Stafford (UK Parliament constituency)

Stafford
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of Stafford in Staffordshire.

Outline map

Location of Staffordshire within England.
County Staffordshire
Electorate 69,832 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Stafford
Current constituency
Created 1983
Member of parliament Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from Stafford & Stone and Newcastle-under-Lyme[2]
19181950
Number of members One
Type of constituency County constituency
Replaced by Stafford & Stone
1295–1918
Number of members 1290–1885: Two
1885–1918: One
Type of constituency Borough constituency
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency West Midlands

Stafford is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Jeremy Lefroy, a Conservative.[n 2]

History

Stafford, as a parliamentary borough, first existed between the Model Parliament in 1295 and 1950.

The current constituency was created for the 1983 general election.

Prominent members

The town was represented in Parliament by leading playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan at the end of the 18th century.

Political history

Taken together with the Stafford and Stone seat which existed during the 33-year gap mentioned above, since 1910 when the last Liberal served the seat, the Conservative party has had five members and the Labour party two (this total includes the present member). In summary:

Boundaries

1918-1950: The Municipal Borough of Stafford, the Rural District of Gnosall, the Rural District consisting of the civil parishes of Blymhill and Weston-under-Lizard, the Rural District of Stafford except the detached part of the civil parish of Colwich, and part of the Rural District of Cannock.

1983-1997: The Borough of Stafford wards of Baswich, Beaconside, Castle, Church Eaton, Common, Coton, Eccleshall, Forebridge, Gnosall, Highfields, Holmcroft, Littleworth, Manor, Milford, Penkside, Rowley, Seighford, Swynnerton, Tillington, Weeping Cross, and Woodseaves, and the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme wards of Loggerheads, Madeley, and Whitmore.

1997-2010: The Borough of Stafford wards of Baswich, Beaconside, Castle, Common, Coton, Forebridge, Haywood, Highfields, Holmcroft, Littleworth, Manor, Milford, Penkside, Rowley, Seighford, Tillington, and Weeping Cross, and the District of South Staffordshire wards of Acton Trussell, Bishopswood and Lapley, Penkridge North East, Penkridge South East, and Penkridge West.

2010-present: The Borough of Stafford wards of Baswich, Common, Coton, Forebridge, Haywood and Hixon, Highfields and Western Downs, Holmcroft, Littleworth, Manor, Milford, Penkside, Rowley, Seighford, Tillington, and Weeping Cross, and the District of South Staffordshire wards of Penkridge North East and Acton Trussell, Penkridge South East, Penkridge West, and Wheaton Aston, Bishopswood and Lapley.

The constituency forms the southerly part of the borough of Stafford, including the eponymous town itself plus the Penkridge area.

Constituency profile

The town has historical significance, featuring the Elizabethan Ancient High House, a museum with changing exhibitions and Stafford Castle. In terms of industry and commerce, the physics and engineering niche of large power station transformers are produced in the seat whereas the area to the north is famous for fine china, the Staffordshire Potteries from the companies Aynsley, Burleigh, Doulton, Dudson, Heron Cross, Minton, Moorcroft, Twyford, and Wedgwood. The area is also well known for the Staffordshire Hoard, Alton Towers and has a Building Society based in the town.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.7% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[3]

