South Staffordshire (constituency)
Encyclopedia
South Staffordshire is a parliamentary 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.
There was a previous constituency of South Staffordshire or Staffordshire Southern which existed from 1832 to 1868, covering a much larger area.
local government district. It wraps round the western edge of the city of Wolverhampton
and it does not contain any large towns. Its settlements include Brewood
, Cheslyn Hay
, Codsall
, Featherstone
, Great Wyrley
, Kinver
, Perton
and Wombourne
.Most electoral wards are safely Conservative with Labour's only real area of strength being the ex-mining town of Cheslyn Hay.
was divided under the Great Reform Act into two two-member constituencies, while other parts of the old constituency were made into or added to borough constituencies. These were formally the Northern division of Staffordshire
and the Southern division of Staffordshire, also called Southern Staffordshire or Staffordshire South. The Reform Act 1867
abolished the Southern Division with effect from the 1868 general election
, replacing it with two new two-seat constituencies: East Staffordshire
and West Staffordshire
.
and Cannock
. It covered the whole of the South Staffordshire district until 1997
, when the area around Penkridge
was included in the Stafford
constituency.
It is a safe seat
for the Conservative Party
, with Sir Patrick Cormack
having held it from its creation in 1974 until he retired in 2010, when he was succeeded by Gavin Williamson
.
at the age of 53. Election procedures require that in the event of a candidate's death after the close of nominations, the returning officer has to direct the general election poll (due to be held on May 5) to be abandoned, and to call a fresh general election poll in South Staffordshire, under the same writ of election, 28 days after having seen proof of death. As the poll was strictly not a by-election
, but rather a part of the general election, it was run under general election regulations, for instance not qualifying for the significantly higher election expenses available at by-elections.
The original candidates were:
On 9 May, the Labour
candidate, Penny Barber, announced that she was standing down as she could not afford to take any more time off work. The constituency Labour Party had to select a new candidate, choosing Paul Kalinauckas who had been their candidate in the 2001 election
. The Liberal Democrats selected Jo Crotty as their replacement candidate. In addition, three additional candidates who had not been nominated for the original poll fought the delayed election: Kate Spohrer of the Green Party
, Rev. David Braid of Clause 28 Children's Protection Christian Democrats, and most notably the journalist Garry Bushell
representing the English Democrats Party
. Bushell had already stood in the Greenwich and Woolwich constituency on May 5, where he had polled 3.4%.
The election was eventually held on 23 June 2005, with Sir Patrick Cormack retaining the seat. With the seat being safely Conservative, and with the results of the general election in other constituencies already known, the election attracted a considerably lower turnout (37.3%) than in other constituencies. Cormack increased his majority to 34.5% (a 9.1% swing
), while the United Kingdom Independence Party
saw one of their best results of 2005, with 10.4% of the vote.
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
represented in the House of Commons 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 (MP)
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,...
by the first past the post system of election.
There was a previous constituency of South Staffordshire or Staffordshire Southern which existed from 1832 to 1868, covering a much larger area.
Boundaries
The constituency is made up of about two-thirds of the South StaffordshireSouth Staffordshire
South Staffordshire is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. The district lies to the north and west of Wolverhampton and the West Midlands, bordering Shropshire to the west and Worcestershire to the south...
local government district. It wraps round the western edge of the city of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
and it does not contain any large towns. Its settlements include Brewood
Brewood
Brewood refers both to a settlement, which was once a town but is now a village, in South Staffordshire, England, and to the civil parish of which it is the centre. Located around , Brewood village lies near the River Penk, eight miles north of Wolverhampton city centre and eleven miles south of...
, Cheslyn Hay
Cheslyn Hay
Cheslyn Hay is a former mining village in south Staffordshire, between Cannock and Walsall.Station Street is the main street with some small shops.A major employer in the village is B.S. Eaton Ltd, a manufacturer of concrete products...
, Codsall
Codsall
Codsall is a large village in the South Staffordshire district of Staffordshire, England. It is situated north west of the city of Wolverhampton.-History:...
, Featherstone
Featherstone, Staffordshire
Featherstone is a small village in the district of South Staffordshire, England, near to the border with Wolverhampton. Originally a farming community consisting of a few scattered farms. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, and was owned by the Clergy of Wolverhampton Church...
, Great Wyrley
Great Wyrley
Great Wyrley is a parish and town in South Staffordshire, England, with a population of 11,236 at the 2001 census.-Etymology:The word "Wyrley" derives from two Old English words: wir and leah. Wir meant "bog myrtle," and leah meant "woodland clearing," suggesting that Great Wyrley was, at genesis,...
, Kinver
Kinver
Kinver is a large village in South Staffordshire district, Staffordshire, England. It is in the far south-west of the county, at the end of the narrow finger of land surrounded by the counties of Shropshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands. The nearest towns are Stourbridge in the West...
