Chorley (UK Parliament constituency)

Chorley is a constituency[n 1][n 2] in Lancashire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1997 by Lindsay Hoyle. Hoyle was originally elected for the Labour Party, but in 2019 became the Speaker, making him unaffiliated.

Chorley
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Chorley in North West England
CountyLancashire
Population94,932 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate74,568 (2023)[2]
Major settlementsChorley
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentLindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
SeatsOne
Created fromNorth Lancashire

Constituency profile

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Chorley constituency consists of the majority of the borough of Chorley. As well as the central market town of Chorley itself, the seat extends into southern Lancashire rural hinterland with three major villages and minor villages. The town of Chorley is Labour's strongest area in the seat, with the rural hinterland and smaller towns and villages more inclined to vote Conservative.

Chorley's expansion is assured with the building of Buckshaw Village, an urban development sprawling over the former Royal Ordnance Site east of Leyland in the seat.

Boundaries

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1885–1918: The Sessional Division of Leyland Hundred, and part of the Sessional Division of Leyland.

1918–1950: The Municipal Borough of Chorley, the Urban Districts of Adlington, Croston, Leyland, and Withnell, the Rural District of Chorley, and in the Rural District of Wigan the civil parishes of Haigh, Parbold, Worthington, and Wrightington.

1950–1955: The Municipal Borough of Chorley, the Urban Districts of Adlington and Leyland, and the Rural District of Chorley.

1955–1983: The Municipal Borough of Chorley, the Urban Districts of Adlington, Leyland and Withnell, and the Rural District of Chorley.

1983–1997: The Borough of Chorley, and the District of West Lancashire wards of Parbold and Wrightington.

1997–2010: The Borough of Chorley.

2010–2024: The Borough of Chorley wards of Adlington and Anderton, Astley and Buckshaw, Brindle and Hoghton, Chisnall, Chorley East, Chorley North East, Chorley North West, Chorley South East, Chorley South West, Clayton-le-Woods and Whittle-le-Woods, Clayton-le-Woods North, Clayton-le-Woods West and Cuerden, Coppull, Euxton North, Euxton South, Heath Charnock and Rivington, Pennine, and Wheelton and Withnell.

Following its review of parliamentary representation in Lancashire leading up to the 2010 general election, the Boundary Commission for England created a new seat of Wyre and Preston North in the central part of the county, which caused "knock-on" effects elsewhere. Chorley constituency was one of the largest in electorate at the start of the review, which was a factor in the alterations to both its own composition and the changes to surrounding constituencies. These changes took away from the seat all the areas to the west of the M6 motorway, namely Croston, Eccleston, Bretherton and Mawdesley; these moved to South Ribble.

2024–present: The Borough of Chorley wards of Adlington & Anderton, Buckshaw & Whittle, Chorley East, Chorley North & Astley, Chorley North East, Chorley North West, Chorley South East & Heath Charnock, Chorley South West, Clayton East, Brindle & Hoghton, Clayton West & Cuerden, Coppull, Euxton.[3]

Minor changes to bring the electorate within the permitted range and align with revised ward boundaries.

History

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From its creation in 1885 until the 1945 general election, Chorley was held by Conservative Party members. In 1945, it was won by Clifford Kenyon of the Labour Party who held it, sometimes with very small majorities, until his retirement in 1970. It then proved to be a bellwether for the next 40 years, changing hands between Labour and the Conservatives; however, this pattern was broken in 2010 when Labour MP Lindsay Hoyle retained the seat against the national trend.

Hoyle has been MP for Chorley since 1997. In November 2019, he was elected as Speaker of the House of Commons following the resignation of John Bercow; Sir Lindsay had been Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons under Bercow since 2010. There is an inconsistently followed convention, which is mostly kept by the major parties, not to oppose the Speaker at elections. In keeping with this, the previously announced Liberal Democrat candidate for the 2019 UK general election, Paul Valentine, subsequently withdrew from the general election once Sir Lindsay was appointed Speaker.[4] However the Green Party candidate, James Melling, stood against the incumbent Speaker.[5]

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[6][7] Party
1885 Joseph Feilden Conservative
1895 by-election David Lindsay
1913 by-election Henry Hibbert
1918 Douglas Hacking Coalition Conservative
1922 Conservative
1945 Clifford Kenyon Labour
1970 Connie Monks Conservative
Feb 1974 George Rodgers Labour
1979 Den Dover Conservative
1997 Lindsay Hoyle Labour
2019 Speaker

