Wyre Forest (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 52°24′N 2°15′W / 52.40°N 2.25°W / 52.40; -2.25
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Wyre Forest
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2010
Map of constituency
Boundary of Wyre Forest in West Midlands region
CountyWorcestershire
Electorate77,800 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsBewdley
Kidderminster
Stourport-on-Severn
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentMark Garnier (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromKidderminster

Wyre Forest is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The MP since 2010 is Mark Garnier of the Conservative Party who was re-elected in the 2024 general election.

Boundaries

1983–1997: The District of Wyre Forest.

1997–2010: All the wards of the District of Wyre Forest except the Rock and Ribbesford ward.

2010–present: The District of Wyre Forest.

The Wyre Forest constituency as it was drawn for the 1997 election was almost coterminous with the Wyre Forest district, with around 2,000 extra electors from the district in the neighbouring Leominster constituency. Following its review of parliamentary constituencies for the 2010 election, the Boundary Commission recommended that the portions of the district currently in Leominster move into this seat, making the constituency and district wholly coterminous. These changes were brought about in part by the consideration of Worcestershire and Herefordshire separately for the drawing of parliamentary constituency boundaries.

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies left the boundaries unchanged.[2]

History

The Wyre Forest constituency was first fought under its present name in the 1983 general election, having succeeded the old Kidderminster seat, and was won for the Conservatives by Esmond Bulmer. Wyre Forest was held with relative ease by the Conservatives' Anthony Coombs in the 1987 and 1992 general elections; however the 1997 Labour landslide saw that party gain the seat with David Lock securing a majority of almost 7,000. Anger over the downgrading of Kidderminster Hospital reflected on Lock at the 2001 election, and Health Concern's Richard Taylor stormed to a decisive victory, then held the seat with a considerably reduced majority in 2005. Taylor lost to Mark Garnier of the Conservatives in the 2010 general election,[3] since when Garnier has retained the seat, albeit with a slim majority of 1.8% over Labour at the 2024 general election.

Turnout in the Wyre Forest at general elections has generally been around 2–3% above the national average, but in 2001 the constituency recorded a 68.0% turnout as against 59.4% nationally; this spike (not repeated in 2005) is widely attributed to the intense local feelings on the hospital issue.

Members of Parliament

Kidderminster prior to 1983

Election Member[4] Party
1983 Esmond Bulmer Conservative
1987 Anthony Coombs Conservative
1997 David Lock Labour
2001 Richard Taylor Health Concern
2010 Mark Garnier Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Wyre Forest[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Garnier 14,489 32.1 −33.1
Labour Vicki Smith 13,677 30.3 +7.5
Reform UK Bill Hopkins 9,682 21.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Shazu Miah 2,809 6.2 −1.9
Green John Davis 2,443 5.4 +1.5
Independent Leigh Whitehouse 1,535 3.4 N/A
Independent Nigel Geary 523 1.2 N/A
Majority 812 1.8 Decrease 24.3
Turnout 45,158 58.3 Decrease 40.6
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 20.3

