Leeds Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Leeds Central is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1999 by Hilary Benn of the Labour Party. The constituency first existed from 1885 until it was abolished in 1955. It was recreated in 1983.

"Leeds Central" redirects here. For the former railway station, see Leeds Central railway station.

Leeds Central
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Leeds Central in West Yorkshire
Outline map
Location of West Yorkshire within England
CountyWest Yorkshire
Electorate90,971 (December 2019)[1]
Major settlementsLeeds
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentHilary Benn (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromLeeds South, Leeds South East, Leeds East, Leeds West and Leeds North East[2]
1885–1955
Created fromLeeds
Replaced byLeeds West, Leeds South and Leeds South East

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be subject to boundary changes which will involve the loss of most Leeds city centre to the newly created constituency of Leeds Central and Headingly. Accordingly, the reconfigured seat will be renamed Leeds South, to be first contested at the next general election.

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Leeds wards of Mill Hill and West, and parts of the wards of Brunswick and Central.

1918–1950: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Central, Mill Hill, South, and West, and parts of the wards of Brunswick, Headingley, and North West.

1950–1951: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Armley and New Wortley, Blenheim, Central, Holbeck North, Mill Hill, and South and Westfield.

1951–1955: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Blenheim, City, Wellington, and Westfield.[3]

1983–1997: The City of Leeds wards of Beeston, City and Holbeck, Richmond Hill, and University.

1997–2010: As above plus Hunslet.

2010–present: The City of Leeds wards of Beeston and Holbeck, Burmantofts and Richmond Hill, City and Hunslet, Hyde Park and Woodhouse, and Middleton Park.

Following the Leeds City Council ward boundary changes prior to the 2018 election, the majority of the City and Hunslet ward became the new Hunslet and Riverside ward, whilst Leeds city centre was included in the new Little London and Woodhouse ward. Hyde Park became part of a new Headingley and Hyde Park ward, shared with the Leeds North West constituency.

Constituency profile

The business and retail centre of Leeds is at the heart. A relatively affluent hub having a large minority of its housing forming by luxury, well-served apartments or streets of grand middle-class Victorian houses, the seat has sporadic deprivation, typified by certain densely packed rows of terraced houses, home to many Labour-inclined and often low-income voters. Two large, well-ranked, universities in the city centre, the professional services sector and a 21st-century increase in technology businesses has brought prosperity to the younger generations of the city. The older generations of the city have lived through the closure of many mass consumer product manufacturing and materials processing businesses in Leeds throughout the mid-20th century.[4] Leeds' two universities produce a significant student electorate.[4][5] Middleton in the south of the seat has a golf course, a miniature railway and an upcoming urban mountain bike trail centre within the boundaries.

Households as at March 2011[6]
StatusNumber
Not Deprived in Any Dimension16,201
Deprived in 1 Dimension21,519
Deprived in 2 Dimensions13,586
Deprived in 3 Dimensions5,205
Deprived in 4 Dimensions697

History

First creation

The constituency was created in 1885 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and was first used in the general election of that year *the large Leeds seat had previously been represented by two MPs (1832–1868) and three MPs (1868–1885)). From 1885 it was represented by five single-member constituencies: Leeds Central, Leeds East, Leeds North, Leeds South and Leeds West. The constituencies of Morley, Otley and Pudsey were also created in 1885. The constituency was abolished in 1955. After the 1955 general election: Leeds was represented by Leeds East (created 1885, abolished 1918, recreated 1955), Leeds North East (created 1918), Leeds North West (created 1950), Leeds South (created 1885), and Leeds South East (created 1918). There were also constituencies of Batley and Morley (created 1918) and Pudsey (created 1885, replaced by Pudsey and Otley 1918–1950).

Second creation, current creation
Revival

The constituency was re-created for the 1983 general election.

Results of the winning party

The seat has been won by the Labour Party's candidate since 1983. Benn, elected in 1999 on the demise of Fatchett, has achieved an absolute majority (plurality of votes) in three of five elections for Leeds Central. The 2015 result made the seat the 40-safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.[7]

Opposition parties

Conservative runner-up, Wilson, in 2015 failed to reflect the positive national swing and fell to 17.3% of the votes cast. A candidature of UKIP, not present in 2010, saw a total share of the vote, hence positive swing, of 15.7% and thus third position.[n 1]. Green Party running, not present in 2010, resulted in a 7.9% polling and fourth-place, its candidate retained his deposit. The fifth-placed Liberal Democrat forfeited her deposit.[n 2].

