Walsall South (UK Parliament constituency)

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Walsall South
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Walsall South in West Midlands.
Outline map
Location of West Midlands within England.
County West Midlands
Electorate 66,082 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Darlaston and
Walsall (part)
Current constituency
Created 1955
Member of parliament Valerie Vaz (Labour)
Number of members One
Created from Walsall
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency West Midlands

Walsall South is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Valerie Vaz, a member of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Boundaries

1955-1974: The County Borough of Walsall wards of Bridge, Caldmore, Paddock, Palfrey, and Pleck, and the Urban District of Aldridge.

1974-1983: The County Borough of Walsall wards of Darlaston North, Darlaston South, Hatherton, Paddock, Palfrey, Pleck, and St Matthew's.

1983-2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall wards of Bentley and Darlaston North, Darlaston South, Paddock, Palfrey, Pheasey, Pleck, and St Matthew's.

2010-present: The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall wards of Bentley and Darlaston North, Darlaston South, Paddock, Palfrey, Pheasey Park Farm, Pleck, and St Matthew’s.

Walsall South is one of three constituencies in the metropolitan borough and specifically covers Darlaston, Moxley, Pheasey and the southern part of Walsall.

History

The constituency was first contested in 1955 largely from Walsall constituency, and won by its only Conservative MP to date, Major-General Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid.

Bruce George of the Labour Party won the seat when the Major-General stood down in the February 1974 general election, he too was an prominent supporter of the armed services and led Britain's NATO delegation to its Parliament, subsequently becoming its Vice-President. While never a prominent frontbencher, George held Walsall South until his retirement at the 2010 general election, when he was succeeded by Valerie Vaz (also of the Labour Party).

Synopsis of results

The Conservative holding of the seat through the First Wilson Ministry reveals that in these early elections the seat was not a bellwether. On the 1974 transfer in power to Wilson again, here the result proved to be a watershed election. Labour's majorities since this, only in fairly good years for the Conservatives, such as during the Thatcher ministry as well as in 1992 and General Election 2010 have been marginal [n 3]. In terms of length of a party's representation, Labour will have represented this area for a total of 40 years in February 2014.

Constituency profile

The constituency is in the heart of an area traditionally focussed on manufacturing, see Walsall, which retains many mechanical and engineering jobs in its economy and this seat has good links to the cities of Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 higher than the national average of 3.8% and regional average of 4.7%, at 7.7% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[2]

Members of Parliament

Election Member[3] Party
1955 Sir Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid Conservative
Feb 1974 Bruce George Labour
2010 Valerie Vaz Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Walsall South [4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Valerie Vaz 19,740 47.2 +7.5
Conservative Sue Arnold[5] 13,733 32.8 -2.5
UKIP Derek Bennett[6] 6,540 15.6 +7.2
Green Charlotte Fletcher[7] 1,149 2.7 +2.7
Liberal Democrat Joel Kenrick[8] 676 1.6 -12.8
Majority 6,007 14.4 +10.1
Turnout 41,838 61.8 -1.3
Labour hold Swing +5.0

UKIP originally announced Kenneth Turner as candidate for 2015,[9] but Derek Bennett stood as the candidate instead.[10]

General Election 2010: Walsall South[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Valerie Vaz 16,211 39.7 -9.5
Conservative Richard Hunt 14,456 35.4 +6.9
Liberal Democrat Murli Sinha 5,880 14.4 +4.6
UKIP Derek Bennett 3,449 8.4 +3.6
Christian Gulzaman Khan 482 1.2 +1.2
Independent Mohammed Mulia 404 1.0 +1.0
Majority 1,755 4.3
Turnout 40,882 63.1 +3.1
Labour hold Swing −8.2

