High Peak (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name = High Peak
Map1 = HighPeak
Map2 = Derbyshire
Type = County
Year = 1885
Entity = Derbyshire
County = Derbyshire
EP = East Midlands
MP = Tom Levitt
Party = Labour

High Peak is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a marginal seat between the Labour Party and the Conservatives. Labour MP Tom Levitt currently has a 750 vote majority at the last general election in 2005.

Boundaries

The constituency covers much of northern Derbyshire. Areas around the Hope Valley have a Conservative majority, whereas the north western part of the constituency, in Glossop (especially Gamesley), Hadfield and Tintwistle, is more Labour-inclined. Buxton is often divided between the two main parties. The seat has considerable connections with Manchester (and the Hope Valley with Sheffield), rather than the East Midlands. Before the 1997 general election, Labour had only gained this seat once, in 1966. They have now held it for three consecutive general elections. Tintwistle (formerly in the Stalybridge and Hyde seat) was brought into High Peak in boundary changes for the 1983 general election.

Following the most recent review of parliamentary constituencies in Derbyshire, the Boundary Commission for England has recommended the creation of a modified High Peak constituency which is co-terminous with the High Peak district.

Members of Parliament

Election results

Elections in the 1930s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1935: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Alfred Law
votes = 19,145
percentage = 53.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = R. W. Wright
votes = 9,559
percentage = 26.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = L. Radcliffe
votes = 6,831
percentage = 19.2
change = Election box majority
votes = 9,586
percentage = 27.00
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 72.2
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

At the High Peak by-election, 1939, Hugh Molson was elected unopposed.

Elections in the 1940s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1945: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Hugh Molson
votes = 18,113
percentage = 45.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = W. M. Halsall
votes = 15,454
percentage = 38.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = T. S. Rothwell
votes = 6,230
percentage = 15.7
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,659
percentage = 6.7
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 77.8
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1950s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1950: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Hugh Molson
votes = 19,740
percentage = 45.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = W. M. Halsall
votes = 16,933
percentage = 39.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = T. S. Rothwell
votes = 6,539
percentage = 15.1
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,807
percentage = 6.5
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 85.8
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1951: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Hugh Molson
votes = 21,305
percentage = 49.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = W. M. Halsall
votes = 18,127
percentage = 41.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = S. R. Cawley
votes = 4,070
percentage = 9.4
change = Election box majority
votes = 3,178
percentage = 7.3
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 85.9
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1955: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Hugh Molson
votes = 19,094
percentage = 48.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = N. McBride
votes = 13,652
percentage = 34.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = S. R. Cawley
votes = 6,712
percentage = 17.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 5,442
percentage = 13.8
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 79.5
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1959: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Hugh Molson
votes = 18,738
percentage = 46.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Bernard Conlan
votes = 13,827
percentage = 34.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = S. R. Cawley
votes = 8,138
percentage = 20.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 4,911
percentage = 12.1
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 82.7
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1960s

Election box begin
title=High Peak by-election, 1961Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = David Walder
votes = 13,069
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = W. M. Halsall
votes = 11,201
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Dennis Wrigley
votes = 10,674
percentage =
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,868
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1964: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = David Walder
votes = 15,753
percentage = 38.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = J. F. H. Roper
votes = 14,416
percentage = 34.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Dennis Wrigley
votes = 11,147
percentage = 27.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,337
percentage = 3.2
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 85.3
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1966: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Peter Michael Jackson
votes = 16,938
percentage = 41.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = David Walder
votes = 16,124
percentage = 39.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Dennis Wrigley
votes = 7,990
percentage = 19.5
change = Election box majority
votes = 814
percentage = 2.0
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 84.2
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1970s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1970: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Spencer Le Marchant
votes = 19,558
percentage = 43.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Peter Michael Jackson
votes = 18,054
percentage = 40.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = Dennis Wrigley
votes = 7,119
percentage = 15.9
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,504
percentage = 3.4
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 80.8
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election February 1974: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Spencer Le Marchant
votes = 19,231
percentage = 39.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Peter Michael Jackson
votes = 16,956
percentage = 35.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = N. Scott
votes = 12,117
percentage = 25.1
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,275
percentage = 4.7
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 85.4
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election October 1974: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Spencer Le Marchant
votes = 19,043
percentage = 41.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = D. Bookbinder
votes = 17,041
percentage = 37.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = C. Walmsley
votes = 9,875
percentage = 21.5
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,002
percentage = 4.4
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 80.5
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1979: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Spencer Le Marchant
votes = 22,532
percentage = 46.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = D. Bookbinder
votes = 17,777
percentage = 36.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = D. Brown
votes = 8,200
percentage = 16.9
change = Election box majority
votes = 4,755
percentage = 9.8
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 81.8
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1980s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1983: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Christopher Hawkins
votes = 24,534
percentage = 46.4
change = −0.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic Party (UK)
candidate = David Marquand
votes = 14,594
percentage = 27.6
change = +10.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = D. J. Wilcox
votes = 13,755
percentage = 26.0
change = −10.6Election box majority
votes = 9,940
percentage = 18.8
change = +9.0Election box turnout
votes = 52,883
percentage = 78.5
change = −3.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1987: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Christopher Hawkins
votes = 25,715
percentage = 45.67
change = −0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = J. McCrindle
votes = 16,199
percentage = 28.8
change = +2.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic Party (UK)
candidate = J. Oldham
votes = 14,389
percentage = 25.6
change = −2.0Election box majority
votes = 9,516
percentage = 16.9
change = −1.9Election box turnout
votes = 56,303
percentage = 80.5
change = +2.0Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1990s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1992: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Charles Hendry
votes = 27,538
percentage = 46.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tom Levitt
votes = 22,719
percentage = 37.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Simon Molloy
votes = 8,861
percentage = 14.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = R. Floyd
votes = 794
percentage = 1.3
change = Election box majority
votes = 4,819
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 84.6
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing = Election box begin
title=General Election 1997: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tom Levitt
votes = 29,052
percentage = 50.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Charles Hendry
votes = 20,261
percentage = 35.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Sue Barber
votes = 6,420
percentage = 11.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Referendum Party
candidate = C. Hanson-Orr
votes = 1,420
percentage = 2.5
change = Election box majority
votes = 8,791
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 79.0
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 2000s

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tom Levitt
votes = 22,430
percentage = 46.6
change = -4.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Simon Chapman
votes = 17,941
percentage = 37.3
change = +1.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Peter Ashenden
votes = 7,743
percentage = 16.1
change = +4.9Election box majority
votes = 4,489
percentage = 9.3
change = Election box turnout
votes = 48,114
percentage = 65.2
change = -13.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: High PeakElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tom Levitt
votes = 19,809
percentage = 39.6
change = -7.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Andrew Bingham
votes = 19,074
percentage = 38.2
change = +0.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Marc Godwin
votes = 10,000
percentage = 20.0
change = +3.9Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Michael Schwarz
votes = 1,106
percentage = 2.2
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 735
percentage = 1.5%
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 66.4
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = -3.9

Election box candidate
party = Independent
candidate = Ivan Bell
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Andrew Bingham
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tom Levitt
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Steve Sharp
votes =
percentage =
change =

References

* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/hoc/constituency/history/0,9571,-1281,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics] (Election results from 1992 to the present)
* http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/ (Election results from 1951 to the present)
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/hcommons3.htm Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page] (Complete list of MPs)

See also

* List of Parliamentary constituencies in Derbyshire