Leeds Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
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.
, 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 post-war British history of 19.6%.
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It elects one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Boundaries
Following boundary changes for the 2010 general election, the constituency is made up of five electoral wards of the City of Leeds:- Beeston and HolbeckHolbeckHolbeck is a district in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.The district begins on the southern edge of the Leeds city centre and mainly lies in the LS11 Leeds postcode area. The M1 and M621 motorways used to end/begin in Holbeck. Now the M621 is the only motorway that passes through the area since...
; BurmantoftsBurmantoftsBurmantofts is an area of 1960s high-rise housing blocks in inner-city east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England adjacent to the city centre and St. James's Hospital. It is a racially diverse area, with sizable Afro-Caribbean and Irish communities, but suffers the social problems typical of similar areas...
and Richmond HillRichmond Hill, West YorkshireRichmond Hill is a district of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The district lies to the east of the city centre. It lies between York Road , East End Park and Cross Green. The area is made up of a variety of different types of buildings and architecture...
; CityLeeds City CentreLeeds city centre is the central business district of Leeds, England. It is within the Leeds Central parliamentary constituency, represented by Hilary Benn as MP since a by-election in 1999...
and HunsletHunsletHunslet is an inner-city area in south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is south east of the city centre and has an industrial past.Hunslet had many engineering companies based in the district, such as John Fowler & Co...
; Hyde ParkHyde Park, LeedsHyde Park is an inner-city area of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, situated between the University of Leeds and Headingley.It is mainly in the Hyde Park & Woodhouse ward, though some areas of what is often considered to be Hyde Park lie within the Headingley Ward . The boundary is...
and WoodhouseWoodhouse, LeedsWoodhouse is a largely residential area just north of the city centre of Leeds and home to the University of Leeds. It is in the Hyde Park and Woodhouse ward of City of Leeds metropolitan district. It was described in 1853 as a "large and handsome village"...
; Middleton ParkMiddleton ParkMiddleton Park is a public park in Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It covers an area of , nearly a square mile of which are ancient woodland. There is also a small lake, recreational areas and a golf course. The reclaimed site of "Middleton Broom" Colliery has been incorporated into the...
.
Constituency profile
The business and retail centre of Leeds is at the heart of the constituency. Despite this relatively affluent hub, the seat is severely deprived residentially, typified by row on row of terraced houses, home to Labour-inclined working class voters. Unemployment is high. Leeds' two universities produce a significant student population.History
The constituency was created in 1885 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
, and was first used in the general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
of that year. Leeds
Leeds (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds was a parliamentary borough covering the town of Leeds, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1885....
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 East (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds East is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, Leeds North
Leeds North (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds North was a borough constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.-History:...
, Leeds South
Leeds South (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds South was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election...
and Leeds West
Leeds West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds West is a borough constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
. The constituencies of Morley
Morley (UK Parliament constituency)
Morley was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Morley in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
, Otley
Otley (UK Parliament constituency)
Otley was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Otley in West Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :...
and Pudsey
Pudsey (UK Parliament constituency)
Pudsey is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
were also created in 1885.
The constituency was abolished in 1955. After the 1955 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
Leeds was represented by Leeds East
Leeds East (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds East is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
(created 1885, abolished 1918, recreated 1955), Leeds North East
Leeds North East (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds North East is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
(created 1918), Leeds North West
Leeds North West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds North West is a parliamentary constituency in the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
(created 1950), Leeds South
Leeds South (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds South was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election...
(created 1885), and Leeds South East
Leeds South East (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds South East was a borough constituency in the city of Leeds in West Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
(created 1918). There were also constituencies of Batley and Morley
Batley and Morley (UK Parliament constituency)
Batley and Morley was a parliamentary constituency centred on the towns of Batley and Morley in West Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
(created 1918) and Pudsey
Pudsey (UK Parliament constituency)
Pudsey is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
(created 1885, replaced by Pudsey and Otley 1918-1950).
The constituency was re-created for the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
. 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 post-war British history of 19.6%.
Members of Parliament
Hilary Benn, the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, currently represents the seat.MPs 1885–1955
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 -Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:... |
Gerald William Balfour Gerald Balfour, 2nd Earl of Balfour Gerald William Balfour, 2nd Earl of Balfour PC , known as Gerald Balfour until 1930, was a British nobleman and Conservative politician.-Background and education:... , later Earl of Balfour Earl of Balfour Earl of Balfour is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1922 for the prominent Conservative politician Arthur Balfour. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905 and Foreign Secretary from 1916 to 1919... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| 1906 United Kingdom general election, 1906 -Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**... |
Robert Armitage | Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
|
| 1922 United Kingdom general election, 1922 The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John... |
Arthur Wellesley Willey Arthur Wellesley Willey Arthur Wellesley Willey was an English solicitor and racehorse owner, who was briefly the Conservative Member of Parliament for Leeds Central.... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| 1923 by-election | Sir Charles Henry Wilson Charles Henry Wilson (Conservative politician) Charles Henry Wilson was a British politician. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Leeds Central, 26 July 1923–30 May 1929.-References:... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| 1929 United Kingdom general election, 1929 -Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***... |
Richard Denman Sir Richard Denman, 1st Baronet Sir Richard Douglas Denman, 1st Baronet , was a British Member of Parliament .Denman was the son of Richard Denman, a court clerk and Helen Mary McMicking. Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman, Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench, was his great-grandfather. Thomas Denman, 3rd Baron Denman,... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1931 | National Labour | ||
| 1945 United Kingdom general election, 1945 The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to... |
George Porter George Porter (politician) George Porter was a British Labour Party politician. He was first elected as Member of Parliament for Leeds Central at the 1945 general election, and re-elected in 1950 and 1951. He did not stand in the 1955 general election, when his constituency was abolished.- External links :... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1955 United Kingdom general election, 1955 The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year... |
constituency abolished | ||
MPs since 1983
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 United Kingdom general election, 1983 The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945... |
Derek Fatchett | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
| 1999 by-election Leeds Central by-election, 1999 The Member of Parliament for Leeds Central, the Rt. Hon. Derek Fatchett, died suddenly on 9 May 1999. The Labour Party rushed to organise for the by-election and moved the writ so that the election could be held on 10 June, the same day as elections to the European Parliament.The shortlist for the... |
Hilary Benn Hilary Benn Hilary James Wedgwood Benn is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Leeds Central since 1999. He served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development from 2003 to 2007 and as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
|
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
See also
- List of Parliamentary constituencies in West Yorkshire
- Leeds Central by-election, 1999Leeds Central by-election, 1999The Member of Parliament for Leeds Central, the Rt. Hon. Derek Fatchett, died suddenly on 9 May 1999. The Labour Party rushed to organise for the by-election and moved the writ so that the election could be held on 10 June, the same day as elections to the European Parliament.The shortlist for the...