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce George 17,633 49.9 −9.1
Conservative Kabir Sabar 9,687 27.4 −3.1
Liberal Democrat Mohamed Hanif Asmal 3,240 9.2 +2.4
UKIP Derek Bennett 1,833 5.2 +2.4
BNP Kevin Smith 1,776 5.0 N/A
Respect Nadia Fazal 1,146 3.2 N/A
Majority 7,946 22.5
Turnout 35,365 58.5 +2.8
Labour hold Swing −3.0
General Election 2001: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce George 20,574 59.0 +1.1
Conservative Michael Bird 10,643 30.5 -1.2
Liberal Democrat Bill Tomlinson 2,365 6.8 +0.5
UKIP Derek Bennett 974 2.8 N/A
Socialist Alliance Peter Smith 343 1.0 N/A
Majority 9,931 28.5
Turnout 34,899 55.7 -11.6
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce George 25,024 57.87
Conservative L Leek 13,712 31.71
Liberal Democrat H Harris 2,698 6.24
Referendum T Dent 1,662 3.84
Natural Law L Meads 149 0.35
Majority 11,312 26.16
Turnout 67.34
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1992: Walsall South[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce George 24,133 48.2 +3.3
Conservative LC Jones 20,955 41.9 −0.8
Liberal Democrat GE Williams 4,132 8.3 −4.1
Green RJ Clarke 673 1.3 N/A
Natural Law JD Oldbury 167 0.3 N/A
Majority 3,178 6.3 +4.1
Turnout 50,060 76.3 +0.8
Labour hold Swing +2.1

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce George 22,629 44.91
Conservative GE Postles 21,513 42.70
Liberal LA King 6,241 12.39
Majority 1,116 2.22
Turnout 75.48
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1983: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce George 21,735 43.48
Conservative David John Nicholson 21,033 42.08
Social Democratic B Silver 6,586 13.18
BNP J Parker 632 1.26
Majority 702 1.40
Turnout 74.32
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce George 22,539 50.90
Conservative A Hill 20,951 47.31
National Front V Parker 795 1.80
Majority 1,588 3.59
Turnout 76.74
Labour hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce George 20,917 48.00
Conservative H Smith 16,255 37.30
Liberal GFA Hooper 5,031 11.54
National Front JC Parker 1,226 2.81
More Prosperous Britain T Keen 150 0.34
Majority 4,662 10.70
Turnout 73.56
Labour hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce George 20,775 45.16
Conservative H Smith 19,195 41.72
Liberal D Haines 6,038 13.12
Majority 1,580 3.43
Turnout 78.28
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1970: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid 35,545 59.50
Labour GS Rea 24,196 40.5
Majority 11,349 19.00
Turnout 72.96
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid 30,161 53.44
Labour RG Drake 26,280 46.56
Majority 3,881 6.88
Turnout 77.23
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid 32,602 57.06
Labour Bryan Stanley 24,532 42.94
Majority 8,070 14.12
Turnout 79.12
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid 30,471 58.42
Labour JAF Ennals 21,689 41.58
Majority 8,782 16.84
Turnout 83.05
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Walsall South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid 24,077 52.65
Labour JAF Ennals 21,651 47.35
Majority 2,426 5.31
Turnout 80.24
Conservative hold Swing

See also

Notes and references

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.
  3. ↑ 6.3% and 4.3% of the vote respectively in the specific election years given.
References
  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  3. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 1)[self-published source][better source needed]
  4. ↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/walsallsouth/
  5. ↑ https://www.conservatives.com/OurTeam/Prospective_Parliamentary_Candidates/Arnold_Sue.aspx
  6. ↑ http://ukipwalsall.org/
  7. ↑ https://my.greenparty.org.uk/candidates/106266
  8. ↑ http://powerbase.info/index.php/Joel_Kenrick
  9. ↑ http://ukipwalsall.org/ukip-launches-three-pronged-attack-against-cons-labour-and-lib-dems/
  10. ↑ https://yournextmp.com/person/5492/derek-bennett
  11. ↑ http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/walsallsouth
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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