Bootle (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 53°26′46″N 2°59′20″W / 53.446°N 2.989°W

Bootle
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Bootle in Merseyside.

Outline map

Location of Merseyside within England.
County Merseyside
Population 98,449 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate 70,824 (December 2010)[2]
Major settlements Bootle
Current constituency
Created 1885
Member of parliament Joe Benton (Labour)
Number of members One
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency North West England

Bootle is a constituency[n 1] which has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Joe Benton of the Labour Party since 1990. [n 2]

History

The constituency was originally a Conservative seat, being represented by Conservative Party leader Andrew Bonar Law from 1911 until 1918 when property qualifications for the vote were abolished. A Liberal seat in the 1920s, it then became a Conservative - Labour marginal in the 1930s. The Labour Party has held it continually since the 1945 general election which saw two decades of steep decline in the profitability of Liverpool Docks, manufacturing and shipbuilding which employed many workers. In each general election from 1997 until 2010 it was the safest seat for any party in Britain.

In 1990, there were two by-elections in Bootle. The first followed the death of Allan Roberts on 21 February, and was held on 24 May. That by-election is remembered because Jack Holmes, the candidate of the continuing Social Democratic Party (representing the part of the SDP which did not merge with the Liberal Democrats) was humiliatingly beaten by Screaming Lord Sutch of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party. The victorious Labour candidate, Michael Carr, died on 20 July 1990 after just 57 days in office.

The second by-election, held on 8 November 1990, was won by Labour's Joe Benton. Benton has held the seat since then with large majorities and, except in 2010, a share of the vote greater than 70%. In the 2005 election the seat both was the safest seat and also had the highest winning share of the vote.[3] In June 2014, Benton announced he would retire at the 2015 general election after 25 years as the seat's MP.

Constituency profile

The seat has some small neighbourhoods with middle-to-high incomes, but generally residents have some of the lowest UK incomes and there is a higher-than-average proportion of social housing.[4] The constituency has long been one of the safest seats in the United Kingdom and since 1983 has given majorities in excess of 50% to the Labour Party candidate at General Elections.

Boundaries

The constituency covers the southern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside. This comprises Bootle itself plus other localities including Crosby, Waterloo, Seaforth, Litherland, Netherton, Orrell and Ford.

Boundary changes that came into force as a result of the 2010 general election being called saw the constituency grow to also include parts of the old Crosby constituency, with the electoral wards of Church and Victoria being added. Although these areas are more affluent than some parts of Bootle, it has not changed the seat from being anything other than a safe Labour one.

The Bootle constituency now comprises eight electoral wards; Church, Derby, Ford, Linacre, Litherland, Netherton and Orrell, St. Oswald and Victoria.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[5] Party
1885 Thomas Myles Sandys Conservative
1911 by-election Andrew Bonar Law Conservative
1918 Sir Thomas Royden, Bt. Coalition Conservative
1922 James Burnie Liberal
1924 Vivian Leonard Henderson Conservative
1929 John Kinley Labour
1931 Chichester de Windt Crookshank Conservative
1935 Eric Errington Conservative
1945 John Kinley Labour
1955 Simon Mahon Labour
1979 Allan Roberts Labour
1990 by-election Michael Carr Labour
1990 by-election Joe Benton Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Bootle[6][7][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Dowd
TUSC Pete Glover
Conservative Jade Louise Marsden
Liberal Democrat David Ian Newman
UKIP Paul Nuttall
Green Lisa Michele Tallis
[9]
General Election 2010: Bootle[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joe Benton 27,426 66.4 −4.6
Liberal Democrat James Murray 6,245 15.1 −1.4
Conservative Sohail Qureshi 3,678 8.9 +1.5
UKIP Paul Nuttall 2,514 6.1 +2.8
BNP Charles Stewart 942 2.3 N/A
TUSC Peter Glover 472 1.1 N/A
Majority 21,181 51.3
Turnout 41,227 57.8 7.0
Labour hold Swing −1.6

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joe Benton 19,345 75.5 −2.1
Liberal Democrat Chris Newby 2,988 11.7 +3.2
Conservative Wafik Moustafa 1,580 6.2 −1.8
UKIP Paul Nuttall 1,054 4.1 +4.1
Socialist Alternative Peter Glover 655 2.6 +0.2
Majority 16,357 63.8
Turnout 25,622 47.7 −2.1
Labour hold Swing −2.6
General Election 2001: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joe Benton 21,400 77.6 −5.3
Liberal Democrat Jim Murray 2,357 8.5 +2.8
Conservative Judith Symes 2,194 8.0 −0.5
Socialist Labour Dave Flynn 971 3.5 +2.4
Socialist Alliance Peter Glover 672 2.4 N/A
Majority 19,043 69.1
Turnout 27,594 49.8 −17.0
Labour hold Swing −5.3