Elections

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Chorley Constituency Election Results

Elections in the 2020s

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The Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, and Labour traditionally do not stand against the sitting Speaker of the House of Commons. Reform UK originally listed Simon Evans as their candidate[8] before instead listing him as their candidate for West Lancashire.[9][10][11]

General election 2024: Chorley[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle 25,238 74.3 +7.0
Green Mark Tebbutt 4,663 13.7 +4.7
Democracy for Chorley Ben Holden-Crowther 2,424 7.1 N/A
English Constitution Graham Moore 1,007 3.0 N/A
TUSC Martin Powell-Davies 632 1.9 N/A
Majority 20,575 60.6
Turnout 33,964 47.2
Speaker hold Swing

Elections in the 2010s

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The Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, and Labour traditionally do not stand against the sitting Speaker of the House of Commons, and consequently did not oppose Lindsay Hoyle's re-election bid. The Brexit Party did not stand an official candidate, however their former candidate stood as an independent, having changed his ballot name to Mark Brexit-Smith.[13][14] The Green Party does not follow the convention of standing aside for the Speaker, and also fielded a candidate in the election.[15]

General election 2019: Chorley[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle 26,831 67.3 +12.0
Independent Mark Brexit-Smith 9,439 23.7 N/A
Green James Melling 3,601 9.0 +8.0
Majority 17,392 43.6 +30.1
Turnout 39,870 51.0 −21.7
Speaker hold Swing
General election 2017: Chorley[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lindsay Hoyle 30,745 55.3 +10.2
Conservative Caroline Moon 23,233 41.8 +5.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Fenn 1,126 2.0 −0.6
Green Peter Lageard 530 1.0 −1.1
Majority 7,512 13.5 +4.7
Turnout 55,634 72.7 +3.5
Labour hold Swing +2.4
General election 2015: Chorley[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lindsay Hoyle 23,322 45.1 +1.9
Conservative Robert Loughenbury 18,792 36.3 −1.7
UKIP Mark Smith 6,995 13.5 +9.4
Liberal Democrats Stephen Fenn 1,354 2.6 −11.4
Green Alistair Straw 1,111 2.1 N/A
Independent Adrian Maudsley 138 0.3 N/A
Majority 4,530 8.8 +3.6
Turnout 51,712 69.2 −1.0
Labour hold Swing +1.4
General election 2010: Chorley[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Lindsay Hoyle 21,515 43.2
Conservative Alan Cullens 18,922 38.0
Liberal Democrats Stephen Fenn 6,957 14.0
UKIP Nick Hogan 2,021 4.1
Independent Christopher Curtis 359 1.2
Majority 2,593 5.2
Turnout 49,774 70.2
Labour win (new boundaries)

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Chorley[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lindsay Hoyle 25,131 50.7 −1.6
Conservative Simon Mallett 17,506 35.3 +0.6
Liberal Democrats Alexander Wilson-Fletcher 6,932 14.0 +2.8
Majority 7,625 15.4 −2.2
Turnout 49,569 62.9 +0.7
Labour hold Swing +1.1
General election 2001: Chorley[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lindsay Hoyle 25,088 52.3 −0.7
Conservative Peter Booth 16,644 34.7 −1.2
Liberal Democrats Stephen Fenn 5,372 11.2 +2.7
UKIP John Frost 848 1.8 N/A
Majority 8,444 17.6 +0.5
Turnout 47,952 62.2 −15.1
Labour hold Swing +0.3

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Chorley[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Lindsay Hoyle 30,607 53.0
Conservative Den Dover 20,737 35.9
Liberal Democrats Simon Jones 4,900 8.5
Referendum Anthony Heaton 1,319 2.3
Natural Law Peter Leadbetter 143 0.2
Majority 9,870 17.1
Turnout 57,706 77.3
Labour win (new boundaries)
General election 1992: Chorley[25][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Den Dover 30,715 47.2 −0.8
Labour Raymond McManus 26,469 40.7 +6.0
Liberal Democrats Janet Ross-Mills 7,452 11.5 −4.6
Natural Law Peter Leadbetter 402 0.6 N/A
Majority 4,246 6.5 −6.8
Turnout 65,038 82.8 +5.9
Conservative hold Swing +3.4

