Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1974 onwards
Leicester West Borough constituencyfor the House of Commons Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Leicester West in the East Midlands
County Leicestershire Electorate 72,848 (2023) [1] Current constituency Created 1974 (1974 ) Member of Parliament Liz Kendall (Labour ) Seats One Created from Leicester North West and Leicester South West 1918 –1950 Seats One Created from Leicester Replaced by Leicester North West and Leicester South West
Leicester West is a constituency [n 1] in Leicestershire that existed from 1918 to 1950, and recreated in 1974. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by Liz Kendall of the Labour Party since 2010 .[n 2] Kendall currently serves as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under the government of Keir Starmer. Since its creation in 1918, the seat has sided with parties from the left wing of politics.
Boundaries
Historic 1918–1950 : The County Borough of Leicester wards of Abbey, Newton, St Margaret's, Westcotes, and Wyggeston.
1974–1983 : The County Borough of Leicester wards of Abbey, Newton, North Braunstone, St Margaret's, and Westcotes.
1983–2010 : The City of Leicester wards of Abbey, Beaumont Leys, Mowmacre, New Parks, North Braunstone, Rowley Fields, St Augustine's, Westcotes, and Western Park.
2010–2024 : The City of Leicester wards of Abbey, Beaumont Leys, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, Fosse, New Parks, Westcotes, and Western Park.
Current Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies , which came into effect for the 2024 general election , the size of the constituency was increased with the transfer of Aylestone ward from Leicester South.[2]
Constituency profile Leicester West is the whitest of the three Leicester constituencies, and the one with the highest proportion of social housing . Some areas of the seat, such as Braunstone and Beaumont Leys , are made up of large local authority estates, and around 30% of the housing is council- or housing association-owned , the second-highest in the Midlands. The centre of the seat, the Westcotes area, is more inner-city in character and is popular with young professionals and students.[3]
This used to be the safest Labour seat in Leicester; at the 1983 general election it was the only one to remain in Labour hands. However, the high South Asian populations in Leicester South and Leicester East have tended to push them away from the Conservative Party; conversely, while Leicester West is still a safe Labour seat and has been represented by that party since the Second World War , it has become the most marginal of the three Leicester seats.[3] While it did, like the other two Leicester constituencies, see a significant swing to Labour in 2017 , Liz Kendall 's majority was not a record high for the constituency, unlike with the results in Leicester East and Leicester South.
As of 2009, in the depths of the late-2000s recession , the constituency had the fourth-highest level of unemployment in Britain, with 13.8% of residents registered unemployed. Most of the unemployment is concentrated in areas such as Braunstone, which is traditionally one of the most deprived parts of the city.[4]
History In 1950, the seat was replaced by the constituencies of Leicester North West and Leicester South West, until 1974. In that period, Leicester North West was represented by Barnett Janner until 1970, and then by his son Greville Janner .
Members of Parliament
MPs 1918–1950 Leicester prior to 1918
MPs since 1974 Leicester North West and Leicester South West prior to 1974
Elections Leicester West election results
Elections in the 2020s General election 2024 : Leicester West[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Liz Kendall 15,798 44.6 −4.7 Conservative Max Chauhan 7,021 19.8 −16.8 Reform UK Ian Hayes 5,666 16.0 +11.5 Green Aasiya Bora 4,089 11.6 +8.8 Liberal Democrats Benjamin Feist 2,179 6.2 −0.5 One Leicester Rahoul Naik 327 0.9 +0.9 TUSC Steve Score 317 0.9 +0.9 Majority 8,777 24.8 +12.7 Turnout 35,397 48.0 −5.2 Labour hold Swing +6.1
Elections in the 2010s General election 2019 : Leicester West[7] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Liz Kendall 17,291 49.7 –11.1 Conservative Amanda Wright 13,079 37.6 +6.2 Liberal Democrats Ian Bradwell 1,808 5.2 +3.1 Brexit Party Jack Collier 1,620 4.7 New Green Ani Goddard 977 2.8 +1.2 Majority 4,212 12.1 –17.3 Turnout 34,775 53.6 –4.3 Labour hold Swing –8.7
General election 2017 : Leicester West[8] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Liz Kendall 22,823 60.8 +14.3 Conservative Jack Hickey 11,763 31.4 +5.8 UKIP Stuart Young 1,406 3.7 –13.5 Liberal Democrats Ian Bradwell 792 2.1 –2.3 Green Mel Gould 607 1.6 –3.8 Independent David Bowley 121 0.3 New Majority 11,060 29.4 +8.5 Turnout 37,512 57.9 +3.3 Labour hold Swing +4.3
General election 2015 : Leicester West[9] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Liz Kendall 16,051 46.5 +8.1 Conservative Paul Bessant 8,848 25.6 –1.6 UKIP Stuart Young 5,950 17.2 +14.7 Green Peter Hague 1,878 5.4 +3.6 Liberal Democrats Ian Bradwell 1,507 4.4 –18.2 TUSC Heather Rawling 288 0.8 +0.4 Majority 7,203 20.9 +9.7 Turnout 34,522 54.6 –0.6 Labour hold Swing +4.8
