Burnley (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 53°47′13″N 2°14′42″W / 53.787°N 2.245°W

Burnley
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Burnley in Lancashire.

Outline map

Location of Lancashire within England.
County Lancashire
Population 87,059 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate 67,003 (December 2010)[2]
Major settlements Burnley
Current constituency
Created 1868
Member of parliament Gordon Birtwistle (Liberal Democrat)
Number of members One
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency North West England

Burnley is a constituency[n 1] centred on the town of Burnley in Lancashire, which is represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Gordon Birtwistle of the Liberal Democrats.[n 2]

History

The seat was created in 1868. From World War II until 2010 it was won by Labour candidates, generally on safe, large majorities; even Ann Widdecombe could not snatch the seat from the former leading cotton town's close affinity with Labour Party values as they stood in 1979. The closest second place was to a Conservative Party candidate, Ian Bruce, who came 787 votes (1.6%) short of taking the seat in 1983.[3] Burnley saw strong opposition support for the Liberal Democrats in 2005 who moved into second place, meanwhile a local independent pushed Yousuf Miah, a Conservative into fourth position. Following controversy regarding outgoing Labour MP Kitty Ussher's personal expenses, Gordon Birtwistle, who first contended the seat in 1992, gained the seat in 2010 with a heavy swing of 9.6%.

The review of parliamentary representation in Lancashire by the Boundary Commission for England in the 2000s proposed no change to the boundaries of the Burnley seat. The seat remains coterminous with the boundaries of the borough of Burnley.[4]

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[5][6] Party
1868 Richard Shaw Liberal
1876 by-election Peter Rylands Liberal
1886 Liberal Unionist
1887 by-election John Slagg Liberal
1889 by-election Jabez Spencer Balfour Liberal
1893 by-election Hon. Philip Stanhope Liberal
1900 William Mitchell Conservative
1906 Frederick Maddison Liberal
Jan. 1910 Gerald Archibald Arbuthnot Conservative
Dec. 1910 Philip Morrell Liberal
1918 Dan Irving Labour
1924 by-election Arthur Henderson Labour
1931 Gordon Campbell, VC National Liberal
1935 Wilfrid Burke Labour
1959 Dan Jones Labour
1983 Peter Pike Labour
2005 Kitty Ussher Labour
2010 Gordon Birtwistle Liberal Democrats

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Burnley[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Gordon Birtwistle
Conservative Sarah Cockburn-Price
UKIP Tom Commis
Labour Julie Cooper
Green Mike Hargreaves

Going into the 2015 general election, this is the 75th most marginal constituency in Great Britain, Labour requiring a swing from the Liberal Democrats of 2.2% to take the seat (based on the result of the 2010 general election).[8]

General Election 2010: Burnley[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Gordon Birtwistle 14,932 35.7 +12.0
Labour Julie Cooper 13,114 31.3 −7.2
Conservative Richard Ali 6,950 16.6 +5.8
BNP Sharon Wilkinson 3,747 9.0 −1.3
Independent Andrew Brown 1,876 4.5 N/A
UKIP John Wignall 929 2.2 +1.2
Independent Andrew Hennessey 287 0.7 N/A
Majority 1,818 4.3
Turnout 41,845 62.8
Liberal Democrat gain from Labour Swing +9.6

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Burnley[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kitty Ussher 14,999 38.5 −10.8
Liberal Democrat Gordon Birtwistle 9,221 23.7 +7.5
Burnley First Independent Harry Brooks 5,786 14.8 N/A
Conservative Yousuf Miah 4,206 10.8 −10.1
BNP Len Starr 4,003 10.3 −1.0
Independent Jeff Slater 392 1.0 N/A
UKIP Robert McDowell 376 1.0 −1.3
Majority 5,778 14.8
Turnout 38,983 59.2 +3.5
Labour hold Swing −9.15[n 3]
General Election 2001: Burnley[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Pike 18,195 49.3 −8.6
Conservative Robert Frost 7,697 20.9 +0.6
Liberal Democrat Paul Wright 5,975 16.2 −1.2
BNP Steve Smith 4,151 11.3 N/A
UKIP Richard Buttrey 866 2.3 N/A
Majority 10,498 28.4
Turnout 36,884 55.7 −11.3
Labour hold Swing −4.6

