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Harrogate and Knaresborough (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 54°01′N 1°29′W / 54.01°N 1.48°W / 54.01; -1.48
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Harrogate and Knaresborough
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Map of constituency
Location within Yorkshire and the Humber
CountyNorth Yorkshire
Electorate76,777 (December 2019)[1]
Major settlementsHarrogate and Knaresborough
Current constituency
Created1997
Member of ParliamentTom Gordon (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromHarrogate constituency

Harrogate and Knaresborough (/ˈhærəɡət ... ˈnɛərzbərə, -ɡeɪt -, -ɡɪt -/)[2][3] is a parliamentary constituency in North Yorkshire which has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Tom Gordon, an MP from the Liberal Democrats. The constituency was formed in the 1997 boundary changes, before which it was named Harrogate.

History

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Before 1950 the two eponymous towns had been part of the Ripon constituency. The constituency was created as Harrogate and following boundary changes in 1997 the name was changed to 'Harrogate and Knaresborough'.

The current constituency embraces three former borough constituencies: Aldborough (now a suburb of Boroughbridge civil parish) and Boroughbridge, which were abolished as 'rotten boroughs' by the Great Reform Act, 1832, and Knaresborough, abolished in 1885.

An area with little unemployment, a relatively large retired population and large neighbourhoods of high house prices[n 1][4] the former Harrogate constituency was a safe Conservative seat. When former Chancellor Norman Lamont stood for the Harrogate and Knaresborough seat in the Labour landslide general election in 1997, Harrogate moved the way of other spa towns in England such as Bath, and more urban and less touristic Cheltenham, by returning a non-Conservative candidate. The Liberal Democrat MP Phil Willis was elected, and served until Andrew Jones regained the seat for his party on Willis's retirement in the 2010 general election with a swing of 9.1% and a margin of 1,039 votes.[5]

Jones retained the seat until the 2024 general election, when Tom Gordon regained it for the Liberal Democrats.

Boundaries

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Map
Map of 2010–2024 boundaries

1997–2010: The Borough of Harrogate wards of Bilton, Duchy, East Central, Granby, Harlow, Knaresborough East, Knaresborough West, New Park, Pannal, Starbeck, Wedderburn, and West Central.

2010–2024: The Borough of Harrogate wards of Bilton, Boroughbridge, Claro, Granby, Harlow Moor, High Harrogate, Hookstone, Killinghall, Knaresborough East, Knaresborough King James, Knaresborough Scriven Park, Low Harrogate, New Park, Pannal, Rossett, Saltergate, Starbeck, Stray, and Woodfield.

Current

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Under the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

  • The Borough of Harrogate wards of: Claro; Harrogate Bilton Grange; Harrogate Bilton Woodfield; Harrogate Central; Harrogate Coppice Valley; Harrogate Duchy; Harrogate Fairfax; Harrogate Harlow; Harrogate High Harrogate; Harrogate Hookstone; Harrogate Kingsley; Harrogate New Park; Harrogate Oatlands; Harrogate Old Bilton; Harrogate Pannal; Harrogate St. Georges; Harrogate Saltergate; Harrogate Starbeck; Harrogate Stray; Harrogate Valley Gardens; Killinghall & Hampsthwaite; Knaresborough Aspin & Calcutt; Knaresborough Castle; Knaresborough Eastfield; Knaresborough Scriven Park.[6]

Minor changes to align with revised ward boundaries.

However, before the new boundaries came into effect, the Borough of Harrogate was abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of North Yorkshire with effect from 1 April 2023.[7] Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

  • The District of North Yorkshire electoral districts of: Bilton & Nidd Gorge; Bilton Grange & New Park; Boroughbridge & Claro (majority); Coppice Valley & Duchy; Fairfax & Starbeck; Harlow & St Georges; High Harrogate & Kingsley; Killinghall, Hampsthwaite & Saltergate; Knaresborough East; Knaresborough West; Oatlands & Pannal; Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone; Valley Gardens & Central Harrogate.[8]

As its name suggests, the constituency is centred on the towns of Harrogate and Knaresborough, with no parts more than 10 miles (16 km) away from either.

Members of Parliament

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Harrogate prior to 1997

Election Member[9] Party
1997 Phil Willis Liberal Democrats
2010 Andrew Jones Conservative
2024 Tom Gordon Liberal Democrats

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Harrogate and Knaresborough[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tom Gordon 23,976 46.1 +9.9
Conservative Andrew Jones 15,738 30.2 −21.8
Reform UK John Swales 5,679 10.9 N/A
Labour Conrad Whitcroft 4,153 8.0 −1.6
Green Shan Oakes 1,762 3.4 N/A
Independent Paul Haslam 620 1.2 N/A
Independent Stephen Douglas Metcalfe 136 0.3 N/A
Majority 8,238 15.9 N/A
Turnout 52,064 66.8 −6.5
Registered electors 77,970
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +15.9

