Heywood and Middleton North (UK Parliament constituency)

Heywood and Middleton North
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of within North West England
CountyGreater Manchester
Electorate73,306 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsHeywood, Middleton, Alkrington, Castleton
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentElsie Blundell (Labour Party)
SeatsOne
Created fromHeywood and Royton; Middleton and Prestwich

Heywood and Middleton North is a constituency in Greater Manchester represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Elsie Blundell of the Labour Party.

Prior to the 2024 general election, the constituency was known as Heywood and Middleton. The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies proposed that two of the Middleton wards be included in a new constituency named Blackley and Middleton South and this seat be renamed Heywood and Middleton North.[2][3]

Constituency profile

The constituency covers the west half of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, including the towns of Heywood and Middleton, and some of the western fringes of Rochdale itself such as Castleton. Norden and Bamford are strong Conservative areas, with several million-pound houses, but all other wards are mostly favourable to Labour. Middleton includes the large overspill council estate of Langley though the South Middleton ward includes a relatively affluent area in Alkrington Garden Village, but even this ward generally returns Labour councillors.

Electoral Calculus categorises the seat as a "Somewhere" demographic, indicating socially conservative, economically soft left views and strong support for Brexit.[4]

History

The constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the former seats of Heywood and Royton and Middleton and Prestwich and was held by the Labour Party since then until the 2019 Election.

From 1983 until his retirement in 1997, the MP was Jim Callaghan, not to be confused with a former Prime Minister with the same name.

In a 2014 by-election UKIP came within 617 votes of winning the seat, which was on the same day as the Rochester and Strood by-election, and in 2015 it produced one of their largest results in the country. Subsequently, the constituency heavily voted to Leave in the EU referendum and swung to the Conservatives for the first time in 2019, in line with many other Leave-voting Labour seats in the North and Midlands.

Under the 2023 boundary changes, it was estimated that the newly named seat would notionally have been held by Labour.[5] As a result, the sitting Conservative MP, Chris Clarkson, decided not to stand in 2024 and he was selected for the previously safe seat of Stratford-on-Avon, where he was defeated. The Labour Party candidate, Elsie Blundell, duly won this seat with a majority of 16.4% over Reform UK, with the Conservatives dropping down to third place.

Boundaries

Map
Map of boundaries 2010–2024

1983–1997: The Borough of Rochdale wards of Heywood North, Heywood South, Heywood West, Middleton Central, Middleton East, Middleton North, Middleton South, and Middleton West.

1997–2010: The Borough of Rochdale wards of Castleton, Heywood North, Heywood South, Heywood West, Middleton Central, Middleton East, Middleton North, Middleton South, Middleton West, and Norden and Bamford.

2010–2024: The Borough of Rochdale wards of Bamford, Castleton, East Middleton, Hopwood Hall, Norden, North Heywood, North Middleton, South Middleton, West Heywood, and West Middleton.

2024–present: The Borough of Rochdale wards of Bamford, Castleton, Hopwood Hall, Norden, North Heywood, North Middleton, Spotland and Falinge, West Heywood, and West Middleton.[6]

East Middleton and South Middleton wards were transferred to the new constituency of Blackley and Middleton South, partly compensated by the addition of the Spotland and Falinge ward from Rochdale.

Members of Parliament

Election Member[7] Party
1983 Jim Callaghan Labour
1997 Jim Dobbin Labour Co-op
2014 by-election Liz McInnes Labour
2019 Chris Clarkson Conservative
2024 Elsie Blundell Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Heywood and Middleton North [8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Elsie Blundell 15,069 40.6 –2.5
Reform UK Steve Potter 8,987 24.2 +15.8
Conservative Laura-Beth Thompson 6,423 17.3 –24.2
Independent Chris Furlong 4,349 11.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Tom Shaw 2,302 6.2 +2.0
Majority 6,082 16.4 +14.8
Turnout 37,130 49.6 −8.3
Registered electors 74,786
Labour hold Swing -9.1

Heywood and Middleton North is the only constituency (in England or Wales) where the Green Party of England and Wales didn’t stand a 2024 candidate.[10][better source needed]

