Manchester_Central_(UK_Parliament_constituency)

Manchester Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Manchester Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1974 onwards


Manchester Central is a parliamentary constituency[n 1] in Greater Manchester created in 1974. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2012 by Lucy Powell of the Labour Party and Co-operative Party.[n 2] Powell currently serves as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council.

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Constituency profile

The seat covers the city centre and all its major attractions and both of Manchester's large universities, and fringe areas such as Hulme and Ancoats which have undergone extensive regeneration since the 1990s, an example of which is the New Islington development. Flats in the city centre can sell for several million pounds while there are more deprived areas to the east, including Beswick. There is a high proportion of graduates and students in the city centre, and the constituency as a whole has the highest proportion of Chinese people in the country.[2]

This constituency has always (since its 1974 creation) been a safe Labour seat. The current MP Lucy Powell won the seat in a by-election in November 2012 on a turnout of just 18%, the lowest since the Second World War.[3] Twelve candidates stood, considerably more than the six who stood in the 1979 by-election.

History

Creation

The main forerunner to the seat was Manchester Cheetham, entirely taken into this area; three of five wards of former seat Manchester Exchange completed the first set of boundaries of the seat. The seat (including predecessor seats) has been held by the Labour Party since 1945.

Political history

Labour candidates have won Manchester Central by a decidedly non-marginal majority since its 1974 creation.[4] The current MP Lucy Powell won the seat at a by-election in November 2012 on a turnout of 18%; the lowest since the Second World War.[3]

Results of other parties

The 2015 general election saw greater-than-national-average swing of +3.4% (by a swing of +6.2%) to the Green Party candidate, achieving third place. Followed next by UKIP in 2015 by number of votes cast (prior to the 2016 UK EU membership referendum, votes cast for the Liberal Democrats – who for two periods had been the runner-up party in Manchester Central – for the first time placed its candidate in fifth place. The Conservative Party returned to second place in 2015 through candidate Xingang Wang (achieving 13.5% of the vote); its second place of 1979 was through its best polling to date of 22.1% of the vote. The maximal second place to date was 2010, through Liberal Democrat candidate, Marc Ramsbottom, taking 26.6% of the vote.

Turnout

Turnout has changed from a national low within the 2010 general election (of 46.7%) to 55.1% of electors. The greatest turnout was in 1987, with 63.9%.

Boundaries

Map of present boundaries

Historic

Manchester Central in Lancashire, boundaries used 1974–1983

1974–1983: The County Borough of Manchester wards of Beswick, Cheetham, Collegiate Church, Harpurhey, and Miles Platting.[5]

1983–1997: The City of Manchester wards of Ardwick, Beswick and Clayton, Bradford, Central, Cheetham, Hulme, and Newton Heath.

1997–2010: As above, less Cheetham, plus Moss Side, and Whalley Range.

2010–2024: The City of Manchester wards of Ancoats & Clayton, Ardwick, Bradford, City Centre, Hulme, Miles Platting & Newton Heath, Moss Side, and Moston using the 2004–2018 boundaries.

Current

Further to the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The City of Manchester wards of: Ancoats & Beswick; Cheetham; Clayton & Openshaw; Deansgate; Miles Platting & Newton Heath; Piccadilly.
  • The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham wards of: Failsworth East; Failsworth West.[6]

The content of the constituency was subject to major changes, losing about half its electorate, mainly to the re-established constituency of Manchester Rusholme, including the districts of Ardwick, Hulme and Moss Side. Moston was transferred to Blackley and Middleton South (formerly Blackley and Broughton) in exchange for Cheetham, and the two Failsworth wards were transferred from Ashton-under-Lyne.

Members of Parliament

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Elections

Elections in the 2020s

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Elections in the 2010s

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This was the lowest turnout for any constituency in the whole of the United Kingdom in 2010

Elections in the 2000s

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Elections in the 1990s

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Elections in the 1980s

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Elections in the 1970s

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See also

Notes

  1. A borough 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

  1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  2. "First female Manchester Labour MP". BBC News. 16 November 2012.
  3. The lowest majority was in 2010, at some 26.1% of the vote as shown in the results tables.
  4. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  5. "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  6. "UK Parliamentary General Election – 12 December 2019". manchester.gov.uk. Manchester City Council. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  7. "Manchester Central – Statement of Persons Nominated & Notice of Poll". manchester.gov.uk. Manchester City Council. Archived from the original on 15 May 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017. Pdf.
  8. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. "Lancashire West". Manchester Central. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  10. "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2010.

53.469°N 2.240°W / 53.469; -2.240


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