Leeds Central (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name =Leeds Central
Map1 = LeedsCentral
Type = Borough
Map2 = WestYorkshire
Entity = West Yorkshire
County = West Yorkshire
Year = 1885, 1983
MP = Hilary Benn
Party = Labour
EP = Yorkshire and the Humber

Leeds Central is a borough 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 central part of the city of Leeds.

After the proposed boundary changes it will be made up of five Leeds City Council wards:
* Beeston and Holbeck
* Burmantofts and Richmond Hill
* City and Hunslet
* Hyde Park and Woodhouse
* Middleton Park.

History

The constituency was created in 1885 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and was first used in the general election of that year. Leeds had previously been represented by two MPs (1832-1868) and three MPs (1868-1885). From 1885 it was represented by five single-member constituencies: Leeds Central, Leeds East, Leeds North, Leeds South and Leeds West. The constituencies of Morley, Otley and Pudsey were also created in 1885.

The constituency was abolished in 1955. After the 1955 general election Leeds was represented by Leeds East (created 1885, abolished 1918, recreated 1955), Leeds North East (created 1918), Leeds North West (created 1950), Leeds South (created 1885), and Leeds South East (created 1918). There were also constituencies of Batley and Morley (created 1918) and Pudsey (created 1885, replaced by Pudsey and Otley 1918-1950).

The constituency was re-created for the 1983 general election. After that election, Leeds was represented by Leeds Central, Leeds East, Leeds North East, Leeds North West, Leeds South East and Leeds West. There were also constituencies of Batley and Morley, and Pudsey.

In a 1999 by-election, the constituency experienced the lowest voter turnout in the post-war British history with a dismal 19.9%. [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7498330.stm | author=BBC| title=Election Records| accessdate=2008-07-11]

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885-1955

MPs 1983-present

Election results

Election box begin | title=Confirmed candidates for the next UK general election [cite web | url=http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/leedscentral | author=UKPollingReport | title=Election Guide: Leeds Central | accessdate=2008-04-01]

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Ryk Downes
votes =
percentage =
change =

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: Leeds CentralElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Hilary Benn
votes = 17,526
percentage = 60.0
change = -6.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Ruth Coleman
votes = 5,660
percentage = 19.4
change = +6.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Brian Cattell
votes = 3,865
percentage = 13.2
change = -1.1Election box candidate with party link
party = British National Party
candidate = Mark Collett
votes = 1,201
percentage = 4.1
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Peter Sewards
votes = 494
percentage = 1.7
change = -1.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Mick Dear
votes = 189
percentage = 0.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Oluwole Taiwo
votes = 126
percentage = 0.4
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Alliance for Change (UK)
candidate = Julian Fitzgerald
votes = 125
percentage = 0.4
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 11,866
percentage = 40.7
change = Election box turnout
votes = 29,186
percentage = 46.4
change = +4.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: Leeds CentralElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Hilary Benn
votes = 18,277
percentage = 66.9
change = -2.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Victoria Richmond
votes = 3,896
percentage = 14.3
change = +0.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Stewart Arnold
votes = 3,607
percentage = 13.2
change = +2.0Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = David Burgess
votes = 775
percentage = 2.8
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Alliance (England)
candidate = Stephen Johnston
votes = 751
percentage = 2.8
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 14,381
percentage = 52.6
change = Election box turnout
votes = 27,306
percentage = 41.7
change = -12.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Hilary Benn
votes = 6,361
percentage = 48.2
change = -21.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Peter Wild
votes = 4,068
percentage = 30.8
change = +19.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Edward Wild
votes = 1,618
percentage = 12.3
change = -1.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = David Blackburn
votes = 478
percentage = 3.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Raymond Northgreaves
votes = 353
percentage = 2.7
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Left Alliance
candidate = Chris Hill
votes = 258
percentage = 2.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Julian Fitzgerald
votes = 51
percentage = 0.4
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 2,293
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 19.9
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Derek Fatchett
votes = 25,766
percentage = 69.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Edward Wild
votes = 5,077
percentage = 13.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = David Freeman
votes = 4,164
percentage = 11.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Referendum Party
candidate = Philip Myers
votes = 1,042
percentage = 2.8
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Michael Rix
votes = 656
percentage = 1.8
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Party (England and Wales)
candidate = Chris Hill
votes = 304
percentage = 0.8
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Julian Fitzgerald
votes = 51
percentage = 0.4
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 20,689
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 54.7
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1992: Leeds CentralElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Derek Fatchett
votes = 25,766
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate =
votes = 5,077
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate =
votes = 4,164
percentage =
change = Election box majority
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

References

See also

* List of Parliamentary constituencies in West Yorkshire
* Leeds Central by-election, 1999