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Bolsover (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 53°14′N 1°18′W / 53.23°N 1.30°W / 53.23; -1.30
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Bolsover
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Bolsover in the East Midlands
CountyDerbyshire
Population94,473 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate74,680 (2023)[2]
Major settlementsBolsover, Shirebrook, Clowne, South Normanton
Current constituency
Created1950
Member of ParliamentNatalie Fleet (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromClay Cross and North East Derbyshire

Bolsover (/ˈbɒlsˌoʊvər/, /ˈbɒlzˌoʊvər/ and commonly /boʊzər/) is a constituency in Derbyshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Natalie Fleet, a member of the Labour Party. The constituency was created in 1950, and is centred on the town of Bolsover.

History

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Before the Reform Act 1832, relatively wealthy people (forty-shilling freeholders) of the whole county could attend elections when there was an opposition candidate. From 1868 until 1885 the area formed part of the East Derbyshire constituency, redrawn out of the North Derbyshire constituency formed in 1832. The Bolsover constituency was created in 1950 from parts of the constituencies of North East Derbyshire, formed in 1885, and Clay Cross, formed in 1918.

Between 1970 and 2019, the constituency was represented by Labour's Dennis Skinner, who by 2019 was the oldest member of the House of Commons and the second longest-serving. At the constituency's inception it was one of the safest Labour seats in the country, but over the following half century Skinner's vote share dropped from 77% in 1970, still holding a high vote share of 65% in 2005, to only 36% in 2019, with the result that he lost the seat to the Conservatives by a margin of 11%. The seat was regained by Labour in 2024, in part due to the two right-wing parties, Reform UK and the Conservative Party splitting the vote. Labour's share of the vote was still well below what they had been getting before Brexit.

Boundaries

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Boundaries of Bolsover from 1983 to 2010

1950–1983: The Urban District of Bolsover, and the Rural Districts of Blackwell and Clowne.

1983–2010: The District of Bolsover, and the District of North East Derbyshire wards of Morton, Pilsley, Shirland, and Sutton.

2010–present: The District of Bolsover, and the District of North East Derbyshire wards of Holmewood and Heath, Pilsley and Morton, Shirland, and Sutton.

Subject to a minor adjustment due to ward boundary changes in the District of North East Derbyshire, the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.[3]

Constituency profile

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The seat includes many former mining communities. Before 2019 it was a Labour Party stronghold, although the then MP Dennis Skinner's share of the popular vote dropped to 50% in the 2010 election from a high of 77.5% (see below), amongst social and boundary changes. Its economy faced struggles after the last closures in the early 1990s of the coal pits upon which the area thrived for many years. Bolsover's tourism industry has emerged in recent years, including accommodation and tours involving Bolsover Castle, owned by English Heritage, and Hardwick Hall, home of Bess of Hardwick.

Skinner, who held the seat from 1970 until 2019, was between 2017 and 2019 the second longest serving MP in the Commons after Kenneth Clarke.[4] In the 2010 reforms to the constituency, Labour won 50% of the votes cast. At the 2017 general election, Skinner's majority was cut to little more than 5,000, the first time the Labour majority in the seat had ever been lower than 10,000. He lost his bid to be re-elected in 2019 losing to Conservative candidate Mark Fletcher.

The majority of voters in the area voted in favour of Brexit during the 2016 referendum; this was the preferred outcome of the then local MP Dennis Skinner. This considerable turn out in favour of Brexit resulted in Reform UK to include it in its priority list of constituencies for the 2024 General Election.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[5] Party
1950 Harold Neal Labour
1970 Dennis Skinner
2019 Mark Fletcher Conservative
2024 Natalie Fleet Labour

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Bolsover[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Natalie Fleet 17,197 40.5 +4.3
Conservative Mark Fletcher 10,874 25.5 –22.1
Reform UK Robert Reaney 9,131 21.5 +12.9
Green David Kesteven 3,754 8.8 +7.2
Liberal Democrats David Hancock 1,478 3.5 –0.3
Majority 6,323 14.9 N/A
Turnout 42,434 54.9 −6.2
Registered electors 77,334
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.2

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Bolsover[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Fletcher 21,791 47.4 +6.9
Labour Dennis Skinner 16,492 35.9 −16.0
Brexit Party Kevin Harper 4,151 9.0 New
Liberal Democrats David Hancock 1,759 3.8 +0.9
Green David Kesteven 758 1.7 New
Independent Ross Walker 517 1.1 New
Independent Natalie Hoy 470 1.0 New
Majority 5,299 11.5 N/A
Turnout 45,938 61.1 −2.2
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +11.5
General election 2017: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 24,153 51.9 +0.7
Conservative Helen Harrison 18,865 40.5 +16.0
UKIP Philip Rose 2,129 4.6 −16.4
Liberal Democrats Ross Shipman 1,372 2.9 −0.4
Majority 5,288 11.4 −15.3
Turnout 46,519 63.3 +2.2
Labour hold Swing −7.7
General election 2015: Bolsover[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 22,542 51.2 +1.2
Conservative Peter Bedford 10,764 24.5 −0.1
UKIP Ray Calladine 9,228 21.0 +17.1
Liberal Democrats David Lomax 1,464 3.3 −12.2
Majority 11,778 26.7 +1.3
Turnout 43,998 61.1 +0.6
Labour hold Swing +0.7
General election 2010: Bolsover[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 21,995 50.0
Conservative Lee Rowley 10,812 24.6
Liberal Democrats Denise Hawksworth 6,821 15.5
BNP Martin Radford 2,640 6.0 New
UKIP Ray Calladine 1,721 3.9 New
Majority 11,183 25.4
Turnout 43,989 60.5 +3.2
Labour win (new boundaries)

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Bolsover[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 25,217 65.2 −3.4
Liberal Democrats Denise Hawksworth 6,780 17.5 +5.6
Conservative Hasan Imam 6,702 17.3 −2.2
Majority 18,437 47.7 −1.4
Turnout 38,699 57.3 +0.8
Labour hold Swing −4.5
General election 2001: Bolsover[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 26,249 68.6 −5.4
Conservative Simon Massey 7,472 19.5 +2.8
Liberal Democrats Marie Bradley 4,550 11.9 +2.6
Majority 18,777 49.1 −7.8
Turnout 38,271 56.5 −14.8
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Bolsover[12][13][14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 35,073 74.0 +9.5
Conservative Richard Harwood 7,924 16.7 −8.6
Liberal Democrats Ian Cox 4,417 9.3 −0.9
Majority 27,149 57.3 +18.1
Turnout 47,414 71.3 −7.8
Labour hold Swing +9.1
General election 1992: Bolsover[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 33,978 64.5 +8.3
Conservative Timothy D.R. James 13,323 25.3 −3.0
Liberal Democrats Susan P. Barber 5,368 10.2 −5.3
Majority 20,655 39.2 +11.3
Turnout 52,669 79.1 +1.8
Labour hold Swing +5.7

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Bolsover[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 28,453 56.2 −0.1
Conservative Michael Lingens 14,333 28.3 +1.4
SDP Mark Fowler 7,836 15.5 −1.3
Majority 14,120 27.9 −1.5
Turnout 50,622 77.3 +4.6
Labour hold Swing -0.7
General election 1983: Bolsover[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 26,514 56.3
Conservative Samuel Roberts 12,666 26.9
SDP Stuart Reddish 7,886 16.8
Majority 13,848 29.4
Turnout 47,066 72.7 −5.6
Labour win (new boundaries)

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 27,495 66.6
Conservative Anthony Favell 10,116 24.5
Liberal James Ian Frost 3,688 8.9
Majority 17,379 42.09
Turnout 41,299 78.31
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 27,275 70.6
Conservative C.L. Sternberg 6,209 16.1
Liberal M. Taylor 5,176 13.4 New
Majority 21,066 54.5
Turnout 38,660 74.5
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 30,787 76.5 −1.03
Conservative A.R. Dix 9,474 23.5 +1.03
Majority 21,313 52.9 −2.06
Turnout 40,261 78.4
Labour hold Swing
General election 1970: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dennis Skinner 28,830 77.5
Conservative Ivor J Humphrey 8,371 22.5
Majority 20,459 55.0
Turnout 37,201 70.76
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1966: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harold Neal 30,114 81.55
Conservative Peter C Coleman 6,815 18.45
Majority 23,299 63.10
Turnout 36,929 74.62
Labour hold Swing
General election 1964: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harold Neal 31,234 79.34
Conservative Patrick Cormack 8,131 20.66
Majority 23,103 58.68
Turnout 39,365 78.89
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harold Neal 32,536 78.2 −0.7
Conservative Robin Marlar 9,076 21.8 +0.7
Majority 23,460 56.4 −1.3
Turnout 41,612 82.5 +4.9
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harold Neal 30,074 78.87
Conservative Brian RO Bell 8,055 21.13
Majority 22,019 57.74
Turnout 38,129 77.57
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harold Neal 33,661 79.89
Conservative John Cordeaux 8,472 20.11
Majority 25,189 59.78
Turnout 42,133 85.36
Labour hold Swing
General election 1950: Bolsover
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harold Neal 34,017 80.6
Conservative John Cordeaux 8,184 19.4
Majority 25,833 61.2
Turnout 42,201 86.2
Labour win (new seat)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bolsover: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
  4. ^ "Labour legend Dennis Skinner facing shock general election defeat, says new polling". 5 November 2019.
  5. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 4)
  6. ^ "Bolsover - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Election Nominees 2019" (PDF). Bolsover District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  8. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1997. Politics Resources. 1 May 1997. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
  14. ^ C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies, p.36 (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
  15. ^ The 1997 election result is calculated relative to the notional, not the actual, 1992 result.
  16. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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53°14′N 1°18′W / 53.23°N 1.30°W / 53.23; -1.30

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