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[12]
Party Vote %
Conservative 28,873 52.0
Liberal Democrats 20,086 36.2
Labour 5,349 9.6
Others 1,208 2.2
Green 27 <0.1
Turnout 55,543 73.3
Electorate 75,800
General election 2019: Harrogate and Knaresborough[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Jones 29,962 52.6 −2.9
Liberal Democrats Judith Rogerson 20,287 35.6 +12.1
Labour Mark Sewards 5,480 9.6 −10.5
Yorkshire Kieron George 1,208 2.1 N/A
Majority 9,675 17.0 −15.0
Turnout 56,937 73.1 +0.1
Conservative hold Swing -7.6
General election 2017: Harrogate and Knaresborough[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Jones 31,477 55.5 +2.8
Liberal Democrats Helen Flynn 13,309 23.5 +1.4
Labour Mark Sewards 11,395 20.1 +10.0
Independent Donald Fraser 559 1.0 N/A
Majority 18,168 32.0 +1.4
Turnout 56,907 73.0 +4.0
Conservative hold Swing +0.67
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Harrogate and Knaresborough
General election 2015: Harrogate and Knaresborough[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Jones 28,153 52.7 +7.0
Liberal Democrats Helen Flynn 11,782 22.1 −21.7
UKIP David Simister 5,681 10.6 +8.6
Labour Jan Williams 5,409 10.1 +3.7
Green Shan Oakes 2,351 4.4 N/A
Majority 16,371 30.6 +28.7
Turnout 53,376 69.0 −1.6
Conservative hold Swing +14.4
General election 2010: Harrogate and Knaresborough[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Jones 24,305 45.7 +9.8
Liberal Democrats Claire Kelley 23,266 43.8 −8.4
Labour Kevin McNerney 3,413 6.4 −2.7
BNP Steve Gill 1,094 2.1 +1.1
UKIP John Upex 1,056 2.0 +0.3
Majority 1,039 1.9 N/A
Turnout 53,134 70.6 +3.9
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +9.1

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Harrogate and Knaresborough[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Phil Willis 24,113 56.3 +0.7
Conservative Maggie Punyer 13,684 31.9 −2.7
Labour Lorraine Ferris 3,627 8.5 +1.1
UKIP Chris Royston 845 2.0 +0.2
BNP Colin Banner 466 1.1 N/A
Alliance For Change John Allman 123 0.3 N/A
Majority 10,429 24.4 +3.4
Turnout 42,858 65.3 +0.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
General election 2001: Harrogate and Knaresborough[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Phil Willis 23,445 55.6 +4.1
Conservative Andrew Jones 14,600 34.6 −3.9
Labour Alastair MacDonald 3,101 7.4 −1.3
UKIP Bill Brown 761 1.8 N/A
ProLife Alliance John Cornforth 272 0.6 N/A
Majority 8,845 21.0 +8.0
Turnout 42,179 64.6 −8.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Harrogate and Knaresborough[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Phil Willis 24,558 51.5 +18.2
Conservative Norman Lamont 18,322 38.5 −13.3
Labour Barbara Boyce 4,151 8.7 −4.8
Loyal Conservative John Blackburn 614 1.3 N/A
Majority 6,236 13.0 N/A
Turnout 47,645 73.1
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing -15.8

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ In the 2001 census: worklessness was the status of (see Harrogate 009 Middle Layer SOA for access to the whole district): 1.0% of working age people compared to Yorkshire and the Humber: 2.6% England 2.3%
    However, in the 2001 Census publication "Indices of Deprivation and Classification: Social Grade" 0.27% of the wider District population of 69,614 of working age were Class E: On state benefit, unemployed, lowest grade workers, slightly higher than 0.22% Yorkshire and the Humber average and 0.24% national average

References

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  1. ^ "Constituency data: electorates – House of Commons Library". Parliament UK. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  2. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). "Harrogate". Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
  3. ^ "Harrogate". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  4. ^ "Property for Sale in Harrogate, North Yorkshire – Mouseprice". www.mouseprice.com.
  5. ^ "Harrogate and Knaresborough: Blow to Lib Dems as close-run race ends in loss". Yorkshire Post. Johnston Press Digital Publishing. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 9 Yorkshire and the Humber region.
  7. ^ "The North Yorkshire (Structural Changes) Order 2022".
  8. ^ "New Seat Details – Harrogate and Knaresborough". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 1)
  10. ^ "Harrogate and Knaresborough results". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Notice of Result of Poll" (PDF). North Yorkshire Council. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "Harrogate & Knaresborough Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Harrogate & Knaresborough parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  15. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Harrogate & Knaresborough". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. ^ "UK > England > Yorkshire & the Humber > Harrogate & Knaresborough". Election 2010. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  19. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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54°01′N 1°29′W / 54.01°N 1.48°W / 54.01; -1.48

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