Rushcliffe (UK Parliament constituency)

Rushcliffe
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire.
Outline map
Location of Nottinghamshire within England.
County Nottinghamshire
Electorate 73,430 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements West Bridgford
Current constituency
Created 1885
Member of parliament Kenneth Clarke (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from South Nottinghamshire
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency East Midlands

Rushcliffe is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1970 by Ken Clarke, a Conservative and the current Father of the House.[n 2]

History

The constituency was formed by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (for first use during the election that year).

Since 1950 it has been a safe seat for the Conservative Party whose members have held it without marginal majorities except for a four-year period when it was held by Labour from 1966 coinciding with the First Wilson Ministry. Unlike other constituencies nearby, such as Broxtowe and Gedling, which were previously held by the Conservatives, they retained Rushcliffe in the 1997 New Labour landslide. This was at the time attributed in part to its more rural nature, but also to the personal popularity of the incumbent MP, Conservative Kenneth Clarke. Surprisingly, however, the 2017 election saw an unexpectedly large swing to Labour, cutting Clarke's majority to its lowest since 2001 in the face of the highest Labour vote since 1970. Notably, Rushcliffe voted to remain in the European Union in 2016; while this is in keeping with Clarke's generally pro-European stance, the large increase in Labour's vote also indicates that after his departure, Rushcliffe could become less safe Conservative territory than it has been during Clarke's tenure.

Boundaries

1885-1918: Part of the Sessional Division of Nottingham.

1918-1950: The Urban Districts of Beeston, Carlton, and West Bridgford, the Rural Districts of Leake and Stapleford, the Rural District which consisted of the parishes of Kingston-on-Soar and Ratcliffe-on-Soar, and in the Rural District of Basford the parishes of Awsworth, Barton-in-Fabis, Bilborough, Bradmore, Bunny, Burton Joyce, Clifton-with-Glapton, Colwick, Cossall, Gamston, Gedling, Gotham, Nuthall, Ruddington, South Wilford, Stoke Bardolph, Strelley, Thrumpton, Trowell, and Wollaton.

1950-1955: The Urban Districts of Beeston and Stapleford, and West Bridgford, and in the Rural District of Basford the parishes of Barton-in-Fabis, Bilborough, Bradmore, Bunny, Clifton with Glapton, Colwick, Costock, East Leake, Gedling, Gotham, Kingston-on-Soar, Normanton-on-Soar, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Rempstone, Ruddington, Stanford-on-Soar, Sutton Bonington, Thorpe-in-the-Glebe, Thrumpton, West Leake, Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, and Wysall.

1955-1974: The Urban District of Beeston and Stapleford, and in the Rural District of Basford the parishes of Barton-in-Fabis, Bilborough, Bradmore, Bunny, Colwick, Costock, East Leake, Gedling, Gotham, Kingston-on-Soar, Normanton-on-Soar, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Rempstone, Ruddington, Stanford-on-Soar, Sutton Bonington, Thorpe-in-the-Glebe, Thrumpton, West Leake, Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, and Wysall.

1974-1983: The Urban District of West Bridgford, the Rural District of Bingham, and in the Rural District of Basford the parishes of Barton-in-Fabis, Bradmore, Bunny, Costock, East Leake, Gotham, Kingston on Soar, Normanton on Soar, Ratcliffe on Soar, Rempstone, Ruddington, Stanford on Soar, Sutton Bonington, Thorpe in the Glebe, Thrumpton, West Leake, Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, and Wysall.

1983-2010: The Borough of Rushcliffe.

2010-present: The Borough of Rushcliffe wards of Abbey, Compton Acres, Cotgrave, Edwalton Village, Gamston, Gotham, Keyworth North, Keyworth South, Lady Bay, Leake, Lutterell, Manvers, Melton, Musters, Nevile, Ruddington, Soar Valley, Stanford, Tollerton, Trent, Trent Bridge, Wiverton, and Wolds.

The constituency covers the south of Nottinghamshire.

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Nottinghamshire, the Boundary Commission's report approved by Parliament led to minor modifications to the existing constituency[n 3] for the 2010 general election.

Constituency profile

The main town in the constituency is West Bridgford, which is part of the Greater Nottingham urban area, and includes the Trent Bridge cricket ground and Nottingham Forest F.C., and has some strong Labour wards like Trent Bridge itself and Lady Bay. The remainder of the constituency is predominantly rural and Conservative, including the villages of Cotgrave, East Leake, Sutton Bonington, Keyworth, Radcliffe on Trent and Ruddington.

