Derby South (UK Parliament constituency)

Derby South
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2010
Map of constituency
Boundary of Derby South in the East Midlands
CountyDerbyshire
Electorate72,067 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsDerby
Current constituency
Created1950
Member of ParliamentBaggy Shanker (Labour Co-op)
SeatsOne
Created fromDerby

Derby South (/ˈdɑːrbi/) is a constituency[n 1] formed of part of the city of Derby, most recently represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Baggy Shanker of the Labour and Co-op Party. Previous MP, Margaret Beckett, served the constituency for 41 years (from 1983 to 2024). She served under the Labour governments of Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. She became interim Leader of the Labour Party in 1994 when John Smith suddenly died. She also served in the Opposition front bench under Neil Kinnock and Smith himself.[n 2]

Boundaries

Derby city centre has been in this constituency since 1974; from 1950 it had been in Derby North.

Historic

1950–1955: The County Borough of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Castle, Dale, Litchurch, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree.

1955–1974: The County Borough of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Castle, Dale, Litchurch, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree, and the parish of Littleover in the Rural District of Shardlow.

1974–1977: The Borough of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Babington, Chellaston, Litchurch, Littleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree.

1977–1983: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Babington, Chellaston, Litchurch, Littleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree.

1983–1997: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Babington, Blagreaves, Kingsway, Litchurch, Littleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Sinfin.

Boundaries of Derby South from 1997 to 2010

1997–2010: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Babington, Blagreaves, Kingsway, Litchurch, Littleover, Mickleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Sinfin.

2010–2023: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Blagreaves, Boulton, Chellaston, Normanton, and Sinfin.

Current

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:

  • Abbey (small part); Alvaston North; Alvaston South; Arboretum (nearly all); Blagreaves; Chellaston & Shelton Lock; Darley (small part); Normanton (most); Sinfin & Osmaston.[4]

The 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.[5]

Constituency profile

The constituency takes in Derby city centre including much of its varied income inner-city, a narrow majority of which used to be local council-built however which is offset by conservation areas including beside Derby Cathedral and Derby Catacombs. The remainder of the seat is generally more affluent suburbs, and much of the engineering industry traditionally associated with the city.

History

The constituency was created in 1950, when the former two-seat constituency of Derby was split into two single-member seats. Unlike Derby North, this seat has been held by the Labour Party continuously since its creation.

A notable former MP for the seat was its first incumbent, Philip Noel-Baker of the Labour Party. He served as a Cabinet minister in the post-war Attlee government, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959 for his campaigning for disarmament. He had previously represented the former two-seat constituency of Derby since a by-election in 1936.

The former Cabinet minister Margaret Beckett, who had represented Lincoln (under her maiden name of Margaret Jackson) from 1974 to 1979, represented Derby South for the Labour Party from 1983 until 2024. In 1983, Beckett won the seat with one of the smallest majorities seen of just 421 over the Conservative Party–she always achieved larger majorities since. The 2019 result, in line with other seats that voted for Brexit, saw a drop in votes for Labour, with both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates making gains. Beckett still won a majority of all votes cast, however, representing a higher vote share than in the elections between 2005 and 2015, making Derby South a safe seat for the Labour Party.

Members of Parliament

Derby prior to 1950

Election Member[6] Party
1950 Philip Noel-Baker Labour
1970 Walter Johnson Labour
1983 Margaret Beckett Labour
2024 Baggy Shanker Labour Co-op

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Derby South[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Baggy Shanker 14,503 38.8 −12.3
Reform UK Alan Graves 8,501 22.7 +16.9
Workers Party Chris Williamson 5,205 13.9 N/A
Conservative Jamie Mulhall 5,192 13.9 −23.0
Green Sam Ward 1,899 5.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Joe Naitta 1,807 4.8 −1.4
Independent Zephyr Tair 292 0.8 N/A
Majority 6,002 16.1 +0.9
Turnout 37,399 51.3 −7.6
Registered electors 72,952
Labour Co-op hold Swing −14.6

