lynnette Kelly 17,643 34.9 -0.5
UKIP Alastair MacBrayne 4,183 8.3 +6.4
Liberal Democrats Haseeb Arif 2,512 5.0 -13.3
Green Azzees Minott 1,994 3.9 +2.1
Majority 6,606 13.1 +5.9
Turnout 50,770 70.7 -0.3
Conservative hold Swing +2.5
General election 2010: Warwick and Leamington[10][11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris White 20,876 42.6 +8.2
Labour James Plaskitt 17,363 35.4 -9.3
Liberal Democrats Alan Beddow 8,977 18.3 +2.4
UKIP Christopher Lenton 926 1.9 +0.2
Green Ian Davison 693 1.4 -1.9
Independent Jim Cullinane 197 0.4 +0.4
Majority 3,513 7.2 M/A
Turnout 49,032 71.0 +5.3
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.75

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Warwick and Leamington[13][14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Plaskitt 22,238 40.6 -8.2
Conservative Chris White 21,972 40.1 +2.5
Liberal Democrats Linda Forbes 8,119 14.8 +3.7
Green Ian Davison 1,534 2.8 N/A
UKIP Greville Warwick 921 1.7 +0.5
Majority 266 0.5 -10.7
Turnout 54,744 67.4 +1.6
Labour hold Swing -5.4
General election 2001: Warwick and Leamington[16][15][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Plaskitt 26,108 48.8 +4.3
Conservative David Campbell-Bannerman 20,155 37.6 -1.2
Liberal Democrats Linda Forbes 5,964 11.1 -0.7
Socialist Alliance Claire Kime 664 1.2 N/A
UKIP Greville Warwick 648 1.2 N/A
Majority 5,953 11.2 +5.5
Turnout 53,539 65.8 -9.3
Labour hold Swing +2.8

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Warwick and Leamington[16][15][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Plaskitt 26,747 44.5 +11.5
Conservative Dudley Smith 23,349 38.9 -9.5
Liberal Democrats Nigel Hicks 7,133 11.9 -4.7
Referendum Val Davis 1,484 2.5 N/A
Green Paul Baptie 764 1.3 -0.1
Independent Greville Warwick 306 0.5 N/A
Independent Michael Gibbs 183 0.3 N/A
Natural Law Roddy McCarthy 125 0.2 -0.1
Majority 3,398 5.7 N/A
Turnout 60,091 75.1 -6.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +10.5
General election 1992: Warwick and Leamington[15][18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Smith 28,093 48.4 -1.4
Labour Matthew Taylor 19,158 33.0 +9.5
Liberal Democrats S. E. Boad 9,645 16.6 -7.9
Green Janet Alty 803 1.4 -0.6
Independent R. Newby 251 0.4 N/A
Natural Law J. Brewster 156 0.3 N/A
Majority 8,935 15.4 -9.9
Turnout 58,108 81.6 -5.6
Conservative hold Swing -5.5

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Warwick and Leamington[20][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Smith 27,530 49.8 -1.1
Alliance Kevin O'Sullivan 13,548 24.5 -1.4
Labour Ann Christina 13,019 23.5 +1.5
Green Janet Alty 1,214 2.2 +0.9
Majority 13,982 25.3 +0.3
Turnout 55,311 76.0 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing -1.3
General election 1983: Warwick and Leamington[21][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Smith 26,512 50.9 -3.5
Alliance R. Behrens 13,480 25.9 +10.9
Labour Richard Chessum 11,463 22.0 -7.3
Ecology Nicholas Charlton 685 1.3 -0.1
Majority 13,032 25.0
Turnout 52,140 73.6 -4.1
Conservative hold Swing -7.2

