Wikipedia

Bury South (UK Parliament constituency)

Bury South is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2019 by Christian Wakeford. Wakeford was elected as a Conservative but defected to the Labour Party in January 2022.[3] He was re-elected at the 2024 general election.

Bury South
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Bury South in North West England
CountyGreater Manchester
Population97,842 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate74,598 (2023)[2]
Major settlementsPrestwich, Radcliffe, Whitefield
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentChristian Wakeford (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromMiddleton and Prestwich & Bury and Radcliffe

Boundaries

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The constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the former seats of Middleton and Prestwich & Bury and Radcliffe, both of which were Labour-Conservative marginals, held by Labour on slim majorities at the 1979 election. It covers the suburban towns of Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich. The constituency does not contain any area of the town of Bury itself (which is in Bury North), but only towns in the south of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.

1983–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Bury wards of Besses, Holyrood, Pilkington Park, Radcliffe Central, Radcliffe North, Radcliffe South, St Mary's, and Sedgley.

2010–2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Bury wards of Besses, Holyrood, Pilkington Park, Radcliffe East, Radcliffe North, Radcliffe West, St Mary's, Sedgley, and Unsworth.

2024–present: Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency comprises the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

  • The Metropolitan Borough of Bury wards of Besses; Holyrood; Pilkington Park; Radcliffe East; Radcliffe West; St. Mary’s; Sedgley; Unsworth.
  • The City of Salford ward of Kersal & Broughton Park.[4]

The Radcliffe North ward was transferred to Bury North, offset by the gain of the City of Salford ward of Kersal & Broughton Park from the abolished Blackley and Broughton constituency.

History

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Between 1997 and 2019, the seat was represented by Ivan Lewis. Lewis belonged to the Labour Party and was a minister during the Blair and Brown governments, but was suspended in 2018 due to allegations of indecent behaviour. He stood unsuccessfully as an independent in the 2019 election. Prior to 1997, it had been represented by Conservative David Sumberg since the constituency's creation in 1983.

The seat was contested by future cabinet minister Hazel Blears in 1992, narrowly losing and would later be elected in her hometown in nearby Salford the following election until retiring in 2015. The 2017 General Election saw Robert Largan as the runner-up Conservative candidate, who would later be elected for High Peak at the following general election in 2019.

At the 2019 General Election it was the 10th most marginal seat in the country,[5] with a majority of 402 for the Conservative Party candidate Christian Wakeford. Wakeford defected to the Labour Party on 19 January 2022.[3] He was re-elected as the Labour Party candidate at the 2024 general election.

Constituency profile

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The seat covers Prestwich, Whitefield and Radcliffe, towns that were absorbed into the Metropolitan Borough of Bury in 1974, plus, since 2024, the ward of Kersal and Broughton Park from the City of Salford. The western border along the Irwell Valley contains much of Bury's green belt land including Philips Park in Whitefield, Prestwich Clough and Drinkwater Park, making up 500 acres of green space. Prestwich, Whitefield and Broughton Park are residential areas with one of the largest Jewish communities outside London. Radcliffe is a former mill town which declined after the loss of industry, with its only secondary school shut down; it is attempting regeneration as a commuter suburb and features a large park-and-ride Metrolink station. Simister to the east of Prestwich opposite Heaton Park still has some farmland, which has been under threat from development. Overall this is an economically diverse area, as there are pockets of social housing in each town, while houses in areas such as Ringley Road in Whitefield, and Sheepfoot Lane in Prestwich, facing Heaton Park, can sell for over £1 million, with mostly owner-occupied semi-detached housing in between. The proportion of graduates and those employed in managerial/professional occupations is slightly above the national average.[6]

At local elections, Prestwich mostly returns Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors, with some historic Conservative representation in Sedgley. Whitefield is a mix of safe Conservative and safe Labour, and Unsworth marginally Labour. Radcliffe was generally Labour with the exception of Radcliffe North, however a localist party, Radcliffe First, has taken from Labour all of the Radcliffe seats within this constituency. The Kersal and Broughton Park ward of Salford has returned mostly Conservative or Independent councillors.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[7][8] Party
1983 David Sumberg Conservative
1997 Ivan Lewis Labour
2017 Independent
2019 Christian Wakeford Conservative
2022 Labour

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Bury South[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christian Wakeford 19,247 45.6 +4.0
Conservative Arnie Saunders 9,886 23.4 –20.1
Reform UK Jeff Armstrong 6,865 16.3 +12.6
Green Michael Welton 2,715 6.4 +4.6
Liberal Democrats Andrew Page 1,796 4.3 –1.9
Workers Party Sameera Ashraf 1,023 2.4 N/A
Independent Michael Elston 277 0.7 N/A
English Democrat Stephen Morris 224 0.5 N/A
Communist Dan Ross 181 0.4 N/A
Majority 9,361 22.2 N/A
Turnout 42,214 56.0 –10.5
Registered electors 75,339
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +12.0