, Perton
Perton
Perton is a large village and civil parish located in Staffordshire, England. It lies to the south of Codsall, and to the west of the city of Wolverhampton.-Perton:...
and Wombourne
Wombourne
Wombourne is a very large village and civil parish located in the district of South Staffordshire, in the county of Staffordshire, 4 miles south-west of Wolverhampton. Local affairs are run by a parish council. At the 2001 census it had a population of 13,691...
.Most electoral wards are safely Conservative with Labour's only real area of strength being the ex-mining town of Cheslyn Hay.
1832–1868
The ancient county constituency of StaffordshireStaffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Staffordshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
was divided under the Great Reform Act into two two-member constituencies, while other parts of the old constituency were made into or added to borough constituencies. These were formally the Northern division of Staffordshire
North Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North Staffordshire was a county constituency in the county of Staffordshire. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.-History:The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general...
and the Southern division of Staffordshire, also called Southern Staffordshire or Staffordshire South. The Reform Act 1867
Reform Act 1867
The Representation of the People Act 1867, 30 & 31 Vict. c. 102 was a piece of British legislation that enfranchised the urban male working class in England and Wales....
abolished the Southern Division with effect from the 1868 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
, replacing it with two new two-seat constituencies: East Staffordshire
East Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
East Staffordshire or Staffordshire East was a county constituency in the county of Staffordshire...
and West Staffordshire
West Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
West Staffordshire was a parliamentary constituency in Staffordshire which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, and then one member.-History:...
.
1983–present
The present South Staffordshire constituency was established in 1983, although in reality this was merely a renaming of the Staffordshire South West constituency formed in 1974 from parts of the former constituencies of Brierley HillBrierley Hill (UK Parliament constituency)
Brierley Hill parliamentary constituency was located in the West Midlands of England. 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 Cannock
Cannock (UK Parliament constituency)
Cannock was a parliamentary constituency in Staffordshire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.- Members of Parliament :...
. It covered the whole of the South Staffordshire district until 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, when the area around Penkridge
Penkridge
Penkridge is a market town and ancient parish in Staffordshire, England with a population of 7,836 . Many locals refer to it as a village, although it has a long history as an ecclesiastical and commercial centre. Its main distinction in the Middle Ages was as the site of an important collegiate...
was included in the Stafford
Stafford (UK Parliament constituency)
Stafford is a county 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. The sitting MP is the Conservative Jeremy Lefroy....
constituency.
It is a safe seat
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
for the Conservative Party
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...
, with Sir Patrick Cormack
Patrick Cormack
Patrick Cormack, Baron Cormack, FSA DL is a British politician, historian, journalist and author. He was a Conservative Party Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010.-Early life:...
having held it from its creation in 1974 until he retired in 2010, when he was succeeded by Gavin Williamson
Gavin Williamson
Gavin Alexander Williamson is an English Conservative Party politician. He was elected at the 2010 general election as Member of Parliament for South Staffordshire. Williamson is currently a ministerial aide at the Northern Ireland Office.-Early life and family:Williamson originally hails from...
.
General election 2005
On 30 April 2005, the Liberal Democrat candidate Josephine Harrison died of an undisclosed illnessIllness
Illness is a state of poor health. Illness is sometimes considered another word for disease. Others maintain that fine distinctions exist...
at the age of 53. Election procedures require that in the event of a candidate's death after the close of nominations, the returning officer has to direct the general election poll (due to be held on May 5) to be abandoned, and to call a fresh general election poll in South Staffordshire, under the same writ of election, 28 days after having seen proof of death. As the poll was strictly not a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, but rather a part of the general election, it was run under general election regulations, for instance not qualifying for the significantly higher election expenses available at by-elections.
The original candidates were:
- Penny Barber, LabourLabour 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...
- Sir Patrick CormackPatrick CormackPatrick Cormack, Baron Cormack, FSA DL is a British politician, historian, journalist and author. He was a Conservative Party Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010.-Early life:...
, ConservativeConservative 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... - Adrian DaviesAdrian DaviesAdrian Davies is a barrister and a member of Lincoln's Inn, London. He was formerly a solicitor with the magic circle firm, Slaughter and May...
. UK Freedom PartyUK Freedom PartyThe Freedom Party was a right wing political party in the United Kingdom.The party was founded in December 2000 by former members of the British National Party , dubbed "ultra-Tories" by BNP leader Nick Griffin, who were disaffected with the party's refusal to moderate its position on race... - Josephine Harrison, Liberal Democrats
- Malcolm Hurst, United Kingdom Independence PartyUnited Kingdom Independence PartyThe United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
On 9 May, the 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...
candidate, Penny Barber, announced that she was standing down as she could not afford to take any more time off work. The constituency Labour Party had to select a new candidate, choosing Paul Kalinauckas who had been their candidate in the 2001 election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
. The Liberal Democrats selected Jo Crotty as their replacement candidate. In addition, three additional candidates who had not been nominated for the original poll fought the delayed election: Kate Spohrer of the Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
, Rev. David Braid of Clause 28 Children's Protection Christian Democrats, and most notably the journalist Garry Bushell
Garry Bushell
Garry Bushell is an English newspaper columnist, rock music journalist, television presenter, author and political activist. Bushell also sings in the Oi! band The Gonads and manages the New York City Oi! band Maninblack. Bushell's recurring themes are comedy, country and class...
representing the English Democrats Party
English Democrats Party
The English Democrats are an English federalist political party, committed to the formation of a devolved English Parliament with at least the same powers as those granted to the Scottish Parliament. Whilst not supporting English Independence, the English Democrats consider themselves the English...