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Smith 35,925 54.4 +7.3
Labour C. J. Gray 19,367 29.3 -3.8
Liberal D. Woodcock 9,905 15.0 -4.8
Ecology P. Sizer 905 1.4 N/A
Majority 16,558 25.0 +11.0
Turnout 66,102 77.7 +2.9
Conservative hold Swing +5.6
General election October 1974: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Smith 27,721 47.1 -0.4
Labour J. W. England 19,476 33.1 +3.4
Liberal T. A. Jones 11,625 19.8 -3.0
Majority 8,245 14.0 -3.8
Turnout 58,822 74.8 -6.8
Conservative hold Swing -1.9
General election February 1974: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Smith 30,167 47.5 -15.9
Labour J. W. England 18,874 29.7 -6.9
Liberal T. A. Jones 14,500 22.8 N/A
Majority 11,293 17.8 -9.0
Turnout 63,541 81.6 +9.0
Conservative hold Swing -19.4
General election 1970: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Smith 36,994 63.4 -4.9
Labour John Watkinson 21,355 36.6 +20.1
Majority 15,639 26.8 -25.0
Turnout 58,349 72.6 -6.3
Conservative hold Swing -12.5

Elections in the 1960s

1968 Warwick and Leamington by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dudley Smith 28,914 68.3 +16.7
Labour Raymond Carter 6,992 16.5 -19.6
Liberal Antony Butcher 6,415 15.2 +2.9
Majority 21,922 51.8 +36.8
Conservative hold Swing +18.2
General election 1966: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Hobson 28,918 51.6 -2.2
Labour Les Huckfield 20,221 36.1 +2.0
Liberal Antony Butcher 6,912 12.3 +0.2
Majority 8,697 15.5 -4.2
Turnout 56,051 78.9 -1.5
Conservative hold Swing -2.1
General election 1964: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Hobson 29,749 53.8 -8.8
Labour Nigel Spearing 18,865 34.1 -3.3
Liberal Peter Gibson 6,676 12.1 N/A
Majority 10,884 19.7 -5.5
Turnout 55,290 80.4 -2.3
Conservative hold Swing -10.5

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Hobson 32,513 62.59 -1.89
Labour William Wilson 19,434 37.41 +1.89
Majority 13,079 25.18 -3.78
Turnout 51,947 82.7
Conservative hold Swing
1957 Warwick and Leamington by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Hobson 24,948 52.26 -12.22
Labour William Wilson 22,791 47.74 +12.22
Majority 2,157 4.52 -24.44
Turnout 47,739
Conservative hold Swing -12.2
General election 1955: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Eden 29,979 64.48 4.0
Labour William Wilson 16,513 35.52 -4.0
Majority 13,466 28.96
Turnout 78.77
Conservative hold Swing +4.0
General election 1951: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Eden 28,282 60.48 0.7
Labour William Wilson 18,479 39.52 -0.7
Majority 9,803 20.96
Turnout 82.38
Conservative hold Swing +0.7
General election 1950: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Eden 27,353 59.78 -1.6
Labour H. Bithell 18,400 40.22 +8.0
Majority 8,953 19.57
Turnout 82.86
Conservative hold Swing -4.8

Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Warwick and Leamington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Eden 37,110 61.34 -15.3
Labour Donald Chesworth 19,476 32.19 +8.8
Liberal Walter Dingley 3,908 6.46 +6.46
Majority 17,634 29.15
Turnout 69.18
Conservative hold Swing -12.1

General Election 1939/40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. 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: Warwick and Leamington [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Eden 35,746 76.58 -4.0
Labour J. Perry 10,930 23.42 +4.0
Majority 24,816 53.17
Turnout 65.66
Conservative hold Swing −4.0
General election 1931: Warwick and Leamington [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Eden 38,584 80.64
Independent Labour Jim Garton 9,261 19.36
Majority 29,323 61.29
Turnout 72.43
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Warwick and Leamington [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Anthony Eden 23,045 47.6 -12.6
Liberal Walter Dingley 17,585 36.4 -3.4
Labour Jim Garton 7,741 16.0 n/a
Majority 5,460 11.2 -9.2
Turnout 77.5 +3.9
Unionist hold Swing -4.6
General election 1924: Warwick and Leamington [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Anthony Eden 19,575 60.2 +8.4
Liberal George Nicholls 12,966 39.8 +4.4
Majority 6,609 20.4 +4.0
Turnout 73.6 +0.7
Unionist hold Swing +2.0
General election 1923: Warwick and Leamington [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Anthony Eden 16,337 51.8 n/a
Liberal George Nicholls 11,134 35.4 n/a
Labour Daisy Greville 4,015 12.8 n/a
Majority 5,203 16.4 n/a
Turnout 72.9 n/a
Unionist hold Swing n/a
General election 1922 : Warwick and Leamington [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Ernest Pollock unopposed n/a n/a
Unionist hold Swing n/a