The constituency consists of Census Output Areas of one local government district with a working population whose income is close to the national average and has lower than average reliance upon social housing.[2] At the end of 2012 the unemployment rate in the constituency stood as 1.9% of the population claiming jobseekers allowance, compared to the regional average of 3.5%.[3] The borough contributing to the bulk of the seat has a low 15.1% of its population without a car, 16.4% of the population without qualifications and a very high 39.0% with level 4 qualifications or above. In terms of tenure a high 76.7% of homes are owned outright or on a mortgage as at the 2011 census across the district.[4]

Members of Parliament

Kenneth Clarke

Since 1970, Rushcliffe's Member of Parliament has been one of Britain's prominent political figures, Kenneth Clarke of the Conservative Party.

Clarke was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1993 to 1997, ran to be party leader during opposition under the Blair Ministry, then became Shadow Secretary of State for Business from 2009 to 2010 and then took de facto joint role of Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor from 2010 as the Lord Chancellor lost in the previous administration the requirement to be a leading judge and sit in the judiciary's highest court as well as a conventionally apolitical role in the House of Lords, in which the holder no longer sits.[n 4]

ElectionMember[5]PartyNotes
1885 John Ellis Liberal
Dec 1910 Leif Jones Liberal
1918 Rt. Hon. Henry Betterton Coalition Conservative Minister of Labour 25 August 1931 – 29 June 1934
1922 Conservative
1934 by-election Rt. Hon. Ralph Assheton Conservative
1945 Florence Paton Labour
1950 Rt. Hon. Martin Redmayne Conservative
1966 Antony Gardner Labour
1970 Rt. Hon. Kenneth Clarke Conservative Father of the House of Commons

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2017: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke[6] 30,223 51.8 Increase 0.4
Labour David Mellen[7] 22,213 38.1 Increase 11.8
Liberal Democrat Jayne Phoenix[8] 2,759 4.7 Decrease 0.3
Green Richard Mallender 1,626 2.8 Decrease 3.7
UKIP Matthew Faithfull 1,490 2.6 Decrease 8.2
Majority 8,010 13.7 Decrease 11.4
Turnout 58,311 78.0
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 5.7
General Election 2015: Rushcliffe[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 28,354 51.4 Increase 0.2
Labour David Mellen 14,525 26.3 Increase 5.6
UKIP Matthew Faithfull[10] 5,943 10.8 Increase 6.7
Green Richard Mallender 3,559 6.5 Increase 4.2
Liberal Democrat Robert Johnston 2,783 5.0 Decrease 16.7
Majority 13,829 25.1 Decrease 4.4
Turnout 55,164 75.3 Increase 1.7
Conservative hold Swing Increase 2.7
General Election 2010: Rushcliffe[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 27,470 51.2 Increase 3.1
Liberal Democrat Karrar Khan 11,659 21.7 Increase 4.4
Labour Andrew Clayworth 11,128 20.7 Decrease 6.7
UKIP Matthew Faithfull 2,179 4.1 Increase 1.6
Green Richard Mallender 1,251 2.3 Decrease 1.2
Majority 15,811 29.5
Turnout 53,687 73.6 Increase 3.6
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 0.6

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Rushcliffe[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 27,899 49.5 +2.0
Labour Edward Gamble 14,925 26.5 −7.5
Liberal Democrat Karrar Khan 9,813 17.4 +3.8
Green Simon Anthony 1,692 3.0 +0.7
UKIP Matthew Faithfull 1,358 2.4 −0.2
Veritas Daniel Moss 624 1.1 N/A
Majority 12,974 23.0
Turnout 56,311 70.5 +4.0
Conservative hold Swing +4.8
General Election 2001: Rushcliffe[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 25,869 47.5 +3.1
Labour Paul Fallon 18,512 34.0 −2.2
Liberal Democrat Jeremy Hargreaves 7,395 13.6 −0.7
UKIP John Brown 1,434 2.6 +2.0
Green Ashley Baxter 1,236 2.3 N/A
Majority 7,357 13.5
Turnout 54,446 66.5 −12.3
Conservative hold Swing +2.6

