Tatton (UK Parliament constituency)

Tatton
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map of constituency
Boundary of Tatton in North West England
CountyCheshire
Electorate75,538 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsAlderley Edge, Chelford, Handforth, High Legh, Knutsford, Lostock Gralam, Lymm, Mobberley, Plumley, Styal, Wilmslow, Wincham
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentEsther McVey (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromRuncorn, Cheadle, Northwich and Knutsford

Tatton is a constituency[n 1] in Cheshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Esther McVey, a Conservative.[n 2]

Constituency profile

Tatton comprises the north-western part of the Cheshire East unitary authority, including the towns of Knutsford and Wilmslow, and a number of villages such as Alderley Edge, Chelford, Handforth and Mobberley, in Cheshire. It also covers a small, north-east, part of the Cheshire West and Chester unitary authority, including some of the outskirts of Northwich.

The seat largely comprises prosperous villages and small towns, set amidst Cheshire countryside, featuring country parks, hills, recreation grounds and golf courses. This includes areas with the highest house prices in the North of England, and some of the wealthiest villages in the United Kingdom as a whole.[2] The area was previously dominated by countryside; however, since the 1950s, it has developed a largely built-up, suburban character, being located on the fringes of Greater Manchester. The largest centres of population are Alderley Edge, Wilmslow and Knutsford. Its proximity to Manchester means Tatton forms part of the commuter belt to the city.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.1% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[3]

During the 2016 EU membership referendum, the constituency voted to remain in the EU, despite both Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester voting to leave overall. The margin was 55.56% Remain over 44.44% Leave.[4]

Creation

The constituency was created for the 1983 general election following the major reorganisation of local authorities under the Local Government Act 1972, which came into effect on 1 April 1974. It was formed from parts of the seats of Runcorn, Cheadle, Northwich and Knutsford. The constituency is named after Tatton Park, a stately home in this area.

Boundaries

Map
Map of current boundaries, first used in 2024
Map
Map of former boundaries, used from 2010 to 2019 inclusive

1983–1997: The Borough of Macclesfield wards of Dean Row, Fulshaw, Handforth, High Legh, Hough, Knutsford Nether, Knutsford Over, Knutsford South, Knutsford West, Lacey Green, Mere, Mobberley, Morley and Styal, and Plumley; and the District of Vale Royal wards of Barnton, Castle, Cogshall, Lostock Gralam, Marston and Wincham, Northwich, Rudheath and Whatcroft, Seven Oaks, Shakerley, Winnington, Witton North, and Witton South.[5]

Initially comprised the towns of Northwich and Knutsford and surrounding rural areas, formerly parts of the abolished constituencies of the same names, together with the former Urban District of Wilmslow, previously part of the constituency of Cheadle. Also included a small area transferred from Runcorn.

1997–2010: The Borough of Macclesfield wards of Alderley Edge, Dean Row, Fulshaw, Handforth, High Legh, Hough, Knutsford Nether, Knutsford Over, Knutsford South, Knutsford West, Lacey Green, Mere, Mobberley, Morley and Styal, Nether Alderley, and Plumley; and the District of Vale Royal wards of Barnton, Cogshall, Lostock Gralam, Marston and Wincham, Rudheath and Whatcroft, Seven Oaks, and Shakerley.[6]

Under the Fourth Periodic Review of constituencies, the number of constituencies in Cheshire was increased from 10 to 11 and Northwich was now included in the newly created constituency of Weaver Vale. To compensate for this loss, Alderley Edge was transferred from Macclesfield.

2010–2019: The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007 defined the boundaries as:

The Borough of Macclesfield wards of Alderley Edge, Chelford, Dean Row, Fulshaw, Handforth, High Legh, Hough, Knutsford Bexton, Knutsford Nether, Knutsford Norbury Booths, Knutsford Over, Lacey Green, Mere, Mobberley, Morley & Styal, and Plumley; and the Borough of Vale Royal wards of Barnton, Cogshall, Lostock & Wincham, Rudheath & South Witton, Seven Oaks & Marston, and Shakerley.[7]

Minor changes due to revision of ward boundaries.

However, before the new boundaries came into force for the 2010 election, the districts making up the county of Cheshire were abolished on 1 April 2009, being replaced by four unitary authorities. Consequently, the constituency's boundaries became:

The Cheshire East wards of Alderley Edge, Chelford, Handforth, High Legh, Knutsford, Mobberley, Wilmslow Dean Row, Wilmslow East, Wilmslow Lacey Green, and Wilmslow West & Chorley; and the Cheshire West and Chester wards of Marbury, Shakerley, and Witton & Rudheath (part).

