St Helens South And Whiston (UK Parliament Constituency)
History
- Creation
Following the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies the Boundary Commission for England expanded and renamed the St Helens South seat, covering the south of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens and three wards of the Knowsley borough which were in the neighbouring seat of Knowsley South (abolished).
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to minor boundary changes, with parts of Whiston and Cronton ward being included in the new constituency of Widnes and Halewood, first contested at the 2024 United Kingdom general election.
- Results of the winning party
The area has been held by the Labour Party since the 1935 election (including predecessor seats).
This seat's first MP was Shaun Woodward who had been MP for St Helens South from 2001 to 2010. He had first been elected to Parliament in 1997 as the Conservative MP for Witney, defecting to Labour in 1999. He was succeeded by Marie Rimmer at the 2015 election.The 2015 result made the seat the 24th safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.
- Results of other parties
The 2015 general election saw (with 11.3%) more than the national average swing (+9.5%) to UKIP (narrowly placed third). Labour's candidate won more than fivefold those votes, scoring 59.8%.
The Liberal Democrats came second in 2010 with 22.2% of the vote; this has gradually declined and by the 2024 general election they came in sixth with 5.8%. Reform UK were runners-up in 2024, having increased its vote to 18.3% from 10.6% in 2019 (as the Brexit Party). The Conservatives were relegated to fourth place in 2024 by independent candidate James Tasker.
- Turnout
Turnout has ranged from 53.3% (2024) to 66.9% (2017).
Boundaries
2010-2024
The following electoral wards:
- From Knowsley: Prescot East, Whiston North and Whiston South
- From St Helens: Bold, Eccleston, Rainhill, Sutton, Thatto Heath, Town Centre and West Park.
Current
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:
- The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley wards of: Prescot South; Whiston & Cronton (polling district WC5).
- The Borough of St Helens wards of: Bold; Eccleston; Rainhill; Sutton; Thatto Heath; Town Centre; West Park.
Following a local government boundary review in St Helens which came into effect in May 2022, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
- The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley wards of: Prescot South; Whiston & Cronton (polling district WC5).
- The Borough of St Helens wards of: Bold & Lea Green; Eccleston; Rainhill; St Helens Town Centre; Peasley Cross & Fingerpost; Sutton North West; Sutton South East (nearly all); Thatto Heath; West Park.
The majority of the Whiston & Cronton ward - excluding the town centre of Whiston - was included in the new constituency of Widnes and Halewood.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Shaun Woodward | Labour | |
| 2015 | Marie Rimmer | Labour | |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Marie Rimmer | 18,919 | 49.7 | −8.4 | |
| Reform UK | Raymond Peters | 6,974 | 18.3 | +7.7 | |
| Independent | James Tasker | 4,244 | 11.2 | N/A | |
| Conservative | Emma Ellison | 3,057 | 8.0 | –13.3 | |
| Green | Terence Price | 2,642 | 7.0 | +2.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Brian Spencer | 2,199 | 5.8 | +0.1 | |
| Majority | 11,945 | 31.4 | –6.6 | ||
| Turnout | 38,120 | 53.3 | –10.9 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Elections in the 2010s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Marie Rimmer | 29,457 | 58.5 | ―9.3 | |
| Conservative | Richard Short | 10,335 | 20.5 | ―1.3 | |
| Brexit Party | Daniel Oxley | 5,353 | 10.6 | New | |
| Liberal Democrats | Brian Spencer | 2,886 | 5.7 | +1.7 | |
| Green | Kai Taylor | 2,282 | 4.5 | +1.8 | |
| Majority | 19,122 | 38.0 | ―8.0 | ||
| Turnout | 50,313 | 63.6 | ―3.3 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | ―4.0 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Marie Rimmer | 35,879 | 67.8 | +8.0 | |
| Conservative | Ed McRandal | 11,536 | 21.8 | +5.9 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Brian Spencer | 2,101 | 4.0 | ―1.7 | |
| UKIP | Mark Hitchen | 1,953 | 3.7 | ―10.3 | |
| Green | Jess Northey | 1,417 | 2.7 | ―1.9 | |
| Majority | 24,343 | 46.0 | +2.1 | ||
| Turnout | 52,886 | 66.9 | +4.6 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | +1.1 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Marie Rimmer | 28,950 | 59.8 | +6.9 | |
| Conservative | Gillian Keegan | 7,707 | 15.9 | ―1.9 | |
| UKIP | John Beirne | 6,766 | 14.0 | +11.3 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Brian Spencer | 2,737 | 5.7 | ―16.5 | |
| Green | James Chan | 2,237 | 4.6 | New | |
| Majority | 21,243 | 43.9 | +13.2 | ||
| Turnout | 48,397 | 62.3 | +3.2 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | +4.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Shaun Woodward* | 24,364 | 52.9 | ―2.7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Brian Spencer | 10,242 | 22.2 | ―6.6 | |
| Conservative | Val Allen | 8,209 | 17.8 | +5.7 | |
| BNP | James Winstanley | 2,040 | 4.4 | New | |
| UKIP | John Sumner | 1,226 | 2.7 | +0.8 | |
| Majority | 14,122 | 30.7 | ―3.9 | ||
| Turnout | 46,081 | 59.1 | +5.9 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | +1.9 | |||
- * Served as an MP in the 2005–2010 Parliament
See also
Notes
- ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer. 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.
References
- ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "North West | Boundary Commission for England". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
- ^ "Independent candidate says he wants to offer 'real and positive change'". St Helens Star. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
- ^ LGBCE. "St Helens | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "The St Helens (Electoral Changes) Order 2021".
- ^ "New Seat Details - St Helens South and Whiston". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 1)
- ^ St Helens South and Whiston
- ^ "GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS DECLARED IN ST HELENS BOROUGH". St. Helens Council. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Labour general election candidate map: See aspiring MPs nationwide with swing needed and current MP and polling". Labour List. 29 May 2024.
- ^ "Our Candidates". Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ "Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". Mark Pack. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Statement of persons nominated" (PDF).
- ^ "St Helens South & Whiston parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "St Helens South & Whiston". BBC News. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | St Helens South & Whiston". news.bbc.co.uk.
External links
- St Helens South and Whiston UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- St Helens South and Whiston UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK