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[11]
Party Vote %
Conservative 21,574 43.5
Labour 20,639 41.6
Liberal Democrats 3,059 6.2
Brexit Party 1,847 3.7
Others 1,615 3.3
Green 900 1.8
Turnout 49,634 66.5
Electorate 74,598
General election 2019: Bury South[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christian Wakeford 22,034 43.8 +2.2
Labour Lucy Burke 21,632 43.0 –10.3
Liberal Democrats Richard Kilpatrick 2,315 4.6 +2.5
Brexit Party Andrea Livesey 1,672 3.3 N/A
Independent Ivan Lewis withdrawn 1,366 2.7 N/A
Green Glyn Heath 848 1.7 N/A
Independent Michael Boyle 277 0.6 N/A
Women's Equality Gemma Evans 130 0.3 N/A
Majority 402 0.8 N/A
Turnout 50,274 66.9 –2.3
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +6.3
General election 2017: Bury South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ivan Lewis 27,165 53.3 +8.2
Conservative Robert Largan[13] 21,200 41.6 +7.0
UKIP Ian Henderson 1,316 2.6 –10.7
Liberal Democrats Andrew Page 1,065 2.1 –1.5
Independent Peter Wright 244 0.5 N/A
Majority 5,965 11.7 +1.2
Turnout 50,990 69.2 +5.3
Labour hold Swing +0.7
General election 2015: Bury South[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ivan Lewis 21,272 45.1 +4.7
Conservative Daniel Critchlow 16,350 34.6 +1.0
UKIP Séamus Martin 6,299 13.3 +11.2
Liberal Democrats Paul Ankers 1,690 3.6 –14.6
Green Glyn Heath 1,434 3.0 +2.0
English Democrat Valerie Morris 170 0.4 –0.6
Majority 4,922 10.5 +3.7
Turnout 47,215 63.9 –1.7
Labour hold Swing +1.8
General election 2010: Bury South[16][17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ivan Lewis 19,508 40.4 –10.5
Conservative Michelle Wiseman 16,216 33.6 +5.5
Liberal Democrats Victor D'Albert 8,796 18.2 +1.1
BNP Jean Purdy 1,743 3.6 N/A
UKIP Paul Chadwick 1,017 2.1 –0.5
English Democrat Valerie Morris 494 1.0 N/A
Green George Heron 493 1.0 N/A
Majority 3,292 6.8 –16.0
Turnout 48,267 65.6 +7.1
Labour hold Swing –8.0

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Bury South[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ivan Lewis 19,741 50.4 –8.8
Conservative Alexander Williams 10,829 27.7 +0.8
Liberal Democrats Victor D'Albert 6,968 17.8 +3.9
UKIP Jim Greenhalgh 1,059 2.7 N/A
Independent Yvonne Hossack 557 1.4 N/A
Majority 8,912 22.7 –9.6
Turnout 39,154 58.5 –0.3
Labour hold Swing –4.8
General election 2001: Bury South[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ivan Lewis 23,406 59.2 +2.3
Conservative Nicola Le Page 10,634 26.9 –5.4
Liberal Democrats Tim Pickstone 5,499 13.9 +5.5
Majority 12,772 32.3 +7.7
Turnout 39,539 58.8 –16.6
Labour hold Swing +3.9

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Bury South[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ivan Lewis 28,658 56.9 +12.3
Conservative David Sumberg 16,277 32.3 –13.7
Liberal Democrats Victor D'Albert 4,227 8.4 –0.5
Referendum Bryan Slater 1,216 2.4 N/A
Majority 12,381 24.6 N/A
Turnout 50,378 75.4 –6.7
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.0
General election 1992: Bury South[21][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Sumberg 24,873 46.0   0.0
Labour Hazel Blears 24,085 44.6 +3.7
Liberal Democrats Adrian Cruden 4,832 8.9 –4.2
Natural Law Norma Sullivan 228 0.4 N/A
Majority 788 1.4 –3.7
Turnout 54,018 82.1 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing –1.9

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Bury South[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Sumberg 23,878 46.0 +2.0
Labour Derek Boden 21,199 40.9 +4.4
SDP Derek Eyre 6,772 13.1 –6.4
Majority 2,679 5.1 –2.4
Turnout 51,849 79.7 +3.6
Conservative hold Swing –1.2
General election 1983: Bury South[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Sumberg 21,718 44.0
Labour Derek Boden 17,998 36.5
SDP Keith Evans 9,628 19.5
Majority 3,720 7.5
Turnout 49,344 76.1
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bury South: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Tory MP Christian Wakeford defects to Labour". BBC News. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  5. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. p. 72. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Labour Market Profile – Nomis – Official Labour Market Statistics".
  7. ^ "Bury South 1983–". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  8. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 6)
  9. ^ Bury South
  10. ^ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL". Bury Council. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ Sansome, Jessica; Otter, Saffron (14 November 2019). "All the Greater Manchester General Election 2019 candidates". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Norfolk North and Penistone & Stocksbridge choose their candidates. Latest selection news. | Conservative Home". Conservative Home. 2 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Bury South". BBC News. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  16. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Election 2010 | Constituency | Bury South". news.bbc.co.uk.
  18. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  23. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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53°34′48″N 2°17′56″W / 53.580°N 2.299°W / 53.580; -2.299

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