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[5]
Party Vote %
Labour 18,281 43.1
Conservative 17,601 41.5
Brexit Party 3,581 8.4
Liberal Democrats 1,787 4.2
Green 1,196 2.8
Turnout 42,446 57.9
Electorate 73,306
General election 2019: Heywood and Middleton[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Clarkson 20,453 43.1 +5.1
Labour Liz McInnes 19,790 41.7 –11.6
Brexit Party Colin Lambert 3,952 8.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Anthony Smith 2,073 4.4 +2.2
Green Nigel Ainsworth-Barnes 1,220 2.6 N/A
Majority 663 1.4 N/A
Turnout 47,488 59.2 –3.2
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.4
General election 2017: Heywood and Middleton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Liz McInnes 26,578 53.3 +10.2
Conservative Chris Clarkson 18,961 38.0 +18.9
UKIP Lee Seville 3,239 6.5 –25.7
Liberal Democrats Bill Winlow 1,087 2.2 –1.1
Majority 7,617 15.3 +4.4
Turnout 49,865 62.4 +1.7
Labour hold Swing –4.4
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Heywood and Middleton
General election 2015: Heywood and Middleton[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Liz McInnes 20,926 43.1 +3.0
UKIP John Bickley 15,627 32.2 +29.6
Conservative Iain Gartside 9,268 19.1 –8.1
Liberal Democrats Anthony Smith 1,607 3.3 –19.4
Green Abi Jackson 1,110 2.3 N/A
Majority 5,299 10.9 –2.0
Turnout 48,538 60.7 +3.2
Labour hold Swing –16.3
2014 Heywood and Middleton by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Liz McInnes 11,633 40.9 +0.8
UKIP John Bickley 11,016 38.7 +36.1
Conservative Iain Gartside[13] 3,496 12.3 –14.9
Liberal Democrats Anthony Smith[14] 1,457 5.1 –17.6
Green Abi Jackson[15] 870 3.1 N/A
Majority 617 2.2 –10.7
Turnout 28,472 36.0 −21.5
Labour hold Swing –18.5
General election 2010: Heywood and Middleton[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Jim Dobbin 18,499 40.1 –8.2
Conservative Mike Holly 12,528 27.2 +5.4
Liberal Democrats Wera Hobhouse 10,474 22.7 +2.5
BNP Peter Greenwood 3,239 7.0 +2.6
UKIP Victoria Cecil 1,215 2.6 +0.7
Independent Chrissy Lee 170 0.4 N/A
Majority 5,971 12.9 –13.6
Turnout 46,125 57.5 +3.7
Labour Co-op hold Swing –6.8

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Heywood and Middleton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Jim Dobbin 19,438 49.8 –7.9
Conservative Stephen Pathmarajah 8,355 21.4 –6.2
Liberal Democrats Crea Lavin 7,261 18.6 +7.4
BNP Gary Aronsson 1,855 4.7 N/A
Liberal Philip Burke 1,377 3.5 +0.9
UKIP John Whittaker 767 2.0 N/A
Majority 11,083 28.4 –1.7
Turnout 39,053 54.6 +1.5
Labour Co-op hold Swing –0.9
General election 2001: Heywood and Middleton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Jim Dobbin 22,377 57.7 0.0
Conservative Marilyn Hopkins 10,707 27.6 +4.6
Liberal Democrats Ian Greenhalgh 4,329 11.2 –4.4
Liberal Philip Burke 1,021 2.6 +1.1
Christian Democrats Christine West 345 0.9 N/A
Majority 11,670 30.1 –4.6
Turnout 38,779 53.1 −15.3
Labour Co-op hold Swing –2.3

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Heywood and Middleton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Jim Dobbin 29,179 57.7 +11.2
Conservative Sebastian Grigg 11,637 23.0 –8.6
Liberal Democrats David Clayton 7,908 15.6 –4.3
Referendum Christine West 1,076 2.1 N/A
Liberal Philip Burke 750 1.5 –0.3
Majority 17,542 34.7 +15.8
Turnout 50,550 68.4 −6.5
Labour Co-op win
General election 1992: Heywood and Middleton[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Callaghan 22,380 52.3 +2.4
Conservative Eric Ollerenshaw 14,306 33.4 –0.9
Liberal Democrats Michael B. Taylor 5,252 12.3 –3.5
Liberal Philip Burke 757 1.8 N/A
Natural Law Anne-Marie Scott 134 0.3 N/A
Majority 8,074 18.9 +3.3
Turnout 42,829 74.9 +1.1
Labour hold Swing +1.6

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Heywood and Middleton[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Callaghan 21,900 49.9 +6.6
Conservative Roy Walker 15,052 34.3 +0.5
SDP Ian Greenhalgh 6,953 15.8 –6.3
Majority 6,848 15.6 +6.1
Turnout 43,905 73.8 +3.9
Labour hold Swing +3.2
General election 1983: Heywood and Middleton[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Callaghan 18,111 43.3
Conservative Christine Hodgson 14,137 33.8
SDP Arthur Rumbelow 9,262 22.1
BNP Kenneth Henderson 316 0.8
Majority 3,974 9.5
Turnout 41,826 69.9
Labour win (new seat)

See also

References

  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  2. ^ "North West | Boundary Commission for England". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Middleton name no longer to be wiped from Parliamentary map under constituency boundary changes as Boundary Commission for England publishes final recommendations". www.rochdaleonline.co.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  4. ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Heywood+and+Middleton
  5. ^ a b "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  7. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 3)
  8. ^ "Statement of persons nominated – Heywood and Middleton North". Rochdale Council. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Heywood and Middleton North - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  10. ^ "Our candidates".
  11. ^ "Statement of persons nominated 2019" (PDF).
  12. ^ "Heywood & Middleton". BBC News. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  13. ^ "Iain Gartside Chosen as By-Election Candidate". Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale Conservatives.
  14. ^ "Lib Dems select Anthony Smith for Heywood and Middleton contest". www.rochdaleonline.co.uk.
  15. ^ "Rochdale Green Party Announce Abi Jackson as their candidate for the Heywood & Middleton by-election" (Press release). Green Party of England and Wales. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  16. ^ Council, Rochdale Metropolitan Borough (6 May 2010). "Election results for Heywood & Middleton, 6 May 2010". democracy.rochdale.gov.uk.
  17. ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  18. ^ "UK General Election results: June 1987". Archived from the original on 28 May 2004.
  19. ^ "UK General Election results: June 1983". Archived from the original on 3 January 2004.

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