Turnout

In general elections turnout has ranged from 87.9% in 1910 to 41.7% in 2001. In its 1999 by-election the constituency experienced the lowest voter turnout post-war of 19.6%.[8][9][5]

Members of Parliament
Hilary Benn, Member of Parliament for Leeds Central since 1999

MPs 1885–1955
Election Member[10] Party
1885 Gerald Balfour Conservative
1906 Robert Armitage Liberal
1922 Arthur Willey Conservative
1923 by-election Sir Charles Wilson Conservative
1929 Richard Denman Labour
1931 National Labour
1945 George Porter Labour
1955 constituency abolished

MPs since 1983
ElectionMember[10]Party
1983 Derek Fatchett Labour
1999 by-election Hilary Benn Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Leeds Central[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Benn 30,413 61.7 −8.5
Conservative Peter Fortune 11,143 22.6 +2.1
Brexit Party Paul Thomas 2,999 6.1 New
Liberal Democrats Jack Holland 2,343 4.8 +2.6
Green Ed Carlisle 2,105 4.3 +1.8
SDP William Clouston 281 0.6 New
Majority 19,270 39.1 −10.6
Turnout 49,284 54.2 +1.0
Labour hold Swing -5.3
General election 2017: Leeds Central[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Benn 33,453 70.2 +15.2
Conservative Gareth Davies 9,755 20.5 +3.2
UKIP Bill Palfreman 2,056 4.3 −11.4
Green Ed Carlisle 1,189 2.5 −5.4
Liberal Democrats Andy Nash 1,063 2.2 −1.2
CPA Alex Coetzee 157 0.3 New
Majority 23,698 49.7 +12.0
Turnout 47,673 53.2 −1.9
Labour hold Swing +6.0
General election 2015: Leeds Central[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Benn 24,758 55.0 +5.7
Conservative Nicola Wilson 7,791 17.3 −2.9
UKIP Luke Senior 7,082 15.7 New
Green Michael Hayton 3,558 7.9 New
Liberal Democrats Emma Spriggs 1,529 3.4 −17.4
TUSC Liz Kitching 330 0.7 New
Majority 16,967 37.7 +9.2
Turnout 45,048 55.1 –2.7
Labour hold Swing +4.8
General election 2010: Leeds Central[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Benn 18,434 49.3 −10.2
Liberal Democrats Michael Taylor 7,789 20.8 −0.7
Conservative Alan Lamb 7,541 20.2 +7.5
BNP Kevin Meeson 3,066 8.2 +4.1
Independent Dave Procter 409 1.1 New
Independent We Beat The Scum One-Nil 155 0.4 New
Majority 10,645 28.5 –9.5
Turnout 37,394 57.8 +13.5
Labour hold Swing −4.8

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Leeds Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Benn 17,526 60.0 -6.9
Liberal Democrats Ruth Coleman 5,660 19.4 +6.2
Conservative Brian Cattell 3,865 13.2 -1.1
BNP Mark Collett 1,201 4.1 New
UKIP Peter Sewards 494 1.7 -1.1
Independent Mick Dear 189 0.6 New
Independent Oluwole Taiwo 126 0.4 New
Alliance for Change Julian Fitzgerald 125 0.4 New
Majority 11,866 40.6 -12.0
Turnout 29,186 46.4 +4.7
Labour hold Swing
General election 2001: Leeds Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Benn 18,277 66.9 -2.7
Conservative Victoria Richmond 3,896 14.3 +0.6
Liberal Democrats Stewart Arnold 3,607 13.2 +1.9
UKIP David Burgess 775 2.8 New
Socialist Alliance Stephen Johnston 751 2.8 New
Majority 14,381 52.6 -3.3
Turnout 27,306 41.7 -12.5
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s
1999 Leeds Central by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Benn 6,361 48.2 -21.4
Liberal Democrats Peter Wild 4,068 30.8 +19.6
Conservative Edward Wild 1,618 12.3 -1.4
Green David Blackburn 478 3.6 New
UKIP Raymond Northgreaves 353 2.7 New
Leeds Left Alliance Chris Hill 258 2.0 New
Independent Julian Fitzgerald 51 0.4 New
Majority 2,293 17.4 -38.5
Turnout 13,187 19.6 -35.1
Labour hold Swing
General election 1997: Leeds Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Fatchett 25,766 69.6
Conservative Edward Wild 5,077 13.7
Liberal Democrats David Freeman 4,164 11.3
Referendum Philip Myers 1,042 2.8 New
Socialist Labour Mick Rix 656 1.8 New
Socialist Alternative Chris Hill 304 0.8 New
Majority 20,689 55.9
Turnout 37,009 54.7
Labour hold Swing
General election 1992: Leeds Central[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Fatchett 23,673 62.2 +6.6
Conservative TC Holdroyd 8,653 22.7 −2.8
Liberal Democrats David Pratt 5,713 15.0 −2.9
Majority 15,020 39.5 +9.4
Turnout 38,039 61.3 −3.5
Labour hold Swing +4.7