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Rushcliffe[15][16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 27,558 44.4 −10.0
Labour Jocelyn Pettitt 22,503 36.2 +13.0
Liberal Democrat Sam Boote 8,851 14.3 −5.7
Referendum Catherine Chadd 2,682 4.3 N/A
UKIP Joseph Moore 403 0.7 N/A
Natural Law Anna Miszewska 115 0.2 +0.0
Majority 5,055 8.1 −23.1
Turnout 62,112 78.8 −4.2
Conservative hold Swing −11.5
General Election 1992: Rushcliffe[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 34,448 54.4 −4.4
Labour Alan D. Chewings 14,682 23.2 +6.6
Liberal Democrat Andrew M. Wood 12,660 20.0 −3.0
Green Simon R. Anthony 775 1.2 −0.5
Ind. Conservative Morgan Maelor-Jones 611 1.0 N/A
Natural Law David Richards 150 0.2 N/A
Majority 19,766 31.2 −4.6
Turnout 63,326 83.0 +3.1
Conservative hold Swing −5.5

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Rushcliffe[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 34,214 58.78
Social Democratic Laurence George 13,375 22.98
Labour Paddy Tipping 9,631 16.54
Green Heather Wright 991 1.70 Increase0.74
Majority 20,839 35.80
Turnout 72,797 79.96
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: Rushcliffe [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 33,253 61.47
Liberal J Hamilton 13,033 24.09
Labour Vernon Coaker 7,290 13.48
Ecology Maureen Pooks 518 0.96
Majority 20,220 37.38
Turnout 76.91
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 34,196 62.21
Labour CIE Atkins 11,712 21.31
Liberal JE Hamilton 9,060 16.48
Majority 22,484 40.90
Turnout 81.69
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 27,074 54.69
Labour V Bell 12,131 24.50
Liberal JE Hamilton 10,300 20.81
Majority 14,943 30.18
Turnout 77.38
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 29,828 55.58
Labour M Gallagher 12,119 22.58
Liberal JE Hamilton 11,719 21.84
Majority 17,709 33.00
Turnout 84.57
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Kenneth Clarke 30,966 51.66
Labour Antony Gardner 24,798 41.37
Liberal Paul M Browne 4,180 6.97
Majority 6,168 10.29
Turnout 79.64
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Antony Gardner 25,623 45.80
Conservative Martin Redmayne 25,243 45.12
Liberal Malcolm J Smith 5,085 9.09
Majority 380 0.68
Turnout 85.43
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1964: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Martin Redmayne 27,936 52.64
Labour Arthur Latham 25,137 47.36
Majority 2,799 5.27
Turnout 83.44
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Martin Redmayne 27,392 54.41
Labour Neville Sandelson 22,952 44.59
Majority 4,440 8.82
Turnout 85.37
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Martin Redmayne 23,509 51.81
Labour David Hardman 21,866 48.19
Majority 1,643 3.62
Turnout 82.86
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Martin Redmayne 30,972 57.92
Labour Ron Ledger 22,506 42.08
Majority 8,466 15.83
Turnout 85.95
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Martin Redmayne 27,497 51.47
Labour Hugh Lawson 20,860 39.05
Liberal Erica Margaret Stallabrass 5,064 9.48
Majority 6,637 12.42
Turnout 87.77
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Election in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Florence Paton 43,303 54.23
Conservative Ralph Assheton 36,544 45.77
Majority 6,759 8.46
Turnout 77.00
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ralph Assheton 32,320 62.55
Labour HJ Cadogan 19,349 37.45
Majority 12,971 25.10
Turnout 67.92
Conservative hold Swing
Rushcliffe by-election, 1934
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Ralph Assheton 19,374 48.8
Labour HJ Cadogan 15,081 38.0
Liberal Arthur Thomas Marwood 5,251 13.2
Majority 4,293 10.8
Turnout 56.5
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1931: Rushcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Henry Betterton 36,670 72.12
Labour Florence Paton 14,176 27.88
Majority 22,494 44.24
Turnout 77.79
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Rushcliffe [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Henry Betterton 19,145 41.7 −23.3
Labour Florence Widdowson 16,069 35.0 -
Liberal Arthur Thomas Marwood 10,724 23.3 N/A
Majority 3,076 6.7 −23.3
Turnout 45,938 79.5 +10.2
Registered electors 57,758
Unionist hold Swing −11.7
General Election 1924: Rushcliffe [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Henry Betterton 17,733 65.0 +20.5
Labour J.O. Whitwham 9,548 35.0 +10.3
Majority 8,185 30.0 +16.3
Turnout 27,281 69.3 −4.0
Registered electors 39,360
Unionist hold Swing +5.1
General Election 1923: Rushcliffe [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Henry Betterton 12,427 44.5 −12.3
Liberal John Lewin 8,581 30.8 N/A
Labour James Wilson 6,882 24.7 −18.5
Majority 3,846 13.7 +0.1
Turnout 27,890 73.3 +3.4
Registered electors 38,068
Unionist hold Swing +3.1
General Election 1922: Rushcliffe [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist Henry Betterton 14,822 56.8 +3.8
Labour Norman Angell 11,261 43.2 +13.3
Majority 3,561 13.6 −9.5
Turnout 26,083 69.9 +10.7
Registered electors 37,293
Unionist hold Swing −4.8