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Chorley[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Den Dover 29,015 48.0 −0.3
Labour Anthony Watmough 20,958 34.7 +4.2
Liberal Ian Simpson 9,706 16.1 −4.2
Green Anthony Holgate 714 1.2 +0.4
Majority 8,057 13.3 −4.5
Turnout 60,393 76.9 −2.3
Conservative hold Swing −2.2
General election 1983: Chorley[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Den Dover 27,861 48.3
Labour Ivan Taylor 17,586 30.5
SDP Peter O'Neill 11,691 20.2
Ecology Anthony Holgate 451 0.8
Independent Eva Rokas 114 0.2
Majority 10,275 17.8
Turnout 57,703 79.2
Conservative win (new boundaries)

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Den Dover 31,125 46.8 +7.1
Labour George Rodgers 28,546 43.0 −1.1
Liberal Neva Orrell 6,388 9.6 −6.3
National Front Michael John Dean 379 0.6 N/A
Majority 2,579 3.8 N/A
Turnout 66,438 82.0 +0.8
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +4.1
General election October 1974: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Rodgers 27,290 44.1 +3.8
Conservative Barry Porter 24,577 39.7 ±0.0
Liberal Neva Orrell 9,831 15.9 −4.1
More Prosperous Britain Harold Smith 185 0.3 N/A
Majority 2,713 4.4 +3.8
Turnout 61,883 81.2 +2.5
Labour hold Swing +1.9
General election February 1974: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Rodgers 25,440 40.3 −4.0
Conservative Constance Monks 25,035 39.7 −7.5
Liberal Neva Orrell 12,652 20.0 +12.1
Majority 405 0.6 N/A
Turnout 63,127 83.7 +4.9
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +1.8
General election 1970: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Constance Monks 26,577 47.2 +2.0
Labour Derek Forwood 24,900 44.3 −10.5
Liberal Gordon Payne 4,428 7.9 N/A
Anti-Party Barry Elder 334 0.6 N/A
Majority 1,677 2.9 N/A
Turnout 56,239 78.8 −2.3
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +6.3

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1966: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Kenyon 27,319 54.8 +6.4
Conservative Constance Monks 22,575 45.2 +4.1
Majority 4,744 9.5 +2.2
Turnout 49,894 81.1 −3.5
Labour hold Swing +1.2
General election 1964: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Kenyon 24,710 48.4 −2.3
Conservative John Sutcliffe 20,997 41.1 −8.2
Liberal Alistair Bell 5,331 10.5 N/A
Majority 3,713 7.3 +5.9
Turnout 51,038 84.6 −1.1
Labour hold Swing +3.0

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Kenyon 25,641 50.7 −0.7
Conservative Frank Taylor 24,965 49.3 +0.7
Majority 676 1.4 −1.4
Turnout 50,606 85.7 +1.4
Labour hold Swing +0.7
General election 1955: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Kenyon 24,994 51.4 +0.8
Conservative Alfred Hall-Davis 23,656 48.6 −0.8
Majority 1,338 2.8 +1.6
Turnout 48,650 84.3 −3.8
Labour hold Swing +0.8
General election 1951: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Kenyon 24,771 50.6 +3.0
Conservative Alfred Hall-Davis 24,118 49.4 +2.5
Majority 583 1.2 +0.5
Turnout 48,889 88.1 −0.3
Labour hold Swing +0.3
General election 1950: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Clifford Kenyon 23,233 47.6
Conservative Andrew Fountaine 22,872 46.9
Liberal Florence Emilie Adams 2,706 5.5
Majority 361 0.7
Turnout 46,105 88.4
Labour win (new boundaries)

Elections in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clifford Kenyon 24,550 53.2 +11.8
Conservative Robert Hamilton Brown 21,595 46.8 −8.5
Majority 2,955 6.4 N/A
Turnout 46,145 76.2 2.2
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +10.2

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1935: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Hacking 23,061 55.3 −14.0
Labour Arthur Whiting 17,286 41.4 +10.7
Ind. Labour Party Bob Edwards 1,365 3.3 N/A
Majority 5,775 13.9 −24.7
Turnout 41,712 78.4 −1.7
Conservative hold Swing −12.4
General election 1931: Chorley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Hacking 28,749 69.3 +23.7
Labour John Barrow 12,734 30.7 −11.7
Majority 16,015 38.6 +35.4
Turnout 41,483 80.1
Conservative hold Swing +17.7