Members of Parliament

Stafford parliamentary borough

MPs 1295–1640

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member
1295 William Reynor John Beyton
1337 Hugh Snel[5]
1353 Hugh Snel[5]
1360 Hugh Snel[5]
1362 Hugh Snel[5]
1363 Hugh Snel[5]
1365 Hugh Snel[5]
1366 Hugh Snel[5]
1368 Hugh Snel[5]
1369 Hugh Snel[5]
1371 Hugh Snel[5]
1373 Hugh Snel[5]
1376 Hugh Snel[5]
1377 Hugh Snel (murdered 1380)[5]
1386 Thomas JockeryRichard Stanford[6]
1388 (Feb)John NewtonNicholas Snell[6]
1388 (Sep)John NewtonRichard Stanford[6]
1390 (Jan)John NewtonJohn Snell[6]
1390 (Nov)
1391 John NewtonRichard Stanford[6]
1393 Henry WarrileweJohn Baxter[6]
1394
1395 John WylastonJohn Baxter[6]
1397 (Jan)John WylastonJohn Clifton[6]
1397 (Sep)
1399 John WylastonRichard Stanford[6]
1401
1402Richard StanfordThomas Barber[6]
1404 (Jan)Roger CotonAdam Hewster[6]
1404 (Oct)
1406 Thomas JockeryJohn Huntingdon[6]
1407 Thomas JockeryJohn Huntingdon[6]
1410
1411 Thomas BarberRobert Whitgreve[6]
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)Thomas BarberAdam Edgeley[6]
1414 (Apr)
1414 (Nov)Sampson ErdeswykRobert Whitgreve[6]
1415
1416 (Mar)Henry FentonRobert Whitgreve[6]
1416 (Oct)
1417
1419 John HarperJohn Parker[6]
1420 John HarperRobert Whitgreve[6]
1421 (May)John HarperRobert Whitgreve[6]
1421 (Dec)Adam EdgeleyRobert Whitgreve[6]
1495Humphrey Barber[7]
1510–1523No names known[8]
1529 Thomas Stanford, died
and replaced by 1553 by
Sampson Erdeswick
John Bickley[8]
1536 ?
1539 ?
1542 Walter Blount William Stamford[8]
1545 Sir Henry Stafford William Stamford[8]
1547 Sir Henry Stafford Richard Forsett[8]
1553 (Mar) Edward Colbarne Francis Smith[8]
1553 (Oct) Sir Henry Stafford ?Sir Anthony Browne/Simon Lowe alias Fyfield[8]
1554 (Apr) John Giffard Humphrey Swynnerton[8]
1554 (Nov) James Fowler Matthew Cradock[8]
1555Sir Henry Stafford Thomas Harcourt[8]
1558Edward Stafford James Fowler[8]
1559 (Jan) Edward Stafford William Bowyer[9]
1562/3 William Twyneho Henry Goodere[9]
1571 Walter Stafford William Knollys[9]
1572 (Apr) Richard Broughton Thomas Purslow[9]
1584 (Nov) John Stafford Francis Cradock[9]
1586 John Stafford Francis Cradock[9]
1588 (Oct) Francis Cradock Henry Bourchier[9]
1593 Henry Bourchier Francis Cradock[9]
1597 (Oct) Sir Edward Stafford Henry Bourchier[9]
1601 (Oct) Sir Edward Stafford William Essex[9]
1604–1611 Hugh Beeston
replaced 1609 by Arthur Ingram[10]
George Cradock[10]
1614 Sir Walter Devereux[11] Thomas Gibbs[11]
1621 Matthew Cradock[10] Richard Dyott[10]
1624 Matthew CradockRichard Dyott
1625 Matthew Cradock Sir Robert Hatton Sat for Sandwich
replaced by
Sir John Offley
1626 Sir John Offley Bulstrode Whitlock
1628 Matthew Cradock William Wingfield
1629–1640 No Parliaments convened

MPs 1640–1885

ElectionFirst member[12]First partySecond member[12]Second party
April 1640 Ralph Sneyd Richard Weston
November 1640 Ralph Sneyd Royalist Richard Weston Royalist
October 1642 Weston disabled from sitting – seat vacant
May 1643 Sneyd disabled from sitting – seat vacant
1645 John Swinfen Edward Leigh
December 1648 Swinfen and Leigh excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant
1653 Stafford was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament
1654 John Bradshaw Stafford had only one seat in the First and
Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
1656 Martin Noel
January 1659 William Jessop
May 1659 Not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660 John Swinfen Sir Charles Wolseley
1661 Robert Milward William Chetwynd
1674 Walter Chetwynd
February 1679 Sir Thomas Armstrong
August 1679 Sir Thomas Wilbraham
1681 Edwin Skrymsher
1685 Walter Chetwynd Rowland Okeover
1689 Philip Foley John Chetwynd
1690 Jonathan Cope
1694 Thomas Foley
1695 Philip Foley
January 1701 John Chetwynd
November 1701 John Pershall
July 1702 John Chetwynd
December 1702 Walter Chetwynd[13]
1711 Henry Vernon
1712 1st Viscount Chetwynd
1715 William Chetwynd
1722 Thomas Foley John Dolphin
1724 by-election Francis Elde[14]
1725[14] 1st Viscount Chetwynd
1727 Joseph Gascoigne Nightingale
1734 Hon. William Chetwynd
3rd Viscount Chetwynd
from 1767
Thomas Foley
1738 by-election 2nd Viscount Chetwynd
1747 John Robins
1754 William Richard Chetwynd
1765 by-election John Crewe Whig
1768 Richard Whitworth
1770 by-election William Neville Hart
1774 Hugo Meynell
1780 Edward Monckton Tory Richard Brinsley Sheridan Whig
1806 Richard Mansel-Philipps Tory
1812 Ralph Benson Thomas Wilson
1818 Benjamin Benyon Whig Samuel Homfray
1820 Sir George Chetwynd Whig
June 1826 Richard Ironmonger Ralph Benson
December 1826 by-election Thomas Beaumont Whig
1830 John Campbell Whig Thomas Gisborne Whig
1832 William Fawkener Chetwynd Whig Rees Howell Gronow Whig
January 1835 Sir Francis Goodricke Conservative
May 1835 Writ suspended – seat left vacant[15]
1837 by-election Robert Farrand Conservative
1841 Hon. Swynfen Carnegie Conservative Edward Manningham-Buller Whig
1847 David Urquhart Conservative Thomas Sidney Conservative
1852 John Ayshford Wise Whig Arthur Otway Whig
1857 Viscount Ingestre Conservative
1859 Liberal Thomas Salt Conservative
1860 by-election Thomas Sidney Liberal
1865 Michael Bass Liberal Walter Meller Conservative
1868[16] Henry Davis Pochin Liberal
1869 by-election Thomas Salt Conservative Hon. Reginald Talbot Conservative
1874 Alexander Macdonald Liberal-Labour
1880 Charles McLaren Liberal
1881 by-election Thomas Salt Conservative
1885 Representation reduced to one member