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joe Benton 31,668 82.9 +8.3
Conservative Rupert Matthews 3,247 8.5 −7.5
Liberal Democrat Kiron Reid 2,191 5.7 −0.9
Referendum Party James Elliot 571 1.5 N/A
Socialist Labour Peter Glover 420 1.1 N/A
Natural Law Simon Cohen 126 0.3 −0.2
Majority 28,421 74.4
Turnout 38,223 66.7 −5.8
Labour hold Swing +6.0
General Election 1992: Bootle[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joe Benton 37,464 74.6 +7.7
Conservative Christopher J. Varley 8,022 16.0 −4.1
Liberal Democrat John Cunningham 3,301 6.6 −6.4
Liberal Ms Medina Hall 1,174 2.3 N/A
Natural Law Thomas Haynes 264 0.5 N/A
Majority 29,442 58.6 +11.8
Turnout 50,225 72.5 −0.4
Labour hold Swing +5.9
Bootle by-election, November 1990
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joe Benton 22,052 78.2 +2.8
Conservative James Clappison 2,587 9.2 −0.1
Liberal Democrat John Cunningham 2,216 7.9 −1.0
Green Sean Brady 557 2.0 −1.6
Monster Raving Loony Lord David Sutch 310 1.1 −0.1
Liberal Kevin White 291 1.0 +0.3
Christian Alliance David Black 132 0.5 +0.5
Majority 19,465 69.1
Turnout 28,145 39.7 −10.9
Labour hold Swing +1.5
Bootle by-election, May 1990
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Carr 26,737 75.4 +8.5
Conservative James Clappison 3,220 9.1 −11.0
Liberal Democrat John Cunningham 3,179 8.9 −4.1
Green Sean Brady 1,269 3.6 +3.6
Liberal Kevin White 474 1.3 +1.3
Monster Raving Loony Lord David Sutch 418 1.2 +1.2
Social Democrat Jack Holmes 155 0.4 +0.4
Independent T. J. Schofield 27 0.1 +0.1
Majority 23,517 66.3
Turnout 35,477 50.6 −22.3
Labour hold Swing +9.8

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Allan Roberts 34,975 66.9 +13.9
Conservative Peter Robert Papworth 10,498 20.1 −3.5
Social Democratic Paul Victor Denham 6,820 13.0 −10.4
Majority 24,477 46.8 +17.4
Turnout 52,293 72.9 +4.6
Labour hold Swing +8.7
General Election 1983: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Allan Roberts 27,282 53.0 −8.0
Conservative Ronald Watson 12,143 23.6 −3.0
Social Democratic John Wall 12,068 23.4 +13.1
Majority 15,139 29.4 −5.0
Turnout 51,493 68.3 −2.1
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Allan Roberts 26,900 61.0 −3.0
Conservative Ronald Watson 11,741 26.6 +1.7
Liberal D.L. Mahon 4,531 10.3 +0.4
Independent Liberal H.I. Fjortoft 911 2.1 N/A
Majority 15,159 34.4 −4.7
Turnout 44,083 70.4 +3.2
Labour hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Mahon 27,633 64.0 +5.4
Conservative J F Borrows 10,743 24.9 −1.7
Liberal H.I. Fjortoft 4,266 9.9 3−.6
Communist R. Morris 512 1.2 −0.1
Majority 16,890 39.1 +7.1
Turnout 43,158 67.2 −6.1
Labour hold Swing +3.6
General Election February 1974: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Mahon 27,301 58.6 −5.0
Conservative J.F. Borrows 12,366 26.6 −9.8
Liberal H.I. Fjortoft 6,258 13.5 N/A
Communist R. Morris 586 1.3 N/A
Majority 14,935 32.0
Turnout 46,511 73.3 +8.1
Labour hold Swing +2.4
General Election 1970: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Mahon 20,101 63.6 +3.2
Conservative G. Halliwell 11,496 36.4 +2.8
Majority 8,614 27.3
Turnout 31,633 65.2 −3.0
Labour hold Swing +0.2

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Mahon 19,412 60.4 −1.6
Conservative G. Halliwell 10,813 33.6 −4.4
Independent Labour W. Grant 1,931 6.0 N/A
Majority 8,599 26.7
Turnout 32,156 68.2 −2.7
Labour hold Swing +1.4
General Election 1964: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Mahon 21,677 62.0 +8.3
Conservative G Halliwell 13,285 38.0 −8.3
Majority 8,392 24.0
Turnout 34,962 70.9 −7.4
Labour hold Swing +8.3