. Bushell had already stood in the Greenwich and Woolwich constituency on May 5, where he had polled 3.4%.
The election was eventually held on 23 June 2005, with Sir Patrick Cormack retaining the seat. With the seat being safely Conservative, and with the results of the general election in other constituencies already known, the election attracted a considerably lower turnout (37.3%) than in other constituencies. Cormack increased his majority to 34.5% (a 9.1% swing
Swing (politics)
An electoral swing analysis shows the extent of change in voter support from one election to another. It is an indicator of voter support for individual candidates or political parties, or voter preference between two or more candidates or parties...
), while the United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
saw one of their best results of 2005, with 10.4% of the vote.
MPs 1832–1868
| Election | First member | First party | Second member | Second party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 United Kingdom general election, 1832 -Seats summary:-Parties and leaders at the general election:The Earl Grey had been Prime Minister since 22 November 1830. His was the first predominantly Whig administration since the Ministry of all the Talents in 1806-1807.... |
Edward John Littleton | Whig | Sir John Wrottesley, Bt John Wrottesley, 1st Baron Wrottesley John Wrottesley, 1st Baron Wrottesley , known as Sir John Wrottesley, 9th Baronet, from 1787 to 1838, was a British soldier and Member of Parliament.... |
Whig | ||
| 1835 by-election | Sir Francis Holyoake-Goodricke, Bt | Whig | ||||
| 1837 United Kingdom general election, 1837 The 1837 United Kingdom general election saw Robert Peel's Conservatives close further on the position of the Whigs, who won their fourth election of the decade.... |
George Anson | Whig | The Viscount Ingestre Henry Chetwynd-Talbot, 18th Earl of Shrewsbury Admiral Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 18th Earl of Shrewsbury, 3rd Earl Talbot, 18th Earl of Waterford, CB, PC , styled Viscount Ingestre between 1826 and 1849 and known as The Earl Talbot between 1849 and 1858, was a British naval commander and Conservative politician.-Background:Shrewsbury was the... |
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... |
||
| 1849 by-election | William Walter Legge, Viscount Lewisham William Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth William Walter Legge, 5th Earl of Dartmouth was a British peer and Conservative politician, known before 1853 as Viscount Lewisham.... |
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... |
||||
| 1853 by-election | Edward Richard Littleton | Whig | ||||
| 1854 by-election | Henry Paget, Earl of Uxbridge Henry Paget, 3rd Marquess of Anglesey Henry William George Paget, 3rd Marquess of Anglesey , styled Lord Paget until 1854 and Earl of Uxbridge between 1854 and 1869, was a British peer and Liberal politician.-Background:... |
Whig | ||||
| 1857 United Kingdom general election, 1857 -Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *... |
William Orme Foster | Whig | Henry John Wentworth Hodgetts-Foley | Whig | ||
| 1868 United Kingdom general election, 1868 The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom... |
Constituency abolished: replaced by East Staffordshire East Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency) East Staffordshire or Staffordshire East was a county constituency in the county of Staffordshire... and West Staffordshire West Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency) West Staffordshire was a parliamentary constituency in Staffordshire which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, and then one member.-History:... |
|||||
MPs since 1983
| Election | Member | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
Patrick Cormack Patrick Cormack Patrick Cormack, Baron Cormack, FSA DL is a British politician, historian, journalist and author. He was a Conservative Party Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010.-Early life:... |
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... |
Previously MP for South West Staffordshire South West Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency) South West Staffordshire was a parliamentary constituency in Staffordshire. 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:... |
|
| 2010 | Gavin Williamson Gavin Williamson Gavin Alexander Williamson is an English Conservative Party politician. He was elected at the 2010 general election as Member of Parliament for South Staffordshire. Williamson is currently a ministerial aide at the Northern Ireland Office.-Early life and family:Williamson originally hails from... |
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... |
||
Elections in the 2010s
The vote share change in 2010 comes from the notional, not actual, results because of boundary changes.Elections in the 2000s
- Note the South Staffordshire 2005 Parliamentary election was postponed until the 23rd June due to the death of a candidate.
Elections in the 1990s
External links
- Lib Dems announce candidate death, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
- Labour's search for new candidate, BBC News
- The Guardian: Election begins in the seat time forgot