Calder Valley (UK Parliament constituency)

Calder Valley is a constituency in West Yorkshire most recently represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament (from 2010 to 2024) by Craig Whittaker, a Conservative who announced in March 2023 that he would not seek reelection and stood down from parliament at the dissolution in advance of the 2024 general election.

Constituency profile

The constituency covers most of the upland metropolitan district of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, including the town of Todmorden which was formerly split in half between Lancashire and Yorkshire. Hebden Bridge and Todmorden are known for their bohemian culture and are more Labour-leaning, whereas Elland and Brighouse tend to vote Conservative, making the seat marginal overall.

Boundaries

1983-2024: Since the constituency's creation in 1983, it comprised the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale wards of Brighouse, Calder, Elland, Greetland and Stainland, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe, Luddendenfoot, Rastrick, Ryburn, and Todmorden.

2024-present: Same as above apart from the loss of part of the Ryburn ward (polling districts MB, MC and MD) to Halifax in order to bring the electorate within the permitted range as part of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.

History

The constituency was created in 1983, primarily from the former seat of Sowerby as well as parts of Brighouse and Spenborough. Historically a bellwether seat between Labour and the Conservatives, at the 2010 general election the seat became the closest three-way marginal in the north of England, with less than 1,000 votes between the Labour candidate in second place and the Liberal Democrat candidate in third, although with a significant Conservative majority. The seat's three-way marginal status did not last; the Labour vote increased significantly in both 2015 and 2017 while the Liberal Democrat vote collapsed dramatically over the same period. The seat has followed national trends, albeit with a disadvantage to the Conservatives when compared to the national swing, and is still considered a bellwether seat.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

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

Notes

References

Sources

• Calder Valley Election Forum

External links

• nomis Constituency Profile for Calder Valley — presenting data from the ONS annual population survey and other official statistics.

1. List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies (2024–present) by region
2. Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
3. Wyre and Preston North (UK Parliament constituency)
4. Craig Whittaker
5. 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies
6. Candidates in the 2024 United Kingdom general election
7. Almond Valley (Scottish Parliament constituency)
8. Sowerby (UK Parliament constituency)
9. Results of the 2024 United Kingdom general election by constituency
10. Brighouse and Spenborough (UK Parliament constituency)
11. List of parliamentary constituencies in West Yorkshire
12. Hebden Bridge
13. List of MPs elected in the 2005 United Kingdom general election
14. Mid Calder
15. Elland
16. List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies (1983–1997)
17. List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies (2005–2010)
18. List of MPs elected in the 2010 United Kingdom general election
19. Christine McCafferty
20. West Lothian