Coordinates: 54°24′18″N 1°39′11″W / 54.405°N 1.653°W / 54.405; -1.653
Richmond (Yorks) is a constituency[n 1] in North Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since May 2015 by Rishi Sunak, a Conservative.[n 2]
Constituency profile
The constituency presents itself as a safe seat for the Conservative Party, having held it continuously since 1910 (if including the 11 years by the allied Unionist Party from 1918), and in the 2010 general election, Richmond produced the largest numerical and percentage majority for a Conservative, 62.8% of the vote. The Conservative MP and one-time Party leader, William Hague, held the seat from a by-election in 1989 until he retired from the Commons in 2015. He had held the posts of Leader of the Opposition (1997–2001), Foreign Secretary (2010–2014) and Leader of the House of Commons (2014-2015).
The constituency consists of in the west the entire Richmondshire district and in the east the northern part of Hambleton District. A mostly rural seat, the population is almost wholly self-supportive[n 3] and in national terms affluent.
History
Richmond was one of the parliamentary boroughs in the Unreformed House of Commons that dates to the middle of its long existence, first being represented in 1585. In modern times it has been an ultra-safe seat for the Conservative Party.
From 1983, the seat was represented by the cabinet minister Leon Brittan, after boundary changes saw his Cleveland and Whitby seat abolished; however he resigned from the Commons in December 1988 in order to take up the position of Vice-President of the European Commission.
1989 by-election
The ensuing by-election, held in February 1989, was won by William Hague: this was the last by-election won by a Conservative candidate during the Conservative Government 1979-1997. Hague's win has been attributed in part to the decision by the remnants of the Social Democratic Party (those members that objected to the merger with the Liberal Party the previous year) to contest the election as well as the newly merged Social and Liberal Democrats (who subsequently renamed themselves the Liberal Democrats). The SDP candidate, local farmer Mike Potter, came second, and Hague's majority of 2,634 was considerably smaller than the number of votes (11,589) for the SLD candidate Barbara Pearce. Hague retained the seat at every general election from then on, building the Conservative majority to 23,336, until his decision to step down at the 2015 election.
1992 Change in main opposition candidate
In 1992 the Labour candidate until a few weeks before the election, David Abrahams was deselected after a series of rows within the local party over his personal life and business interests. It emerged in 2007 that he used the name "David Martin" when dealing with tenants in his various rental properties in the Newcastle area;[2] and that he had claimed that he lived with his wife and son, though he had never been married. Divorcee Anthea Bailey later told a local newspaper she and her 11-year-old son had posed as Mr Abrahams' family as part of a business arrangement so that Abrahams could create "the right impression".[3][4] The Daily Mail posited this was because the constituency in North Yorkshire would be averse to "a confirmed bachelor who enjoys musical theatre".[5]
Since 2001
At the 2001 general election, Richmond became the Conservatives' safest seat in the UK, both in terms of the actual numerical majority and by percentage. Although the numerical majority was surpassed by Buckingham at the 2005 election, Richmond has a smaller electorate and had a greater proportion of Conservative voters so retained the second largest percentage majority. Again from 2010, Richmond is the safest Conservative seat in the country, in terms of numerical and percentage majority.
Boundaries
1918-1950: The Municipal Borough of Richmond, the Urban Districts of Kirklington-cum-Upsland, Masham, and Northallerton, and the Rural Districts of Aysgarth, Bedale, Croft, Leyburn, Northallerton, Reeth, Richmond, Startforth, and Stokesley.
1950-1983: The Municipal Borough of Richmond, the Urban District of Northallerton, and the Rural Districts of Aysgarth, Croft, Leyburn, Masham, Northallerton, Reeth, Richmond, Startforth, and Stokesley.
1983-1997: The District of Richmondshire (the wards of Askigg, Aysgarth, Barton, Bolton Manor, Catterick with Tunstall, Colburn, Croft on Tees, Grinton and Upper Swaledale, Hawes and High Abbotside, Hipswell, Kirkby Hill, Leyburn, Lower Dale, Lower Swaledale, Middleham and Coverdale, Reeth, Richmond Central, Richmond East, Richmond West, Scorton, Scotton, St Agatha's, St Michael with St Luke, Stanwick, Swaleside, and Urevale), and the District of Hambleton wards of Appleton Wiske, Bedale, Brompton, Broughton and Greenhow, Carlton Miniott, Crakehall, Great Ayton, Hillside, Leeming, Leeming Bar, Morton-on-Swale, Northallerton North East, Northallerton South East, Northallerton West, Osmotherley, Romanby, Romanby Broomfield, Rudby, Sowerby, Stokesley, Swainby, Tanfield, The Cowtons, The Thorntons, Thirsk, Topcliffe, and Whitestonecliffe.