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Leeds Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Fatchett 21,270 55.6 +7.7
Conservative David Schofield 9,765 25.5 -1.4
SDP Karen Lee 6,853 17.9 -9.0
Communist William Innis 355 0.9 +0.1
Majority 11,505 30.1 +9.1
Turnout 59,019 64.8 +3.1
Labour hold Swing +4.5
General election 1983: Leeds Central[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Fatchett 18,706 47.9
Liberal P. Wrigley 10,484 26.9
Conservative M.A. Ashley-Brown 9,181 23.6
BNP G. Cummins 331 0.9
Communist J.M. Rogers 314 0.8
Majority 8,222 21.0
Turnout 39,030 61.7
Labour win (new seat)

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1951: Leeds Central[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Porter 23,967 62.35
Conservative William Barford 14,475 37.65
Majority 9,492 24.70
Turnout 38,442 77.10
Labour hold Swing
General election 1950: Leeds Central[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Porter 24,030 60.75
Conservative William Barford 13,351 33.75
Liberal Victor Delepine 2,176 5.50
Majority 10,679 27.00
Turnout 39,557 78.26
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Leeds Central[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Porter 13,370 57.14
Conservative Charles Denman 8,011 34.24 New
Liberal Basil Mayer Sandelson 2,017 8.62 New
Majority 5,359 22.90 N/A
Turnout 23,398 63.43
Labour gain from National Labour Swing

Elections in the 1930s
General election 1935: Leeds Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Labour Richard Denman 17,747 56.43
Labour Fred Lindley 13,701 43.57
Majority 4,046 12.86
Turnout 31,448 61.44
National Labour hold Swing
General election 1931: Leeds Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Labour Richard Denman 26,496 71.36 New
Labour Moss Turner-Samuels 10,633 28.64
Majority 15,863 42.72 N/A
Turnout 37,129 66.20
National Labour gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1920s
General election 1929: Leeds Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Richard Denman 17,322 44.6 +4.2
Unionist Charles Wilson 15,958 41.0 −18.6
Liberal Myer Jack Landa 5,607 14.4 New
Majority 1,364 3.6 N/A
Turnout 38,887 68.9 +7.9
Registered electors 56,417
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +11.4
General election 1924: Leeds Central[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Wilson 16,182 59.6 +3.4
Labour E. J. C. Neep 10,975 40.4 −3.4
Majority 5,207 19.2 +6.8
Turnout 27,157 61.0 +0.9
Registered electors 44,532
Unionist hold Swing +3.4
General election 1923: Leeds Central[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Wilson 14,853 56.2 +6.2
Labour Henry Slesser 11,574 43.8 +16.0
Majority 3,279 12.4 −9.8
Turnout 26,427 60.1 −6.0
Registered electors 43,972
Unionist hold Swing −4.9
1923 Leeds Central by-election[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Charles Wilson 13,085 47.6 −2.4
Labour Henry Slesser 11,359 41.4 +13.6
Liberal Gilbert Stone 3,026 11.0 −11.2
Majority 1,726 6.2 −16.0
Turnout 27,470 64.3 −1.8
Registered electors 42,738
Unionist hold Swing −8.0
General election 1922: Leeds Central[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Arthur Willey 14,137 50.0 New
Labour Henry Slesser 7,844 27.8 New
Liberal Robert Armitage 6,260 22.2 −58.4
Majority 6,293 22.2 N/A
Turnout 28,241 66.1 +28.7
Registered electors 42,738
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s
Robert Armitage
General election 1918: Leeds Central[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal Robert Armitage 11,474 70.6 +18.0
Independent * Ernest Terry 2,634 16.2 New
Co-operative Party Joseph Smith 2,146 13.2 New
Majority 8,840 54.4 +49.2
Turnout 16,254 37.4 −42.5
Registered electors 43,496
Liberal hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