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Mahon 21,294 53.7 +1.7
Conservative H.O. Cullen 18,379 46.3 −1.7
Majority 2,915 7.4
Turnout 39,673 78.3 +2.6
Labour hold Swing +1.7
General Election 1955: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Mahon 19,020 52.0 −0.7
Conservative H.W. Jones 17,582 48.0 +3.3
Majority 1,438 3.9
Turnout 36,602 75.7 −5.5
Labour hold Swing −2.0
General Election 1951: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Kinley 26,597 52.7 −0.1
Conservative A O Hughes 22,535 44.7 −0.2
Anti-Partition H. McHugh 1,340 2.7 +0.4
Majority 4,062 8.1
Turnout 50,472 81.2 −0.9
Labour hold Swing +0.2
General Election 1950: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Kinley 25,472 52.8 −5.8
Conservative W. Hill 21,673 44.9 +3.5
Anti-Partition B McGinnity 1,029 2.3 N/A
Majority 3,799 7.9
Turnout 48,174 82.1 +12.4
Labour hold Swing −4.7

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Kinley 15,823 58.6 +19.8
Conservative Eric Errington 11,180 41.4 −7.2
Majority 4,643 17.2
Turnout 27,003 69.7 −1.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eric Errington 16,653 48.6 −13.3
Labour John Kinley 13,285 38.8 +0.7
Liberal James Burnie 4,319 12.6
Majority 3,368 9.8 −14.0
Turnout 34,257 71.3 −7.6
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1931: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chichester de Windt Crookshank 22,966 61.9 +21.2
Labour John Kinley 14,160 38.1 −5.5
Majority 8,806 23.8
Turnout 37,126 78.9 +1.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Kinley 15,294 43.6 +8.9
Conservative Vivian Leonard Henderson 14,263 40.7 −4.8
Liberal Ald. E. Ernest Edwards 5,523 15.7 −4.1
Majority 1,031 2.9
Turnout 35,080 77.9 +0.9
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1924: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Vivian Leonard Henderson 12,361 45.5 +3.4
Labour John Kinley 9,427 34.7 +20.9
Liberal James Burnie 5,386 19.8 −24.3
Majority 2,934 10.8
Turnout 27,174 77.0 +8.9
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
General Election 1923: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Burnie 10,444 44.1 −12.2
Conservative Vivian Leonard Henderson 9,991 42.1 +0.2
Labour John Kinley 3,272 13.8
Majority 453 2.0 −12.4
Turnout 23,707 68.1 −3.0
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1922: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Burnie 13,276 56.3
Conservative Sir Alexander Bicket 9,867 41.9
Independent J E Burke 425 1.8
Majority 3,409 14.4
Turnout 23,568 71.1
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Coalition Conservative Sir Thomas Royden, Bt. 12,312 63.0
Independent Edmund Cathery (Seamen) 7,235 37.0
Majority 5,077 26.0
Turnout 19,547 58.5
Coalition Conservative hold Swing
Bootle by-election, 1911
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Bonar Law 9,976 56.2
Liberal Max Muspratt 7,782 43.8
Majority 2,194 12.4
Turnout 17,758 69.7
Conservative hold Swing
General Election December 1910: Crosby
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Myles Sandys Unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
General Election January 1910: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Myles Sandys 9,954 52.9 +1.8
Liberal Dr W Permewan 8,869 47.1 -1.8
Majority 1,085 5.8 +3.6
Turnout 18,823 78.7 +4.9
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1906: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Myles Sandys 7,821 51.1
Liberal Dr A P Thomas 7,481 48.9
Majority 340 2.2
Turnout 15,302 73.8
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1900: Crosby
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Myles Sandys Unopposed
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1890s

General Election 1895: Crosby
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Myles Sandys Unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1892: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Myles Sandys 6,532 59.4
Liberal A McDougall 4,460 40.6
Majority 2,072 18.8
Turnout 10,992 69.7
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1880s

General Election 1886: Crosby
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Myles Sandys Unopposed
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1885: Bootle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Myles Sandys 6,715 63.1 N/A
Liberal S H Whitbread 3,933 36.9 N/A
Majority 2,782 26.2 N/A
Turnout 10,648 72.6 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ↑ A borough 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. ↑ "Bootle: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  3. ↑ report, p14
  4. ↑ 2001 Census
  5. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 4)
  6. ↑ http://electionresults.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bootle-2015.html
  7. ↑ http://www.northwestlibdems.org.uk/2015-candidates/
  8. ↑ http://ukipnw.org.uk/ukip-deputy-leader-to-stand-for-bootle/
  9. ↑ http://www.tusc.org.uk/candidates.php
  10. ↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/bootle UK Polling Report
  11. ↑ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  12. ↑ The changes and swing are calculated relative to the 1987 general election, not to either of the 1990 by-elections.
Sources

External Links