Elections in the 2000s General election 2005 : Leicester West[13] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Patricia Hewitt 17,184 51.7 –2.5 Conservative Sarah Richardson 8,114 24.4 –0.8 Liberal Democrats Zuffar Haq 5,803 17.5 +2.2 Green Geoff Forse 1,571 4.7 +1.5 Socialist Alternative Steve Score 552 1.7 New Majority 9,070 27.3 –1.7 Turnout 33,224 53.3 +2.4 Labour hold Swing –0.8
General election 2001 : Leicester West[14] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Patricia Hewitt 18,014 54.2 –1.0 Conservative Christopher Shaw 8,375 25.2 +1.5 Liberal Democrats Andy Vincent 5,085 15.3 +1.1 Green Matthew Gough 1,074 3.2 +1.8 Socialist Labour Sean Kirkpatrick 350 1.1 0.0 Socialist Alliance Stephen Score 321 1.0 New Majority 9,639 29.0 −2.5 Turnout 33,219 50.9 –12.2 Labour hold Swing –1.2
Elections in the 1990s General election 1997 : Leicester West[9] [15] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Patricia Hewitt 22,580 55.2 +8.4 Conservative Richard Thomas 9,716 23.7 –14.8 Liberal Democrats Mark Jones 5,795 14.2 +0.9 Referendum William Shooter 970 2.4 New Green Geoff Forse 586 1.4 +0.3 Socialist Labour David Roberts 452 1.1 New Socialist Alternative Josephine Nicholls 327 0.8 New BNP Adrian Belshaw 302 0.7 New National Democrats Clive Potter 186 0.5 New Majority 12,864 31.5 +23.2 Turnout 40,914 63.1 –10.6 Labour hold Swing +11.6
General election 1992 : Leicester West[16] [17] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Greville Janner 22,574 46.8 +2.3 Conservative John Guthrie 18,596 38.5 –3.6 Liberal Democrats Geoffrey F. Walker 6,402 13.3 –0.2 Green Claire D. Wintram 517 1.1 New Natural Law Jenny M. Rosta 171 0.4 New Majority 3,978 8.3 +5.9 Turnout 48,260 73.7 +0.2 Labour hold Swing +2.9
Elections in the 1980s General election 1987 : Leicester West[18] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Greville Janner 22,156 44.5 –0.3 Conservative James Cooper 20,955 42.1 +1.0 SDP William Edgar 6,708 13.5 +0.8 Majority 1,201 2.4 –1.3 Turnout 49,819 73.5 +4.7 Labour hold Swing –1.3
General election 1983 : Leicester West[19] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Greville Janner 20,837 44.8 –8.8 Conservative Robert Meacham 19,125 41.1 +5.7 SDP Sumal Fernando 5,935 12.8 New BNP Ray Hill 469 1.0 New Workers Revolutionary B.J. Prangle 176 0.4 New Majority 1,712 3.7 –14.5 Turnout 46,542 68.8 –3.5 Labour hold Swing –7.3
Elections in the 1970s General election October 1974 : Leicester West Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Greville Janner 23,406 52.91 Conservative A. Simpson 13,446 30.39 Liberal J. Windram 5,135 11.61 New National Front W. Newcombe 2,253 5.09 Majority 9,960 22.52 Turnout 44,240 68.43 Labour hold Swing
Election in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Election in the 1910s
See also
Notes ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer) ^ 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 ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 2 July 2024 . ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands. ^ a b "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk . ^ "Unemployment Blackspots". [permanent dead link ] ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 2) ^ Leicester West ^ "Leicester West Parliamentary constituency". BBC News . BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2019 . ^ "Leicester West parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk. ^ a b "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015 . ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015 . ^ "Election 2010 – Constituency – Leicester West". BBC. Retrieved 7 May 2010 . ^ "Candidates for TUSC". www.tusc.org.uk . ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 . ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 . ^ "Leicester West [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net . ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 . ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992 . Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010 . ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 . ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus . Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015 . ^ a b c d e British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
External links Leicester West UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK Leicester West UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK Constituencies in the East Midlands (47)
Labour (29) Amber Valley Bassetlaw Bolsover Broxtowe Chesterfield Corby and East Northamptonshire Derby North Derby South Derbyshire Dales Erewash Gedling High Peak Kettering Leicester West Lincoln Loughborough Mansfield Mid Derbyshire North East Derbyshire North West Leicestershire Northampton North Northampton South Nottingham East Nottingham North and Kimberley Nottingham South Rushcliffe Sherwood Forest South Derbyshire Wellingborough and Rushden Conservative (15) Daventry Gainsborough Grantham and Bourne Harborough, Oadby and Wigston Hinckley and Bosworth Leicester East Louth and Horncastle Melton and Syston Mid Leicestershire Newark Rutland and Stamford Sleaford and North Hykeham South Holland and The Deepings South Leicestershire South Northamptonshire Reform UK (2) Ashfield Boston and Skegness Independent (1)
Authority control databases: People
52°39′N 1°10′W / 52.65°N 1.16°W / 52.65; -1.16