MPs 1885–1918

ElectionMember[12]Party
1885 Charles McLaren Liberal
1886 Thomas Salt Conservative
1892 Charles Shaw Liberal
1910 Sir Walter Essex Liberal
1918 Parliamentary borough abolished. Name transferred to a county division

Stafford division of Staffordshire

MPs 1918–1950

ElectionMember[12]Party
1918 Hon. William Ormsby-Gore Coalition Conservative
1922 Conservative
1938 by-election Peter Thorneycroft Conservative
1945 Stephen Swingler Labour

Stafford county constituency

MPs since 1983

ElectionMember[12]Party
1983 Sir Hugh Fraser Conservative
1984 by-election Bill Cash Conservative
1997 David Kidney Labour
2010 Jeremy Lefroy Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Stafford[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jeremy Lefroy 23,606 48.4 +4.5
Labour Kate Godfrey 14,429 29.6 -3.4
UKIP Edward Whitfield 6,293 12.9 +9.5
National Health Action Karen Howell 1,701 3.5 N/A
Green Mike Shone 1,390 2.9 +1.7
Liberal Democrat Keith Miller 1,348 2.8 -13.6
Majority 9,177 18.8
Turnout 71
Conservative hold Swing +3.9
General Election 2010: Stafford[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jeremy Lefroy 22,047 43.9 +4.7
Labour David Kidney 16,587 33.0 −10.2
Liberal Democrat Barry Stamp 8,211 16.3 +2.0
UKIP Roy Goode 1,727 3.4 +0.1
BNP Roland Hynd 1,103 2.2 N/A
Green Mike Shone 564 1.1 N/A
Majority 5,460 10.9 +6.2
Turnout 50,239 71.2 +4.2
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +7.4

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Stafford[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Kidney 19,889 43.7 -4.3
Conservative David Chambers 17,768 39.0 +2.4
Liberal Democrat Barry Stamp 6,390 14.0 +4.5
UKIP Frederick Goode 1,507 3.3 -1.9
Majority 2,121 4.7 -6.7
Turnout 45,554 64.7 -0.6
Labour hold Swing -3.3
General Election 2001: Stafford[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Kidney 21,285 48.0 +0.4
Conservative Philip A. Cochrane 16,253 36.6 -2.6
Liberal Democrat Mrs. Jeanne Pinkerton 4,205 9.5 -1.1
UKIP Earl of Bradford 2,315 5.2 N/A
Rock 'n' Roll Loony Michael D. Hames 308 0.7 N/A
Majority 5,032 11.4
Turnout 44,366 65.3 -12.2
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Stafford[24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Kidney 24,606 47.5 +12.6
Conservative David Cameron 20,292 39.2 −8.9
Liberal Democrat Mrs. Pam A. Hornby 5,480 10.6 −5.9
Referendum Stephen R. Culley 1,146 2.2 N/A
Monster Raving Loony Ashton A.N. May 248 0.5 N/A
Majority 4,314 8.3
Turnout 51,772 76.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +10.7
General Election 1992: Stafford[26][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Cash 30,876 49.9 −1.5
Labour David Kidney 19,976 32.3 +11.1
Liberal Democrat Jamie M.G. Calder 10,702 17.3 −10.2
Independent CA Peat 178 0.3 +0.3
Natural Law P.D.M. Lines 176 0.3 +0.3
Majority 10,900 17.6 −6.2
Turnout 61,908 82.9 +3.5
Conservative hold Swing −6.3

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Stafford[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Cash 29,541 51.33
Social Democratic Colin Phipps 15,834 27.51
Labour N. Hafeez 12,177 21.16
Majority 13,707 23.82
Turnout 79.46
Conservative hold Swing
Stafford by-election, 1984
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Cash 18,713 40.4 -10.8
Social Democratic David Dunn 14,733 31.8 +7.1
Labour Michael JD Poulter 12,677 27.4 +3.7
Independent Christopher Teasdale 210 0.4 N/A
Majority 3,980 8.6 -17.9
Turnout 46,333 65.6 -10.9
Conservative hold Swing
Registered electors 70,635
General Election 1983: Stafford[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sir Hugh Fraser 27,639 51.18
Social Democratic David Dunn 13,362 24.74
Labour Michael JD Poulter 12,789 23.68
Gizza Job J Caruso 212 0.39
Majority 14,277 26.55
Turnout 76.52
Conservative win (new seat)