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Burnley[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Pike 26,210 57.9 +4.9
Conservative Bill Wiggin 9,148 20.2 −10.4
Liberal Democrat Gordon Birtwistle 7,877 17.4 +1.0
Referendum Party Richard Oakley 2,010 4.4 N/A
Majority 17,062 37.7
Turnout 45,245 66.9 -7.5
Labour hold Swing +7.65
General Election 1992: Burnley[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Pike 27,184 53.0 +4.6
Conservative Mrs. Brenda Binge 15,693 30.6 −3.2
Liberal Democrat Gordon Birtwistle 8,414 16.4 −1.4
Majority 11,491 22.4 +7.9
Turnout 51,291 74.2 −4.6
Labour hold Swing +3.9

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Pike 25,140 48.4 +8.6
Conservative Harold Elletson 17,583 33.8 −4.4
Social Democratic Ronals Hubert Baker 9,241 17.8 −2.2
Majority 7,557 14.5
Turnout 51,964 78.8
Labour hold Swing +6.5
General Election 1983: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Pike 20,178 39.8 −11.0
Conservative Ian Bruce 19,391 38.2 +2.8
Liberal Michael Steed 11,191 20.0 +7.2
Majority 787 1.6
Turnout 50,760 76.3
Labour hold Swing −6.9

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Daniel Jones 20,172 50.8 −4.0
Conservative Ann Widdecombe 14,062 35.4 +8.7
Liberal Michael Steed 5,091 12.8
Independent Democrat F Tyrrall 352 0.9
Majority 6,110
Turnout
Labour hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Daniel Jones 21,642 54.8
Conservative A Pickup 9,766 24.7
Liberal SP Mews 8,119 20.5
Majority 11,876
Turnout 79.7
Labour hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Daniel Jones 21,108 50.4
Conservative A. Pickup 11,268 27.0
Liberal S. Mews 9,471 22.6
Majority 9,840 23.5
Turnout 79.7
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1970: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Daniel Jones 24,200 57.0
Conservative J Birch 14,846 34.9
Liberal G Brownbill 3,446 8.11
Majority 9,354 22.0
Turnout 75.7
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Daniel Jones 25,583 60.43
Conservative A.S. Royse 11,710 27.66
Liberal M.R. Mason 5,045 11.92
Majority 13,873 32.77
Turnout 79.96
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1964: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Daniel Jones 25,244 56.80
Conservative T. Mitchell 12,365 27.82
Liberal M.R. Mason 6,833 15.38
Majority 12,879 28.98
Turnout 81.68
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Daniel Jones 27,675 56.97
Conservative E. Brooks 20,902 43.03
Majority 6,773 13.94
Turnout 83.77
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1955: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Wilfrid Burke 27,865 55.63
Conservative E. Brooks 22,229 44.37
Majority 5,636 11.25
Turnout 83.46
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1951: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Wilfrid Burke 31,261 56.53
Conservative D.P. Dunkley 24,034 43.37
Majority 7,227 13.07
Turnout 88.86
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1950: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Wilfrid Burke 30,685 55.65
Conservative F.H. Wilson 23,636 42.86
Communist W. Whitaker 526 0.95
Ind. Labour Party D. Carradice 295 0.53
Majority 7,049 12.78
Turnout 89.56
Labour hold Swing

Election in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Wilfrid Burke 32,122 63.54
Liberal National H.M. Milnes 18,431 36.46
Majority 13,691 27.08
Turnout 80.44
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Wilfrid Burke 31,160 53.61
Liberal National Gordon Campbell, VC 26,965 46.39
Majority 4,195 7.22
Turnout 87.36
Labour gain from Liberal National Swing