2019–2024: Following a further local government ward boundary review in 2019, the boundaries became:

The Cheshire East wards of Alderley Edge, Chelford, Handforth, High Legh, Knutsford, Mobberley, Wilmslow Dean Row, Wilmslow East, Wilmslow Lacey Green, and Wilmslow West & Chorley ; and the Cheshire West and Chester wards of Davenham Moulton & Kingsmead (small part), Marbury (most), Rudheath (most), and Shakerley.[8]

2024–Present: Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which became effective for the 2024 general election, the constituency is currently composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The Borough of Cheshire East wards of: Alderley Edge; Chelford; Handforth; High Legh; Knutsford; Mobberley; Wilmslow Dean Row; Wilmslow East; Wilmslow Lacey Green; Wilmslow West and Chorley.
  • The Borough of Cheshire West and Chester wards of: Marbury; Shakerley.
  • The Borough of Warrington wards of: Lymm North & Thelwall (polling districts SNA, SNB, SPA, SPB and SPC); Lymm South.[9]

The constituency has been expanded to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the village of Lymm (but not Thelwall) from Warrington South. Other boundary changes within the Borough of Cheshire West and Cheshire took account of ward boundary modifications.

Political history

The constituency was initially held in 1983 by the Conservative Neil Hamilton.

During the 1997 general election campaign, Tatton was one of the UK's highest-profile constituencies. Following Hamilton's implication in the Cash for Questions scandal of the 1990s, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats withdrew their candidates in favour of the former BBC journalist Martin Bell, who stood as an Independent, while those two parties supported his "anti-corruption" campaign. Bell was ultimately successful, with a majority of 11,077. Hamilton came second.

Having promised to serve only one term, Bell did not contest the seat at the 2001 election, and the seat was won by Conservative George Osborne with a majority of 8,611 (20.8%). Osborne held the seat at the 2005 election with an increased majority, and became the Shadow Chancellor that year. He held the position of Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2016, one of the highest frontbench government positions. Osborne served the seat until standing down at the 2017 election,[10] having been announced as the new editor of the London Evening Standard newspaper in March of that year.

Esther McVey, who had been MP for nearby Wirral West from 2010 to 2015, was elected in 2017. McVey was the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions after Theresa May's Cabinet reshuffle in January 2018, but resigned after concerns over May's plan of leaving the European Union in November 2018.[11] McVey subsequently announced her candidacy for the Conservative Party leadership in 2019, but was knocked out in the first round, receiving the lowest number of votes of all ten candidates.

Members of Parliament

Election Member[12] Party
1983 Neil Hamilton Conservative
1997 Martin Bell Independent
2001 George Osborne Conservative
2017 Esther McVey Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Tatton [13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Esther McVey 19,956 38.4 −18.9
Labour Ryan Jude 18,820 36.3 +13.8
Reform UK Oliver Speakman 5,948 11.5 +11.1
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Smith 4,614 8.9 −7.3
Green Nigel Hennerley 2,571 5.0 +1.3
Majority 1,136 2.1
Turnout 52,107 68.6
Conservative hold Swing -16.3

