Littleborough and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)

Littleborough and Saddleworth
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
County Greater Manchester
Major settlements Littleborough, Saddleworth and Milnrow
1983 (1983)1997 (1997)
Number of members One
Replaced by Oldham East and Saddleworth and Rochdale
Created from Huddersfield West and Rochdale

Littleborough and Saddleworth was a parliamentary constituency in Greater Manchester, England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

The constituency was created for the 1983 general election, and abolished for the 1997 general election.

Contents

History

This Conservative-Liberal Democrat marginal was held by the Conservative Party at the three General Elections of its existence. The victorious MP on each of these occasions was Geoffrey Dickens, who was elected in 1979 for Huddersfield West (which was a predecessor constituency to this constituency). However, at a by-election called after Dickens' death in 1995, it was won by Chris Davies of the Liberal Democrats.

Boundaries

The constituency was centred on the towns of Littleborough, Milnrow and Saddleworth. In 1997, three quarters of the seat became part of the new Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency, with the remainder joining a changed Rochdale constituency.

Members of Parliament

Election Member[1] Party
1983 Geoffrey Dickens Conservative
1995 by-election Chris Davies Liberal Democrat
1997 constituency abolished: see Oldham East and Saddleworth and Rochdale

Elections

Elections in the 1990s

Littleborough and Saddleworth by-election, 1995
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Chris Davies 16,231 38.5 +2.7
Labour Phil Woolas 14,238 33.8 +14.9
Conservative John Hudson 9,934 23.6 -20.7
Monster Raving Loony Screaming Lord Sutch 782 1.9 N/A
UKIP John Whittaker 549 1.3 N/A
Independent Peter Douglas 193 0.5 N/A
Independent Mr Blobby 105 0.2 N/A
Socialist (GB) Andrew Pitts 46 0.1 N/A
Independent Lawson McLaren 33 0.1 N/A
Independent Colin Palmer 25 0.1 N/A
Majority 1,993 4.7
Turnout 42,136 64.5 -17.2
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1992: Littleborough and Saddleworth[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Dickens 23,682 44.2 +1.2
Liberal Democrat Chris Davies 19,188 35.9 +4.9
Labour AJ Brett 10,649 19.9 −6.1
Majority 4,494 8.4 −3.7
Turnout 53,519 81.6 +4.2
Conservative hold Swing −1.9

Elections in the 1980s

General election, 1987: Littleborough and Saddleworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Dickens 22,027 43.1 +0.2
Liberal Chris Davies 15,825 30.9 −0.1
Labour P Stonier 13,299 26.0 +0.2
Majority 6,202 12.1 +0.3
Turnout 51,151 77.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.2
General election, 1983: Littleborough and Saddleworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Dickens 20,510 42.8
Liberal R Knowles 14,860 31.0
Labour Stephen Moore 12,106 25.3
Restoration of Capital and Corporal Punishment R Barry 398 0.8
Majority 5,650 11.8
Turnout 47,874 74.8
Conservative hold Swing

See also

Notes and references