General Election 1931: Burnley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal National Gordon Campbell, VC 35,126 56.15
Labour Arthur Henderson 26,917 43.03
Communist J. Rushton 512 0.82
Majority 8,209 13.12
Turnout 91.85
Liberal National gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1910s

General Election December 1918

Electorate 50,870

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Socialist Party David Daniel Irving 15,217 41.9 +18.1
Unionist
  1. Lt. Hon. Henry George Hill Mulholland
 12,289 33.8 -3.7
Liberal John Howarth Grey 8,825 24.3 -14.3
Majority 2,928 8.1
Turnout 71.4
National Socialist Party gain from Liberal Swing +16.2
General Election December 1910

Electorate 18,396

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Philip Edward Morrell 6,177 38.6 +4.0
Conservative Gerald Archibald Arbuthnot 6,004 37.5 +2.3
Social Democratic Federation Henry Mayers Hyndman 3,810 23.8 -6.4
Majority
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing +0.9
General Election January 1910

Electorate 18,396[13]

Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerald Archibald Arbuthnot 5,776 35.2
Liberal Frederick Maddison 5,681 34.6
Social Democratic Federation Henry Mayers Hyndman 4,948 30.2
Majority 95
Turnout 16,405
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Elections in the 1900s

Fred Maddison
General Election 1906: Burnley[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Frederick Maddison 5,288
Conservative Gerald Archibald Arbuthnot 4,964
Social Democratic Federation Henry Mayers Hyndman 4,932
Majority 324
Turnout
Lib-Lab gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1900: Burnley[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Mitchell 6,678
Liberal Philip Stanhope 6,173
Majority
Turnout
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Elections in the 1890s

Hon. Philip Stanhope
General Election 1895: Burnley[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Philip Stanhope 5,454
Conservative W. A. Lindsay 5,133
Social Democratic Federation Henry Mayers Hyndman 1,498
Majority 321
Turnout
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
Burnley by-election, 1893[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Philip Stanhope 6,199
Conservative W. A. Lindsay 5,506
Majority
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1892: Burnley[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Jabez Spencer Balfour 6,450
Liberal Unionist Edwin Lawrence 5,035
Majority 1,415
Turnout
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing

Elections in the 1880s

At the Burnley by-election, 1889, Jabez Spencer Balfour was elected unopposed.[13]

Burnley by-election, 1887[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Slagg 5,021
Conservative J. O. S. Thursby 4,481
Social Democratic Federation Henry Mayers Hyndman 1,498 12.4
Majority 540
Turnout
Liberal gain from Liberal Unionist Swing
General Election 1886: Burnley[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Unionist Peter Rylands 4,209
Liberal J. Greenwood 5,035
Majority
Turnout
Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
General Election 1885: Burnley[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Peter Rylands 4,866
Conservative H. H. Wainwright 5,035
Majority
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing

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.
  3. ↑ Labour to Liberal Democrat
References
  1. ↑ "Burnley: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  2. ↑ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  3. ↑ "VOTE 2001 | RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES | Burnley". BBC News. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  4. ↑ Boundary Commission for England Fifth Periodical Report. Retrieved 31 October 2007.
  5. ↑ "Burnley 1868-". Hansard 1803-2005. UK Parliament. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 6)
  7. ↑ http://electionresults.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/burnley-2015.html
  8. ↑ Ransome Mpini; Charlotte Thornton; John Walton; Marcelo Zanni (24 February 2014). "Election 2015: The political battleground". BBC News. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Election 2010 | Constituency | Burnley". BBC News. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  10. ↑ "Burnley". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Burnley | Aristotle, guardian.co.uk
  12. ↑ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 13.9 The Constitutional Year Book, National Unionist Association of Conservative and Liberal Unionist Organizations (1916)

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