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Derby South[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 21,690 51.1 −7.2
Conservative Ed Barker 15,671 36.9 +3.4
Liberal Democrats Joe Naitta 2,621 6.2 +3.5
Brexit Party Timothy Prosser 2,480 5.8 New
Majority 6,019 14.2 −10.6
Turnout 42,462 58.1 −6.7
Labour hold Swing -5.3
General election 2017: Derby South[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 26,430 58.3 +9.3
Conservative Evonne Williams 15,182 33.5 +6.1
UKIP Alan Graves 2,011 4.4 −11.1
Liberal Democrats Joe Naitta 1,229 2.7 −1.5
Green Ian Sleeman 454 1.0 −2.0
Majority 11,248 24.8 +3.2
Turnout 45,306 64.8 +6.7
Labour hold Swing +1.6
General election 2015: Derby South[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 20,007 49.0 +5.7
Conservative Evonne Williams[13] 11,179 27.4 −1.1
UKIP Victor Webb 6,341 15.5 +11.1
Liberal Democrats Joe Naitta[14] 1,717 4.2 −16.3
Green David Foster[15] 1,208 3.0 New
TUSC Chris Fernandez[16] 225 0.6 +0.6
British Independents David Gale[17][18] 143 0.4 +0.4
Majority 8,828 21.6 +6.8
Turnout 40,820 58.1 +0.1
Labour hold Swing +3.4
General election 2010: Derby South[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 17,851 43.3 −9.8
Conservative Jack Perscke 11,729 28.5 +8.7
Liberal Democrats David Batey 8,430 20.5 −3.7
UKIP Stephen Fowke 1,821 4.4 +3.0
Independent Alan Graves 1,357 3.3
Majority 6,122 14.8
Turnout 41,188 58.0 −6.7
Labour hold Swing -9.25

The vote share changes on 2005 and the turnout figures were notional based on boundary changes.

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Derby South[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 19,683 45.4 −11.0
Liberal Democrats Lucy Care 14,026 32.3 +13.0
Conservative David Brackenbury 8,211 18.9 −5.4
UKIP David Black 845 1.9 New
Veritas Frank Leeming 608 1.4 New
Majority 5,657 13.0 −19.1
Turnout 43,373 61.6 +5.7
Labour hold Swing -12.0
General election 2001: Derby South[22] [20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 24,310 56.4 +0.1
Conservative Simon Spencer 10,455 24.3 −0.9
Liberal Democrats Anders Hanson 8,310 19.3 +4.9
Majority 13,855 32.1 +1.0
Turnout 43,075 55.9 −12.1
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Derby South[23][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 29,154 56.3 +4.6
Conservative Javed Arain 13,048 25.2 −12.7
Liberal Democrats Jeremy Beckett 7,438 14.4 +4.0
Referendum John K. Browne 1,862 3.6 New
National Democrats Rob Evans 317 0.6 New
Majority 16,106 31.1 +17.3
Turnout 51,819 67.8 −7.7
Labour hold Swing
General election 1992: Derby South[24][21][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 25,917 51.7 +8.0
Conservative Nicholas P. Brown 18,981 37.9 −2.6
Liberal Democrats Simon J. Hartropp 5,198 10.4 −5.4
Majority 6,936 13.8 +10.6
Turnout 50,096 75.5 +5.6
Labour hold Swing +5.2