* Terry was supported by the three local branches of National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers and Comrades of the Great War.

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

General election December 1910: Leeds Central[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Armitage 3,519 52.6 -2.6
Conservative John Gordon 3,169 47.4 +2.6
Majority 350 5.2 -5.2
Turnout 6,688 79.9 -8.0
Liberal hold Swing -2.6
General election January 1910: Leeds Central[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Armitage 3,987 54.2 -3.1
Conservative John Gordon 3,366 45.8 +3.1
Majority 621 8.4 -6.2
Turnout 7,353 87.9 +5.7
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s
R. Armitage
General election 1906: Leeds Central[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Armitage 4,188 57.3 +15.0
Conservative Gerald Balfour 3,119 42.7 −15.0
Majority 1,069 14.6 N/A
Turnout 7,307 82.2 +9.0
Registered electors 8,893
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +15.0
General election 1900: Leeds Central[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerald Balfour 4,144 57.7 +3.9
Liberal Samuel Montagu 3,042 42.3 −3.9
Majority 1,102 15.4 +7.8
Turnout 7,186 73.2 −9.9
Registered electors 9,820
Conservative hold Swing +3.9

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1895: Leeds Central[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerald Balfour 4,631 53.8 +3.2
Liberal Leifchild Jones 3,977 46.2 −3.2
Majority 654 7.6 +6.4
Turnout 8,608 83.1 −2.9
Registered electors 10,353
Conservative hold Swing +3.2
General election 1892: Leeds Central[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerald Balfour 4,448 50.6 +0.5
Liberal John Lawson Walton 4,335 49.4 −0.5
Majority 113 1.2 +1.0
Turnout 8,783 86.0 +10.2
Registered electors 10,215
Conservative hold Swing +0.5

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1886: Leeds Central[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerald Balfour 4,225 50.1 −1.7
Liberal James Kitson[25] 4,212 49.9 +1.7
Majority 13 0.2 −3.4
Turnout 8,437 75.8 −3.8
Registered electors 11,135
Conservative hold Swing −1.7
General election 1885: Leeds Central[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerald Balfour 4,589 51.8
Liberal John Barran[26] 4,275 48.2
Majority 314 3.6
Turnout 8,864 79.6
Registered electors 11,135
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes
  1. UKIP's swing nationally was +9.5% in 2015
  2. The Liberal Democrats's swing nationally was −15.2% in 2015, 1.7% less than in Leeds Central

References
  1. "Leeds Central Parliamentary constituency". BBC. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  2. "'Leeds Central', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  3. "The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Order 1951. SI 1951/320". Statutory Instruments 1951. Vol. II. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1952. pp. 410–412.
  4. "Local statistics – Office for National Statistics". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk.
  5. "Politics". The Guardian.
  6. Parish: Key Statistics: Economic. (2011 census) Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  7. "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
  8. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. BBC (11 July 2008). "Election Records". BBC News. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
  10. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 1)
  11. "Leeds Central Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  12. "Leeds Central" (PDF). Leeds City Council. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  13. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. "Leeds Central". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  15. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. "UK > England > Yorkshire & the Humber > Leeds Central". Election 2010. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  17. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  18. "UK General Election results: June 1983 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  19. "UK General Election results: October 1951 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  20. "UK General Election results: February 1950 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  21. "UK General Election results: July 1945 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  22. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
  23. Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  24. British parliamentary election results, 1885–1918 (Craig)
  25. "Election News". Dundee Courier. 7 June 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 3 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  26. "General News". Edinburgh Evening News. 2 May 1885. p. 4. Retrieved 3 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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