Election in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Stafford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Stephen Thomas Swingler 17,293 51.17
Conservative George Edward Peter Thorneycroft 16,500 48.83
Majority 793 2.35
Turnout 78.02
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1930s

Stafford by-election, 1938
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Edward Peter Thorneycroft 16,754 57.6 +1.2
Labour Frank G Lloyd 12,346 42.4 -1.2
Majority 4,408 15.2 +2.4
Turnout 77.2 -1.8
Conservative hold Swing +1.2
General Election 1935: Stafford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore 16,175 56.38
Labour Frank G Lloyd 12,514 43.62
Majority 3,661 12.76
Turnout 79.04
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1931: Stafford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rt Hon. William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore 18,467 68.13
Labour Leonard Smith 8,640 31.87
Majority 9,827 36.25
Turnout 78.49
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Stafford [30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Rt Hon. William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore 12,324 45.1
Labour Leonard Smith 10,011 36.6
Liberal Rev A. S. Leyland 5,000 18.3
Majority 2,313 8.5
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1923: Stafford [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Hon. William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore 9,823 53.9
Labour William Thomas Scott 8,412 46.1
Majority 1,411 7.8
Turnout 18,235
Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1910s

General Election December 1910 Stafford[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Walter Essex 1,992 52.0 +0.9
Conservative John Sanctuary Nicholson 1,837 48.0 -0.9
Majority 155 4.0 +1.8
Turnout 92.6 -4.1
Liberal hold Swing +0.9
General Election January 1910 Stafford[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Theodore Frederick Charles Edward Shaw 2,042 51.1 -3.2
Conservative Reginald Mortimer Higgs Jones Mortimer 1,957 48.9 +3.2
Majority 85 2.2 -6.4
Turnout 96.7 +4.5
Liberal hold Swing -3.2

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1906 Stafford[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Theodore Frederick Charles Edward Shaw 1,947 54.3 +2.6
Conservative Samuel Ronald Courthope Bosanquet 1,636 45.7 -2.6
Majority 311 8.6 +5.2
Turnout 92.2 +2.8
Liberal hold Swing
Charles Shaw
General Election 1900 Stafford[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Theodore Frederick Charles Edward Shaw 1,633 51.7
Conservative George Cawston 1,528 48.3
Majority 105 3.4
Turnout 89.4
Liberal hold Swing

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
  3. The defeated Conservative candidate in 1997 was David Cameron, who in the next election was elected as the MP for the safe seat of Witney, and became the Conservative Party leader in 2005, and Prime Minister in 2010.
References
  1. "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. "'Stafford', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  3. Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  4. "Tamworth Parliamentary Borough 1275–1832". The Staffordshire Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Wedgwood, Josiah C. (1917). Parliamentary History of Staffordshire, Volume I. William Salt Archaeological Society. p. 74.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "History of Parliament". Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  7. Cavill. The English Parliaments of Henry VII 1485-1504.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "History of Parliament". Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "History of Parliament". Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London|| Thomas Hansard, 1808)
  11. 1 2 Maija Jansson (ed.), Proceedings in Parliament, 1614 (House of Commons) (Philadelphia|| American Philosophical Society, 1988)
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 4)
  13. Chetwynd was initially declared re-elected in 1710, but on petition (in a dispute over the franchise), he was adjudged not have been duly elected and his opponent, Vernon, was seated in his place. (Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (1807), Volume 1, p 177)
  14. 1 2 Elde's opponent, Chetwynd, petitioned against the 1724 result. Elde was "unanimously expelled the House for having offered to compromise the petition against his return", and Chetwynd was seated in his place. (Henry Stooks Smith, The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847, Volume 2 (London: Simpkin, Marshall & Co, 1845), p 45)
  15. After Goodricke resigned to contest another constituency in May 1835, the House of Commons refused to issue a writ for a new election until February 1837, when the motion to issue a writ was passed by a single vote. (F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, 2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989, p 283)
  16. The 1868 election was declared void on petition and a new election was held – F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885. (F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885, 2nd edition, Aldershot: Parliamentary Research Services, 1989, p 283)
  17. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  19. BBC 2010 General Election Site
  20. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. BBC 2005 General Election Site
  22. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. BBC 2001 General Election Site
  24. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. BBC 1997 General Election Site
  26. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  28. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  30. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  31. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  32. 1 2 3 4 British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)

Sources

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