Elmet and Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)

Elmet and Rothwell is a constituency in West Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its creation in 2010 by Alec Shelbrooke, a Conservative.[n 1] In the 2017 general election, Elmet and Rothwell recorded the largest turnout of any seat in West or South Yorkshire, with almost 60,000 electors casting a vote.

Elmet and Rothwell
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Elmet and Rothwell in West Yorkshire
Outline map
Location of West Yorkshire within England
CountyWest Yorkshire
Electorate80,957 (December 2019)[1]
Major settlementsRothwell, Garforth, Wetherby
Current constituency
Created2010
Member of ParliamentAlec Shelbrooke (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromElmet, Morley and Rothwell

There is no town of Elmet: the name refers to an ancient Celtic kingdom in the area. The name is however referenced by local villages Barwick-in-Elmet and Scholes-in-Elmet, and also Sherburn in Elmet which is nearby but outside the constituency.

The seat is due to be abolished for the next general election.[2]

History

Following its review of parliamentary boundaries in West Yorkshire, the Boundary Commission for England created this constituency for the 2010 election which principally contains the three towns of Garforth, Rothwell and Wetherby.

Constituency profile

Situated to the east of Leeds is the seat of Elmet and Rothwell in West Yorkshire. The constituency is named after the town of Rothwell and the ancient British Celtic kingdom of Elmet. The constituency includes rural hinterland and commuter towns to the east of Leeds, including the historical market town of Wetherby, and former coal mining towns and villages, in an area slightly further south, such as Allerton Bywater, Garforth, Kippax, Methley, Oulton, Rothwell and Swillington. The pits in this area were closed on agreement that the workforce could transfer to the nearby Selby coalfield, so the area had several residents who commuted to work as miners as late as 2004.

This is mostly white, owner-occupier territory, with only one in 10 living in social housing, according to ONS 2011 Census figures for England and Wales. Considering this, below average levels of adults here claim Job Seeker's Allowance, with only 1% of constituents doing so. A quarter of the population works in retail and manufacturing; four in 10 have a professional, managerial or technical job, while one in 20 is an apprentice. 28% of constituents have a university degree or higher.

The area has below average levels of immigration. Only 4% of the constituency were born outside the UK, compared to 13% nationally.[3]

Elmet and Rothwell ranks 206th in a list of the largest constituencies in the UK (geographical size), and 248th in a list of the largest constituencies by population size. It is the safest seat for the Conservative Party in West Yorkshire.

Academic analysis suggests that roughly 56% of electors in the constituency voted to Leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum.[4]

Boundaries

The City of Leeds wards of Garforth and Swillington, Harewood, Kippax and Methley, Rothwell, and Wetherby.

Proposed abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be abolished for the next general election, with its contents distributed four ways:[2]

Members of Parliament

Alec Shelbrooke, Member of Parliament for Elmet and Rothwell since 2010
ElectionMember[5] Party
2010Alec ShelbrookeConservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

The 2019 election saw Elmet and Rothwell continue to be the safest Conservative seat in West Yorkshire. A significant swing of nearly 7% to the Conservatives was recorded, in line with many seats in the area.

General election 2019: Elmet and Rothwell[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alec Shelbrooke 33,726 57.9 +3.6
Labour David Nagle 16,373 28.1 -9.8
Liberal Democrats Stewart Golton 5,155 8.9 +4.5
Green Penny Stables 1,775 3.1 +1.4
Yorkshire Matt Clover 1,196 2.1 +0.3
Majority 17,353 29.8 +13.4
Turnout 58,225 71.9 -2.3
Conservative hold Swing +6.7

By numerical vote share and percentage majority, the 2017 general election saw Elmet and Rothwell become the safest Conservative seat in West Yorkshire.

General election 2017: Elmet and Rothwell [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alec Shelbrooke 32,352 54.3 +5.9
Labour David Nagle 22,547 37.9 +4.2
Liberal Democrats Stewart Golton 2,606 4.4 -0.2
Yorkshire Matthew Clover 1,042 1.8 New
Green Dylan Brown 995 1.7 -0.5
Majority 9,805 16.4 +1.7
Turnout 59,542 74.2 +1.2
Conservative hold Swing +0.9
General election 2015: Elmet and Rothwell[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alec Shelbrooke 27,978 48.4 +5.8
Labour Veronica King 19,488 33.7 -0.8
UKIP Paul Spivey 6,430 11.1 +8.2
Liberal Democrats Stewart Golton 2,640 4.6 -11.7
Green Dave Brooks 1,261 2.2 New
Majority 8,490 14.7 +6.6
Turnout 57,797 73.0 +1.2
Conservative hold Swing +3.3

This new constituency of Elmet and Rothwell was fought for the first time at the 2010 general election.

General election 2010: Elmet and Rothwell[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alec Shelbrooke 23,778 42.6 +8.1
Labour James Lewis 19,257 34.5 -11.4
Liberal Democrats Stewart Golton 9,109 16.3 -1.0
BNP Sam Clayton 1,802 3.2 +0.9
UKIP Darren Oddy 1,593 2.9 New
Independent Christopher Nolan 250 0.4 New
Majority 4,521 8.1 +6.6
Turnout 55,789 71.8 +2.0
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. Like 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. "Elmet & Rothwell Parliamentary constituency". BBC. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  2. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – Yorkshire and the Humber | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  3. "Elmet and Rothwell Parliamentary Profile". 2011 Electorate Figures. BBC. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  4. Hanretty, Chris (18 August 2016). "Revised estimates of Leave vote share in Westminster constituencies". Medium.
  5. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
  6. "Elmet and Rothwell constituency". Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  7. "Elmet & Rothwell parliamentary constituency – Election 2017" via www.bbc.com.
  8. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. "Elmet & Rothwell". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  10. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. "UK > England > Yorkshire & the Humber > Elmet & Rothwell". Election 2010. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.

53.818°N 1.404°W / 53.818; -1.404

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