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1929: Chorley[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Douglas Hacking 19,728 45.6 −12.1
Labour William Taylor 18,369 42.4 +0.1
Liberal Hugh Emlyn-Jones 5,207 12.0 N/A
Majority 1,359 3.2 −12.2
Turnout 43,304
Unionist hold Swing
General election 1924: Chorley[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Douglas Hacking 17,844 57.7 +3.0
Labour Zeph Hutchinson 13,074 42.3 −3.0
Majority 4,770 15.4 +6.0
Turnout 30,918
Unionist hold Swing +3.0
General election 1923: Chorley[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Douglas Hacking 14,715 54.7 N/A
Labour Zeph Hutchinson 12,179 45.3 N/A
Majority 2,536 9.4 N/A
Turnout 26,894 74.4 N/A
Unionist hold Swing N/A
General election 1922: Chorley[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Douglas Hacking Unopposed
Unionist hold

Elections in the 1910s

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General election 1918: Chorley[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
C Unionist Douglas Hacking 13,059 67.7
Labour Elijah Sandham 6,222 32.3
Majority 6,837 35.4
Turnout 19,896 54.5
Unionist win (new boundaries)

General Election 1914–15: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

By-election 1913: Chorley[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Henry Hibbert 7,573 57.5 −2.8
Liberal John Peter Todd Jackson 5,606 42.5 +2.8
Majority 1,967 15.0 −5.6
Turnout 13,179 87.1 +1.3
Unionist hold Swing −2.8
General election December 1910: Chorley[31][32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Lindsay 7,423 60.3 +2.0
Liberal John Peter Todd Jackson 4,887 39.7 −2.0
Majority 2,536 20.6 +4.0
Turnout 12,310 85.8 −6.6
Conservative hold Swing +2.0
General election January 1910: Chorley[31][32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Lindsay 7,735 58.3 +2.6
Liberal Lyon Blease 5,523 41.7 −2.6
Majority 2,212 16.6 +5.2
Turnout 13,258 92.4 +0.2
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s

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General election 1906: Chorley[31][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Lindsay 6,803 55.7 N/A
Liberal Eliot Crawshay-Williams 5,416 44.3 N/A
Majority 1,387 11.4 N/A
Turnout 12,219 92.2 N/A
Registered electors 13,247
Conservative hold Swing N/A
By-election 1903: Chorley[31][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Lindsay 6,226 56.5 N/A
Liberal James Lawrence 4,798 43.5 N/A
Majority 1,428 13.0 N/A
Turnout 11,024 85.9 N/A
Registered electors 12,836
Conservative hold Swing N/A
General election 1900: Chorley[31][33][34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Lindsay Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1890s

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General election 1895: Chorley[31][33][34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Lindsay Unopposed
Conservative hold
1895 Chorley by-election[31][33][34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Lindsay Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1892: Chorley[31][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joseph Feilden Unopposed
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1886: Chorley[31][33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joseph Feilden Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1885: Chorley[31][33][35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Joseph Feilden 5,867 67.6
Liberal Harold Wright 2,808 32.4
Majority 3,059 35.2
Turnout 8,675 87.8
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county 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

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  1. ^ "Chorley: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  3. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  4. ^ "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com.
  5. ^ "James Melling for Chorley". www.facebook.com.
  6. ^ "Chorley 1885–". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  7. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 4)
  8. ^ "Chorley Constituency - Simon Evans PPC Reform UK". 31 January 2024. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  9. ^ "West Lancashire Constituency - Simon Evans PPC Reform UK". Reform UK.
  10. ^ "Meet Simon Evans, local Reform UK party candidate". www.qlocal.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Chorley Constituency". Reform UK.
  12. ^ "Chorley - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  13. ^ "'As a main party we believe in upholding traditions': Why Chorley's Liberal Democrats general election candidate will not oppose Lindsay Hoyle on December 12". www.lep.co.uk. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  14. ^ "General Election 2019: Former Chorley Brexit Party candidate to stand against Lindsay Hoyle as an Independent". www.lep.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Prospective General Election Candidates". Green Party. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Chorley Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Chorley parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  18. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Chorley". BBC News. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  20. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. ^ "BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Chorley". news.bbc.co.uk.
  22. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. ^ "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  27. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. ^ a b c d e British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
  30. ^ Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser 11 May 1914
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  32. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  34. ^ a b c Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  35. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886

Sources

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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Constituency represented by the speaker
2019–present
Incumbent

53°39′11″N 2°37′55″W / 53.653°N 2.632°W / 53.653; -2.632