1997-2010: The District of Richmondshire (the wards of Askigg, Aysgarth, Barton, Bolton Manor, Catterick with Tunstall, Colburn, Croft on Tees, Grinton and Upper Swaledale, Hawes and High Abbotside, Hipswell, Kirkby Hill, Leyburn, Lower Dale, Lower Swaledale, Middleham and Coverdale, Reeth, Richmond Central, Richmond East, Richmond West, Scorton, Scotton, St Agatha's, St Michael with St Luke, Stanwick, Swaleside, and Urevale), and the District of Hambleton wards of Appleton Wiske, Brompton, Broughton and Greenhow, Great Ayton, Leeming Bar, Morton-on-Swale, Northallerton North East, Northallerton South East, Northallerton West, Osmotherley, Romanby, Romanby Broomfield, Rudby, Stokesley, Swainby, and The Cowtons.
2010-present: The District of Richmondshire (the wards of Addlebrough, Barton, Bolton Castle, Brompton-on-Swale and Scorton, Catterick, Colburn, Croft, Gilling West, Hawes and High Abbotside, Hipswell, Hornby Castle, Leyburn, Lower Wensleydale, Melsonby, Middleham, Middleton Tyas, Newsham with Eppleby, Penhill, Reeth and Arkengarthdale, Richmond Central, Richmond East, Richmond West, Scotton, and Swaledale), and the District of Hambleton wards of Bedale, Brompton, Broughton and Greenhow, Cowtons, Crakehall, Great Ayton, Leeming, Leeming Bar, Morton-on-Swale, Northallerton Broomfield, Northallerton Central, Northallerton North, Osmotherley, Romanby, Rudby, Stokesley, Swainby, and Tanfield.
The Richmond constituency covers the Richmondshire district and the northern part of the Hambleton district. It is an affluent rural area with a significant commuter population, covering parts of the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, including Wensleydale and Swaledale. It contains the market towns of Northallerton, Richmond, Stokesley and Great Ayton as well as surrounding villages. It also includes the large army base, Catterick Garrison.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1585-1640
MPs 1640-1868
Year | First member[7] | First party | Second member[7] | Second party |
|
|
April 1640 |
Sir William Pennyman, Bt. | Royalist |
Maulger Norton | |
|
November 1640 |
Sir Thomas Danby | Royalist |
|
August 1642 |
Pennyman disabled to sit - seat vacant (Pennyman died August 1643) |
|
September 1642 |
Danby disabled to sit - seat vacant |
|
|
1645 |
Thomas Chaloner | |
Francis Thorpe | |
|
|
1653 |
Richmond was unrepresented in Barebone's Parliament |
|
|
1654 |
John Wastal | |
Richmond had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
|
1656 |
John Bathurst | |
|
|
January 1659 |
Sir Christopher Wyvill, Bt. | |
John Bathurst | |
|
|
May 1659 |
Thomas Chaloner | |
Francis Thorpe | |
|
|
April 1660 |
James Darcy | |
Sir Christopher Wyvill, Bt. | |
|
|
1661 |
Sir John Yorke | |
Joseph Cradock | |
|
1662 |
John Wandesford | |
|
1664 |
Sir William Killigrew | |
|
1665 |
Marmaduke Darcy | |
|
|
1679 |
Humphrey Wharton | |
Thomas Cradock | |
|
1681 |
John Darcy, Lord Conyers | |
|
1685 |
Thomas Cradock | |
|
January 1689 |
Thomas Yorke | |
|
February 1689 |
Philip Darcy | |
|
|
1690 |
Sir Mark Milbanke, Bt | |
Theodore Bathurst | |
|
|
1695 |
Thomas Yorke | |
Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, Bt. | |
|
1698 |
James Darcy | |
|
1701 |
John Hutton | |
|
1702 |
James Darcy | |
|
May 1705 |
Wharton Dunch | |
|
December 1705 |
William Walsh | |
|
1708 |
Harry Mordaunt | |
|
1710 |
John Yorke | |
|
1713 |
Thomas Yorke | |
|
1717 |
John Yorke | |
|
1720 |
Richard Abell | |
|
1722 |
Conyers Darcy | |
|
|
1727 |
Charles Bathurst | |
Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, Bt. | |
|
|
1728[8] |
John Yorke | |
Sir Conyers Darcy[9] | |
|
1747 |
Earl of Ancram | |
|
1757 |
Thomas Yorke | |
|
1761 |
Sir Ralph Milbanke | |
|
1763 |
Thomas Dundas | |
|
|
March 1768 |
Alexander Wedderburn | |
Sir Lawrence Dundas, Bt[10] | |
|
November 1768 |
William Norton | |
|
1769 |
Charles John Crowle | |
|
|
1774 |
Thomas Dundas[11] | |
Sir Lawrence Dundas, Bt[10] | |
|
January 1775 |
Charles Dundas | |