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: Rushcliffe [22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
C Unionist Henry Betterton 10,848 52.4 +10.7
Labour Charles Harris 6,180 29.9 N/A
Liberal Leif Jones 3,673 17.7 −40.6
Majority 4,668 22.5 N/A
Turnout 20,701 59.2 −21.1
Registered electors 34,974
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +25.7
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General Election December 1910: Rushcliffe [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Leif Jones 9,186 58.3 +0.0
Conservative Coningsby Disraeli 6,580 41.7 +0.0
Majority 2,606 16.6 +0.0
Turnout 15,766 80.3 −6.5
Registered electors 19,640
Liberal hold Swing +0.0
General Election January 1910: Rushcliffe [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Ellis 9,942 58.3 −4.2
Conservative Coningsby Disraeli 7,098 41.7 +4.2
Majority 2,844 16.6 −8.4
Turnout 17,040 86.8 +5.4
Registered electors 19,640
Liberal hold Swing −4.2

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1906: Rushcliffe [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Ellis 9,094 62.5 +10.7
Liberal Unionist H. F. Wyatt 5,460 37.5 −10.7
Majority 3,634 25.0 +21.4
Turnout 14,554 81.4 −0.9
Registered electors 17,883
Liberal hold Swing +10.7
General Election 1900: Rushcliffe [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Ellis 6,359 51.8 −1.1
Conservative J. Robinson 5,913 48.2 +1.1
Majority 446 3.6 −2.2
Turnout 12,272 82.3 −2.6
Registered electors 14,906
Liberal hold Swing −1.1

Elections in the 1890s

General Election 1895: Rushcliffe [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Ellis 5,752 52.9 −1.1
Liberal Unionist George Murray Smith[25] 5,119 47.1 +1.1
Majority 633 5.8 −2.2
Turnout 10,871 84.9 +1.5
Registered electors 12,808
Liberal hold Swing −1.1
General Election 1892: Rushcliffe [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Ellis 5,380 54.0 −4.9
Liberal Unionist Charles Seely 4,588 46.0 +4.9
Majority 792 8.0 −9.8
Turnout 9,968 83.4 +10.4
Registered electors 11,946
Liberal hold Swing −4.9

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1886: Rushcliffe [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Ellis 4,784 58.9 −5.3
Liberal Unionist George Savile Foljambe[26] 3,337 41.1 +5.3
Majority 1,447 17.8 −10.6
Turnout 8,121 73.0 −10.1
Registered electors 11,132
Liberal hold Swing −5.3
General Election 1885: Rushcliffe [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Ellis 5,944 64.2 N/A
Conservative John Henry Boyer Warner 3,308 35.8 N/A
Majority 2,636 28.4 N/A
Turnout 9,252 83.1 N/A
Registered electors 11,132
Liberal win (new seat)

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ↑ A county 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. ↑ The area around Bingham became part of Newark.
  4. ↑ Commentators questioned Lord Falconer its first revised holder whether the title should be abolished.
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. ↑ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk.
  3. ↑ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  4. ↑ "2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on 2016-01-29.
  5. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)
  6. ↑ "General election 2017: Ken Clarke to stand again". 19 April 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. ↑ "The Labour party has announced its Broxtowe and Rushcliffe candidates for the June 8 General Election". Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  8. ↑ http://www.libdems.org.uk/ (7 October 2016). "Jayne Phoenix".
  9. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
  11. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Rushcliffe". BBC News.
  13. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Retrieved 7 Jan 2011.
  17. ↑ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.142 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
  18. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 Dec 2010.
  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. 1 2 3 4 5 British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  23. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1922
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  25. ↑ "[No title]". Rhyl Record and Advertiser. 27 July 1895. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  26. ↑ "Election Expenses in Notts". Nottingham Evening Post. 6 August 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 10 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive. (Subscription required (help)).
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Kingston-upon-Thames		 Constituency represented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
1993–1997		 Succeeded by
Dunfermline East
Preceded by
Manchester Gorton		 Constituency represented by the Father of the House
2017–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent

Coordinates: 52°52′N 1°05′W / 52.87°N 1.09°W / 52.87; -1.09

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