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Tatton[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Esther McVey 28,277 57.7 −0.8
Labour James Weinberg 10,890 22.2 −6.2
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Smith 7,712 15.7 +6.7
Green Nigel Hennerley 2,088 4.3 +2.2
Rejected ballots 187
Majority 17,387 35.5 +5.4
Turnout 49,146 71.2 −1.3
Registered electors 69,018
Conservative hold Swing +2.7
General election 2017: Tatton[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Esther McVey 28,764 58.6 −0.1
Labour Sam Rushworth 13,977 28.5 +10.1
Liberal Democrats Gareth Wilson 4,431 9.0 +0.5
Green Nigel Hennerley 1,024 2.1 −1.7
Independent Quentin Abel 920 1.9 N/A
Rejected ballots 104
Majority 14,787 30.1 −10.2
Turnout 49,220 72.5 +2.5
Registered electors 67,874
Conservative hold Swing −5.1
See also: Opinion polling for the United Kingdom general election, 2017 § Tatton
General election 2015: Tatton[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Osborne 26,552 58.6 +4.0
Labour David Pinto-Duschinsky 8,311 18.3 +1.1
UKIP Stuart Hutton 4,871 10.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Gareth Wilson 3,850 8.5 −14.1
Green Tina Rothery 1,714 3.8 N/A
Rejected ballots 185
Majority 18,241 40.3 +8.3
Turnout 45,483 70.0 +2.1
Registered electors 65,004
Conservative hold Swing +1.5
General election 2010: Tatton[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Osborne 24,687 54.6 +3.1
Liberal Democrats David Lomax 10,200 22.6 +0.8
Labour Richard Jackson 7,803 17.3 −6.5
Independent Sarah Flannery 2,243 5.0 N/A
The True English (Poetry) Party Michael Gibson 298 0.7 N/A
Majority 14,487 32.0
Turnout 45,317 67.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Tatton[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Osborne 21,447 51.8 +3.7
Labour Justin Madders 9,716 23.5 ―3.8
Liberal Democrats William Arnold 9,016 21.8 +3.2
UKIP Diane Bowler 996 2.4 +0.5
Independent Michael Gibson 239 0.6 N/A
Majority 11,731 28.3 +3.5
Turnout 41,414 64.6 +1.1
Conservative hold Swing +3.8
General election 2001: Tatton[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Osborne 19,860 48.1 +10.6
Labour Steven Conquest 11,249 27.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Michael Ash 7,685 18.6 N/A
UKIP Mark Sheppard 769 1.9 N/A
Independent Green Peter Sharratt 734 1.8 N/A
Tatton Group Vivianne Allinson 505 1.2 N/A
Independent John Batchelor 322 0.8 N/A
Independent Jonathan Hunt 154 0.4 N/A
Majority 8,611 20.8 N/A
Turnout 41,278 63.5 ―7.6
Conservative gain from Independent Swing +5.4

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Tatton[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Martin Bell 29,354 60.2
Conservative Neil Hamilton 18,277 37.5
Ind. Conservative Sam Hill 295 0.6
Ind. Conservative Simon Kinsey 184 0.4
Miss Moneypenny's Glamorous One Party Burnel Penhaul 128 0.3
Albion Party John Muir 126 0.3
Natural Law Michael Kennedy 123 0.3
Lord Biro versus the Scallywag Tories David Bishop 116 0.2
Ind. Conservative Ralph Nicholas 113 0.2
Juice Party Julian Price 73 0.1
Majority 11,077 22.7
Turnout 48,792 76.1
Independent gain from Conservative Swing -38.9
General election 1992: Tatton[24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil Hamilton 31,658 55.1 +0.5
Labour Jonathan Kelly 15,798 27.5 +5.9
Liberal Democrats Catherine Hancox 9,597 16.7 ―6.9
Feudal Party Michael Gibson 410 0.7 +0.2
Majority 15,860 27.6 ―3.4
Turnout 57,463 80.8 +4.0
Conservative hold Swing ―2.7

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Tatton[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil Hamilton 30,128 54.6 ±0.0
SDP Bridie Gaskin 13,034 23.6 ―3.6
Labour Hazel Blears 11,760 21.3 +3.1
Feudal Party Michael Gibson 263 0.5 N/A
Majority 17,094 31.0 +3.6
Turnout 55,185 76.8 +2.5
Conservative hold Swing +1.8
General election 1983: Tatton[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Neil Hamilton 27,877 54.6
SDP David Levy 13,917 27.2
Labour William Davies 9,295 18.2
Majority 13,960 27.4
Turnout 51,089 74.3
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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

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 21 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Historic England". list.english-heritage.org.uk. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  3. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency Archived 1 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian
  4. ^ EU Ref Update – Gareth Wilson of Tatton Lib Dems
  5. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". Archived from the original on 1 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". Archived from the original on 16 January 2021.
  8. ^ "OpenStreetMap". OpenStreetMap. Archived from the original on 28 August 2004. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  9. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  10. ^ "George Osborne to quit as MP for Tatton at election". BBC News. 19 April 2017. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  11. ^ "Brexit: Dominic Raab and Esther McVey among ministers to quit over EU agreement". BBC News. 15 November 2018. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  12. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "T" (part 1)
  13. ^ "Tatton - General Election Results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Tatton - Results of the 4 July 2024 election". Cheshire East Borough Council.
  15. ^ "Election for the constituency of Tatton on 12 December 2019". UK Parliament. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Tatton Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Election for the constituency of Tatton on 8 June 2017". UK Parliament. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Tatton parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  19. ^ "Election for the constituency of Tatton on 7 May 2015". UK Parliament. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Election for the constituency of Tatton on 6 May 2010". UK Parliament. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  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. ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  26. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

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