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Derby South[26][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 21,003 43.7 +4.4
Conservative Paul Leighton 19,487 40.5 +2.1
SDP Nora Mellor 7,608 15.8 −5.8
Majority 1,516 3.2 +2.3
Turnout 48,098 69.9 +2.5
Labour hold Swing
General election 1983: Derby South[28][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Beckett 18,169 39.3 −10.7
Conservative Gerald Hales 17,748 38.4 −0.3
SDP Ivor Smith 9,976 21.6 +11.9
Ecology Eric Wall 297 0.7 New
Majority 421 0.9 −10.4
Turnout 46,190 67.4 −4.0
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Derby South[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Walter Johnson 26,945 50.0 −1.0
Conservative Michael Stern 20,853 38.7 +5.8
Liberal J.D. Somerset Sullivan 5,196 9.7 −4.9
National Front L.A. Verity 587 1.1 New
Workers Revolutionary W.A. Biggs 146 0.3 New
United English National J. Short 122 0.2 −1.3
Majority 6,092 11.3 −6.8
Turnout 53,849 71.4 +1.9
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Derby South[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Walter Johnson 26,342 51.0 +3.6
Conservative A.J. Bussell 17,010 32.9 −1.7
Liberal R. Palmer 7,520 14.6 −3.4
United English National A.S. Ashby 793 1.5 New
Majority 9,332 18.1 +5.3
Turnout 51,665 69.5 +6.7
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Derby South[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Walter Johnson 26,613 47.4 −7.0
Conservative R.S.W. Clements 19,470 34.6 −11.0
Liberal J. Mills 10,121 18.0 New
Majority 7,143 12.8 +4.0
Turnout 56,204 76.2 +8.9
Labour hold Swing
General election 1970: Derby South[32][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Walter Johnson 19,407 54.4 −3.2
Conservative Royden Greene 16,258 45.6 +13.8
Majority 3,149 8.8 −17.0
Turnout 35,665 67.3 −5.3
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Derby South[34][35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Noel-Baker 21,433 57.6 −0.1
Conservative Michael CG Fidler 11,857 31.8 −10.5
Liberal A Leslie Smart 3,966 10.7 New
Majority 9,576 25.8 +10.4
Turnout 37,256 72.6 −5.2
Labour hold Swing
General election 1964: Derby South[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Noel-Baker 22,432 57.7 +9.2
Conservative T.M. Wray 16,420 42.3 +1.8
Majority 6,012 15.4 +7.4
Turnout 38,852 74.8 −4.4
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Derby South[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Noel-Baker 20,776 48.5 −5.1
Conservative T.M. Wray 17,345 40.5 +2.0
Liberal A. Leslie Smart 4,746 11.1 +3.2
Majority 3,431 8.0 −7.1
Turnout 42,867 79.2 +0.4
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Derby South[38]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Noel-Baker 23,081 53.6 −9.0
Conservative Marcus Kimball 16,572 38.5 +1.1
Liberal A. Leslie Smart 3,408 7.9 New
Majority 6,509 15.1 −10.1
Turnout 43,061 78.8 −5.7
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Derby South[39]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Noel-Baker 27,333 62.6 +2.5
Conservative Richard Cecil Dudley Grimes 16,344 37.4 +6.2
Majority 10,989 25.2 −3.7
Turnout 43,677 84.5 −1.6
Labour hold Swing
General election 1950: Derby South[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Philip Noel-Baker 26,886 60.1
Conservative Richard Cecil Dudley Grimes 13,926 31.2
Liberal Lyndon Irving 3,900 8.7
Majority 12,960 28.9
Turnout 44,712 87.1
Labour win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  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.

References

  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  2. ^ LGBCE. "Derby | LGBCE". lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  3. ^ "The Derby (Electoral Changes) Order 2023".
  4. ^ "New Seat Details – Derby South". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
  6. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 1)
  7. ^ Derby South
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "Here's all the candidates in Derbyshire for the General Election". Derbyshirelive. 8 June 2017 – via derbytelegraph.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Who's standing in Derby South and key info about the constituency". Derby Telegraph. 8 June 2017. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  11. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Derby South parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC.
  13. ^ "Evonne Williams". Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  14. ^ "| Parliamentary Candidates Detail". libdems.org.uk. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  15. ^ "General Election: Green Party announces it will contest both Derby seats | Derby Telegraph". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  16. ^ "MORE TUSC CANDIDATES IN PLACE AS ELECTION CHALLENGE GROWS". tusc.org.uk. 19 December 2014.
  17. ^ "David Gale to stand for British Independents in Derby South | Derby Telegraph". Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  18. ^ "British Independents – A Message from David Gale". Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. ^ a b "British Parliamentary Election results 1997–:English Boroughs part 1". David Boothroyd. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  21. ^ a b c d "Election history". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  22. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  26. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ a b "United Kingdom Parliamentary Election results 1983–97: English Boroughs part 1". David Boothroyd. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  28. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. ^ "UK General Election results May 1979". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  30. ^ "UK General Election results: October 1974". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  31. ^ "UK General Election results: February 1974". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  32. ^ "UK General Election results: 1970". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  33. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1970.
  34. ^ "UK General Election results: March 1966". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  35. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1966.
  36. ^ "UK General Election results: October 1964". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  37. ^ "UK General Election results: October 1959". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  38. ^ "UK General Election results: May 1955". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  39. ^ "UK General Election results: October 1951". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
  40. ^ "UK General Election results: February 1950". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Constituency represented by the leader of the opposition
1994 		Succeeded by

52°54′N 1°27′W / 52.90°N 1.45°W / 52.90; -1.45