Preston North (UK Parliament constituency)

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Preston North Borough constituency
Created:	1950
Abolished:	1983
Type:	House of Commons

Preston North was a parliamentary constituency in Lancashire, electing a Member of Parliament to the House of Commons until the 1983 General Election.

Parts of Preston North became elements within Fylde and Ribble Valley

The modern Preston is a safe seat for Labour, but historically Preston North was one of the most marginal constituencies in the country.

1 Boundaries
2 Members of Parliament
3 Election results
4 See also

[edit] Boundaries

The former Preston North constituency was based on the area from the western Lea and Cottam areas, which had a much lower population than at present, to the vast farming and rural communities in the northern areas around the Trough of Bowland. Over time and numerous boundary changes, the seat would stretch into and around Preston's central area, including the falling post-mills population in the centre and growing suburban families on the outskirts.Fulwood urban district, elements of which was of great wealth, forms the northern part of the modern day city of Preston.

[edit] Members of Parliament

1950 - 1966 - Julian Amery (Conservative)
1966 - 1970 - Ronald Atkins (Labour)
1970 - 1974 - Mary Holt (Conservative)
1974 - 1979 - Ronald Atkins (Labour)
1979 - 1983 - Robert Atkins (Conservative)

Ron Atkins (Labour) and Robert Atkins (Con) are two different people. The former Labour MP R[on] Atkins, who turns 90 years old in 2006, remains a City Councillor in Preston City Council. It has been suggested that Ron Atkins lost his seat because Robert Atkins, the Conservative candidate, appeared higher on the ballot paper leading to some Labour voters mistakenly voting for the Conservative, though as the figures below show, the seat was always an ultra-marginal. Robert Atkins' majority of 29 was the smallest in the 1979 general election.

[edit] Election results

General Election 1979: Preston North
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	R J Atkins	18,632	46.3
	Labour	R H Atkins	18,603	46.2
	Liberal	MP Braham	2,715	6.7
	National Front	J F Hetherington	329	0.8
Majority			29	0.07
Turnout			51,756	77.8
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

General Election October 1974: Preston North
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R H Atkins	18,044	45.8
	Conservative	M Holt	16,260	41.3
	Liberal	G Payne	4,948	12.6
	More Prosperous Britain	H Smith	138	0.4
Majority			1,784	4.53
Turnout			51,369	76.7
	Labour hold		Swing

General Election February 1974: Preston North
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R H Atkins	16,797	41.5
	Conservative	M Holt	16,542	40.9
	Liberal	G Payne	7,099	17.6
Majority			255	0.63
Turnout			50,885	79.4
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

General Election 1970: Preston North
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	M Holt	20,102	50.6
	Labour	R H Atkins	17,140	43.2
	Liberal	D T Jones	2,458	6.2
Majority			2,962	7.4
Turnout			51,655	76.9
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

General Election 1966: Preston North
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R H Atkins	21,539	53.0
	Conservative	Julian Amery	19,121	47.0
Majority			2,418	5.6
Turnout			50,140	81.1
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing