Rushcliffe (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name = Rushcliffe
Map1 = Rushcliffe
Map2 = Nottinghamshire
Type = County
Year = 1885
Entity =Nottinghamshire
County = Nottinghamshire
EP = East Midlands
MP = Kenneth Clarke
Party = Conservative

Rushcliffe is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Boundaries

The constituency covers the south of Nottinghamshire. Its boundaries match those of the borough of Rushcliffe, typically to the north by the River Trent and to the south by the county border. The main town in the constituency is West Bridgford, which is part of the Greater Nottingham urban area, and includes the Trent Bridge cricket ground and Nottingham Forest F.C. The remainder of the constituency is predominantly rural, although includes the town of Bingham and villages of Cotgrave, East Bridgford, East Leake, Keyworth, Radcliffe on Trent and Ruddington.

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Nottinghamshire, the Boundary Commission for England, have made minor modifications to the existing constituency to be fought at the next general election. The area around Bingham will become part of the Newark constituency.

The electoral wards used in the formation of the modified seat are;
*From the borough of Rushcliffe - Abbey, Compton Acres, Cotgrave, Edwalton Village, Gamston, Gotham, Keyworth North, Keyworth South, Lady Bay, Leake, Lutterell, Manvers, Melton, Musters, Nevile, Ruddington, Soar Valley, Stanford, Tollerton, Trent, Trent Bridge, Wiverton, and Wolds.

History

The constituency was formed in 1885. It is regarded as a safe seat for the Conservative Party, as they have held it continually since 1950, except for the period from 1966 until 1970 when it was held by Labour's Antony Gardner.

Since 1970, Rushcliffe's Member of Parliament has been one of the UK's best-known political figures, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer Kenneth Clarke. Unlike other constituencies nearby, such as Broxtowe and Gedling, which were previously held by the Conservatives, they held Rushcliffe at the 1997 general election. This has been attributed in part to its more rural nature, but also to Clarke's own personal popularity.

Members of Parliament

The Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe is Kenneth Clarke, who was first elected in the general election of 1970.

Election results

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: RushcliffeElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Kenneth Clarke
votes = 27,899
percentage = 49.5
change = +2.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Edward Gamble
votes = 14,925
percentage = 26.5
change = −7.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Karrar Khan
votes = 9,813
percentage = 17.4
change = +3.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Simon Anthony
votes = 1,692
percentage = 3.0
change = +0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Matthew Faithfull
votes = 1,358
percentage = 2.4
change = −0.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Veritas (political party)
candidate = Daniel Moss
votes = 624
percentage = 1.1
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 12,974
percentage = 23.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 56,311
percentage = 70.5
change = +4.0Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = +4.8

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: RushcliffeElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Kenneth Clarke
votes = 25,869
percentage = 47.5
change = +3.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Paul Fallon
votes = 18,512
percentage = 34.0
change = -2.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Jeremy Hargreaves
votes = 7,395
percentage = 13.6
change = -0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Ken Brown
votes = 1,434
percentage = 2.6
change = +2.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Ashley Baxter
votes = 1,236
percentage = 2.3
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 7,357
percentage = 13.5
change = Election box turnout
votes = 54,446
percentage = 66.5
change = -12.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

ee also

*List of Parliamentary constituencies in Nottinghamshire
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/rcommons2.htm List of historic MPs]