|
December 1775 |
William Norton | |
|
|
1780 |
Marquess of Graham | |
Sir Lawrence Dundas, Bt | |
|
1781 |
George Fitzwilliam | |
|
|
1784 |
The Earl of Inchiquin | |
Charles Dundas | |
|
1786 |
Sir Grey Cooper | |
|
1790 |
Lawrence Dundas | Whig |
|
1796 |
Charles George Beauclerk | |
|
1798 |
Arthur Shakespeare | Whig |
|
1802 |
George Heneage Lawrence Dundas | Whig |
|
1806 |
Charles Lawrence Dundas | Whig |
|
1808 |
Lawrence Dundas | Whig |
|
1810 |
Robert Chaloner | Whig |
|
January 1812 |
George Heneage Lawrence Dundas | Whig |
|
October 1812 |
Dudley Long North | Whig |
|
|
1818 |
Thomas Dundas | Whig |
Viscount Maitland | Whig |
|
1820 |
Samuel Barrett Moulton Barrett | Whig |
|
1828 |
Hon. Sir Robert Dundas | Whig |
|
1830 |
Hon. John Dundas | Whig |
|
|
1835 |
Alexander Speirs | Whig |
Hon. Thomas Dundas[12] | Whig |
|
1839 |
Hon. Sir Robert Dundas | Whig |
|
February 1841 |
Hon. George Wentworth-FitzWilliam | Whig |
|
|
June 1841 |
Hon. John Dundas | Whig |
Hon. William Colborne | Whig |
|
1846 |
Henry Rich | Whig, later Liberal |
|
1847 |
Marmaduke Wyvill | Whig, later Liberal |
|
1861 |
Sir Roundell Palmer | Liberal |
|
1865 |
Hon. John Dundas | Liberal |
|
1866 |
Marmaduke Wyvill | Liberal |
MPs since 1868
Richmond, 1918-1948
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
- denotes candidate who was endorsed by the Coalition Government.
Elections in the 1900s
Francis Acland
See also
Notes and references
- Notes
- References
- ↑ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ↑ Profile: reclusive Labour donor David Abrahams The Times - 26 November 2007
- ↑ Colin Patterson (2 December 2007). "How Sunday Sun broke first David Abrahams story". Sunday Sun. Retrieved 2 December 2007.
- ↑ Profile of David Abrahams BBC News - 27 November 2007
- ↑ The fantasy world of Labour's dodgy donor, by Richard Pendlebury, Daily Mail, 27 November 2007
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "History of Parliament". History of Parliament trust. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
- 1 2 3 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
- ↑ At the general election of 1727, Wyvill and Bathurst were returned as elected, but on petition they were unseated in favour of Yorke and Darcy, the dispute turning on who had the right to vote
- ↑ Sir Conyers Darcy was re-elected in 1747 but had also been elected for Yorkshire, which he chose to represent, and did not sit again for Richmond
- 1 2 Sir Lawrence Dundas was also elected for Edinburgh, which he chose to represent, and did not sit for Richmond
- ↑ Thomas Dundas was also elected for Stirlingshire, which he chose to represent, and did not sit for Richmond in this parliament
- ↑ Styled Lord Dundas after his father was created an Earl in 1838
- ↑ Later Sir George Elliott
- ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ "Richmond (Yorks)". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ "Richmond [Yorks]". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ↑ This was the Conservative Party's highest vote share in the general election.
- ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
- ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
- ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
- ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
- ↑ Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
Sources
- D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
- Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808)
- F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989)
- J Holladay Philbin, Parliamentary Representation 1832 - England and Wales (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
- Henry Stooks Smith, The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847 (2nd edition, edited by FWS Craig - Chichester: Parliamentary Reference Publications, 1973)
- The Constitutional Yearbook for 1913 (London: National Unionist Association, 1913)
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