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Warwick and Leamington[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Ernest Pollock Unopposed
Unionist hold
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election December 1910: Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ernest Pollock 3,321 56.1 1.5
Liberal Thomas Berridge 2,596 43.9 +1.5
Majority 725 12.2 3.0
Turnout 5,917 89.1 5.1
Registered electors 6,642
Conservative hold Swing 1.5
General election January 1910: Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ernest Pollock 3,605 57.6 +9.4
Liberal Thomas Berridge 2,651 42.4 9.4
Majority 954 15.2 N/A
Turnout 6,256 94.2 +1.9
Registered electors 6,642
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +9.4

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Berridge 3,011 51.8 +10.6
Liberal Unionist Alfred Lyttelton 2,802 48.2 10.6
Majority 209 3.6 N/A
Turnout 5,813 92.3 +12.2
Registered electors 6,296
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing +10.6
By-election, 1903: Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Alfred Lyttelton 2,689 51.8 7.0
Liberal Thomas Berridge 2,499 48.2 +7.0
Majority 190 3.6 14.0
Turnout 5,188 86.5 +6.4
Registered electors 5,999
Liberal Unionist hold Swing 7.0
General election 1900: Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Alfred Lyttelton 2,785 58.8 N/A
Liberal Halford Mackinder 1,954 41.2 N/A
Majority 831 17.6 N/A
Turnout 4,739 80.1 N/A
Registered electors 5,920
Liberal Unionist hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Alfred Lyttelton Unopposed
Liberal Unionist hold
By-election, 23 May 1895 Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Alfred Lyttelton 2,815 55.7 N/A
Liberal James Duckworth 2,236 44.3 N/A
Majority 579 11.4 N/A
Turnout 3,394 86.2 N/A
Registered electors 5,858
Liberal Unionist hold Swing N/A
  • Caused by Peel's elevation to the peerage, becoming Viscount Peel.
General election 1892: Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Speaker (Liberal Unionist) Arthur Peel Unopposed
Speaker hold

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Speaker (Liberal Unionist) Arthur Peel Unopposed
Speaker hold
General election 1885: Warwick and Leamington[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Speaker (Liberal) Arthur Peel 2,644 53.8 N/A
Conservative Edward Montague Nelson[26] 2,272 46.2 N/A
Majority 372 7.6 N/A
Turnout 4,916 89.6 N/A
Registered electors 5,486
Speaker win (new seat)

See also

Footnotes

  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, but may be shorter if the PM resigns.

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. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 1)
  3. Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  4. 2010 post-revision map non-metropolitan areas and unitary authorities of England
  5. "Election results 2017: Labour takes Warwick and Leamington seat". bbc.co.uk. 2017-06-09. Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  6. "Warwick & Leamington Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  7. "General election 2017". Warwick District Council. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  8. "Elections 2015". Warwick District Council. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  9. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. "Warwick District Council, Official list of candidates" (PDF).
  12. "UK > England > West Midlands > Warwick & Leamington". Election 2010. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  13. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. "BBC NEWS-Election 2005-Results-Warwick & Leamington". news.bbc.co.uk.
  15. "Politics". the Guardian.
  16. "BBC NEWS-VOTE 2001-RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES-Warwick & Leamington". news.bbc.co.uk.
  17. "United Kingdom Parliamentary Election results 1997-: English Counties part 3". www.election.demon.co.uk.
  18. "British Parliamentary Election results 1983-97: English Counties". www.election.demon.co.uk.
  19. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  20. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  23. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  24. Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  25. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  26. "The New Parliament". The Morning Post. 25 November 1885. p. 5. Retrieved 14 December 2017 via British Newspaper Archive.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Warwick
Constituency represented by the Speaker
1885–1895
Succeeded by
Carlisle
Preceded by
Woodford
Constituency represented by the Prime Minister
1955–1957
Succeeded by
Bromley

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