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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Charnwood (UK Parliament Constituency)
Charnwood was a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament from 1997 to 2024.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished for the 2024 general election, with the majority of the electorate being included in the new constituency of Mid Leicestershire. Syston, East Goscote and Thurmaston were included in the newly created constituency of Melton and Syston.

Constituency profile

The seat emerged from the Boundary Commission report of 1995 reflecting population increases in Leicestershire for the 1997 general election; the largest part of it was previously in Loughborough. During its existence, Charnwood was a Conservative Party stronghold. It mostly comprised affluent commuter villages to the north of Leicester and south of Loughborough; its residents were slightly wealthier than the UK average.

Boundaries

1997–2010: The Borough of Charnwood wards of Birstall Goscote, Birstall Greengate, Birstall Netherhall, Birstall Riverside, Birstall Stonehill, Bradgate, East Goscote, Mountsorrel and Rothley, Queniborough, Six Hills, Syston, Thurcaston, Thurmaston, Woodhouse and Swithland, the District of Blaby wards of Ellis, Fairestone, Kirby, Leicester Forest East, the Borough of Hinckley and Bosworth wards of Groby and Ratby.

2010–2024: The Borough of Charnwood wards of Anstey, Birstall Wanlip, Birstall Watermead, East Goscote, Forest Bradgate, Mountsorrel, Queniborough, Rothley and Thurcaston, Syston East, Syston West, Thurmaston, Wreake Villages, the District of Blaby wards of Ellis, Fairestone, Forest, Muxloe, the Borough of Hinckley and Bosworth ward of Groby.

The seat was close to Leicester, between the city and Nottingham; it covered slightly more than half of the local government district of Charnwood to the north of Leicester. The town of Loughborough is the largest in the borough, but lies in a separate constituency.

Members of Parliament

Election Member Party
1997 Stephen Dorrell Conservative
2015 Edward Argar Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Charnwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Argar 35,121 63.4 +3.0
Labour Gary Godden 12,724 23.0 −7.8
Liberal Democrats Kate Tipton 4,856 8.8 +5.1
Green Laurie Needham 2,664 4.8 +2.9
Majority 22,397 40.4 +10.8
Turnout 55,365 69.6 −1.1
Conservative hold Swing +5.45
General election 2017: Charnwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Argar 33,318 60.4 +6.1
Labour Sean Kelly-Walsh 16,977 30.8 +8.9
Liberal Democrats Simon Sansome 2,052 3.7 −3.2
UKIP Victoria Connor 1,471 2.7 −13.2
Green Nick Cox 1,036 1.9 New
BNP Stephen Denham 322 0.6 −0.3
Majority 16,341 29.6 -2.8
Turnout 55,176 70.7 +3.1
Conservative hold Swing +1.4
General election 2015: Charnwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Argar 28,384 54.3 +4.7
Labour Sean Kelly-Walsh 11,453 21.9 +2.2
UKIP Lynton Yates 8,330 15.9 +12.5
Liberal Democrats Simon Sansome 3,605 6.9 -14.6
BNP Cathy Duffy 489 0.9 -4.9
Majority 16,931 32.4 +4.3
Turnout 52,261 67.6 -4.3
Conservative hold Swing +1.25
General election 2010: Charnwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Dorrell 26,560 49.6 +3.0
Liberal Democrats Robin Webber-Jones 11,531 21.5 +3.2
Labour Eric Goodyer 10,536 19.7 -8.9
BNP Cathy Duffy 3,116 5.8 +2.2
UKIP Miles Storier 1,799 3.4 +0.4
Majority 15,029 28.1 +10.7
Turnout 53,542 71.9 +5.6
Conservative hold Swing -0.1

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Charnwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Dorrell 23,571 46.6 -1.6
Labour Richard Robinson 14,762 29.2 -3.0
Liberal Democrats Sue King 9,057 17.9 +1.7
BNP Andrew Holders 1,737 3.4 New
UKIP Jamie Bye 1,489 2.9 -0.4
Majority 8,809 17.4 +1.4
Turnout 50,616 66.4 +2.0
Conservative hold Swing +0.7
General election 2001: Charnwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Dorrell 23,283 48.2 +1.7
Labour Sean Sheahan 15,544 32.2 -3.8
Liberal Democrats Susan King 7,835 16.2 +3.3
UKIP Jamie Bye 1,603 3.3 New
Majority 7,739 16.0 +6.5
Turnout 48,265 64.4 -12.9
Conservative hold Swing +2.8

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Charnwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Dorrell 26,110 46.5
Labour David Knaggs 20,210 36.0
Liberal Democrats Roger Wilson 7,224 12.9
Referendum Hugh Meechan 2,104 3.7
BNP Matthew Palmer 525 0.9
Majority 5,900 10.5
Turnout 56,173 77.3
Conservative win (new seat)

See also