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Wyre Forest[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Garnier 32,960 65.2 Increase 6.8
Labour Robin Lunn 11,547 22.8 Decrease 9.5
Liberal Democrats Shazu Miah 4,081 8.1 Increase 4.3
Green John Davis 1,973 3.9 Increase 1.9
Majority 21,413 42.4 Increase 18.3
Turnout 50,561 64.8 Decrease 1.0
Conservative hold Swing Increase 8.2
General election 2017: Wyre Forest[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Garnier 29,859 58.4 Increase 13.1
Labour Matt Lamb 16,525 32.3 Increase 13.0
Liberal Democrats Shazu Miah 1,943 3.8 Increase 1.3
UKIP George Connolly 1,777 3.5 Decrease 12.6
Green Brett Caulfield 1,025 2.0 Decrease 0.3
Majority 13,334 26.1 Increase 0.1
Turnout 51,223 65.8 Increase 2.0
Conservative hold Swing
See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Wyre Forest
General election 2015: Wyre Forest[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Garnier 22,394 45.3 Increase 8.4
Labour Matt Lamb 9,523 19.3 Increase 5.0
UKIP Michael Wrench 7,967 16.1 Increase 13.2
NHA Richard Taylor 7,211 14.6 Decrease 17.1
Liberal Democrats Andy Crick 1,228 2.5 Decrease 9.4
Green Natalie McVey 1,117 2.3 New
Majority 12,871 26.0 Increase20.8
Turnout 49,440 63.8 Decrease 3.0
Conservative hold Swing
General election 2010: Wyre Forest[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Garnier 18,793 36.9 Increase 7.8
Health Concern Richard Taylor 16,150 31.7 Decrease 6.9
Labour Nigel Knowles 7,298 14.3 Decrease 8.2
Liberal Democrats Neville Farmer 6,040 11.9 New
UKIP Michael Wrench 1,498 2.9 Increase 0.6
BNP Gordon Howells 1,120 2.2 New
Majority 2,643 5.2 N/A
Turnout 50,899 66.8 Increase 2.9
Conservative gain from Health Concern Swing

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Wyre Forest[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Health Concern Richard Taylor 18,739 39.9 Decrease 18.2
Conservative Mark Garnier 13,489 28.7 Increase 9.6
Labour Marc Bayliss 10,716 22.8 Increase 0.7
Liberal Frances Oborski 2,666 5.7 New
UKIP Rustie Lee 1,074 2.3 Increase 1.5
Monster Raving Loony Bert Priest 303 0.6 New
Majority 5,250 11.2 Decrease24.8
Turnout 46,987 64.2 Decrease 3.8
Health Concern hold Swing Decrease 13.9
General election 2001: Wyre Forest[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Health Concern Richard Taylor 28,487 58.1 New
Labour David Lock 10,857 22.1 Decrease 26.7
Conservative Mark Simpson 9,350 19.1 Decrease 17.0
UKIP Jim Millington 368 0.8 Increase 0.2
Majority 17,630 36.0 N/A
Turnout 49,062 68.0 Decrease 7.4
Health Concern gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Wyre Forest[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Lock 26,843 48.8 +18.0
Conservative Anthony Coombs 19,897 36.1 −11.7
Liberal Democrats David Cropp 4,377 8.0 −13.4
Referendum William Till 1,956 3.6 New
Liberal Chris Harvey 1,670 3.0 New
UKIP Jim Millington 312 0.6 New
Majority 6,946 12.7 N/A
Turnout 55,055 75.4 −8.9
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General election 1992: Wyre Forest[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Coombs 28,983 47.8 Increase 0.7
Labour Ross Maden 18,642 30.8 Increase 11.9
Liberal Democrats Mark Jones 12,958 21.4 Decrease 12.6
Majority 10,341 17.0 Increase 3.8
Turnout 60,583 82.3 Increase 4.8
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 5.6

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Wyre Forest[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Coombs 25,877 47.1 Decrease 1.3
Liberal Anthony Batchelor 18,653 34.0 Increase 1.6
Labour Nigel Knowles 10,365 18.9 Decrease 0.3
Majority 7,224 13.1 Decrease 2.9
Turnout 54,895 77.6 Increase 2.5
Conservative hold Swing Decrease 1.5
General election 1983: Wyre Forest[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Esmond Bulmer 24,809 48.4
Liberal Anthony Batchelor 16,632 32.4
Labour Roger Williams 9,850 19.2
Majority 8,177 16.0
Turnout 51,291 75.1
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 8 West Midlands region.
  3. ^ Tory hails 'fresh start' for Wyre Forest – Kidderminster Shuttle
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 5)
  5. ^ "Wyre Forest". BBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Wyre Forest Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  7. ^ "Wyre Forest results". BBC News. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. ^ "Wyre Forest". BBC News Online. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  11. ^ "Result: Wyre Forest". BBC News. 6 May 2005.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  17. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

52°24′N 2°15′W / 52.40°N 2.25°W / 52.40; -2.25

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