Halton (UK Parliament constituency)

For the Canadian constituency, see Halton (federal electoral district).

Halton
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Halton in Cheshire
Outline map
Location of Cheshire within England
CountyCheshire
Electorate72,668 (2018)[1]
Major settlementsRuncorn and Widnes
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentDerek Twigg (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromWidnes and Runcorn[2]

Halton was a constituency[n 1] in Cheshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1997 until 2024 by Derek Twigg of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat has been abolished, with the majority, comprising the areas to the north of the River Mersey (Widnes), being included in the new constituency of Widnes and Halewood, contested at the 2024 general election. This was won by Derek Twigg at the election on 4 July 2024, who is now the MP for the area. Areas to the south of the river (Runcorn) are now included in the new constituency of Runcorn and Helsby.[3]

Creation

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Halton was created for the 1983 general election following the major reorganisation of local authorities under the Local Government Act 1972, which came into effect on 1 April 1974. The constituency name refers to the Halton barony and covers the majority of the borough of the same name. It sits on either side of the River Mersey and comprises Widnes, the original town of Runcorn (with a small part of the new town) and Hale village.

The larger, northern part of the constituency comprised the former municipal borough of Widnes and the parish of Hale, which were part of the abolished Widnes constituency. The smaller, southern part comprised the majority of the former urban district of Runcorn (excluding Daresbury and Norton), which had been part of the abolished constituency of Runcorn.[4]

Boundaries

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Map
Map of boundaries 2010-2024

1983–1997: The Borough of Halton wards of Appleton, Broadheath, Castlefields, Ditton, Farnworth, Grange, Hale, Halton, Halton Brook, Heath, Hough Green, Kingsway, Mersey, Victoria, and Weston.[5]

1997–2010: The Borough of Halton wards of Appleton, Broadheath, Ditton, Farnworth, Grange, Hale, Halton, Halton Brook, Heath, Hough Green, Kingsway, Mersey, and Riverside.[6]

Eastern part, including Castlefields ward transferred to the new constituency of Weaver Vale.

2010–2024: The Borough of Halton wards of Appleton, Birchfield, Broadheath, Castlefields, Ditton, Farnworth, Grange, Hale, Halton Brook, Halton View, Heath, Hough Green, Kingsway, Mersey, and Riverside.[7]

Castlefields ward transferred back from Weaver Vale.

Political history

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Halton is considered a safe seat for the Labour Party. Its most marginal election result, a 12.8% majority, was the earliest in 1983, the year of Margaret Thatcher's first landslide victory, — three elections later that majority had risen to 53.2% of the vote. It has otherwise, to date, proven a statistical safe seat for the Labour Party's incumbent MPs, of which there have thus far been two. The 2015 result made the seat the 22nd safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.[8]

Of the two forerunner seats, Widnes was last won by another party in 1935, whilst Runcorn had Conservative representation from its creation in 1950 to 1983, when it was abolished.

Members of Parliament

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Election Member[9] Party Notes
1983 Gordon Oakes Labour Junior minister 1974–1976.
Retired 1997, died 2005
1997 Derek Twigg Labour Junior minister 2004—2008

Elections

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Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Halton[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Twigg 29,333 63.5 ―9.5
Conservative Charles Rowley 10,358 22.4 +0.6
Brexit Party Janet Balfe 3,730 8.1 New
Liberal Democrats Stephen Gribbon 1,800 3.1 +1.3
Green David O'Keefe 982 2.1 New
Majority 18,975 41.1 ―10.1
Turnout 46,203 64.2 ―3.2
Labour hold Swing ―5.1
General election 2017: Halton[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Twigg 36,150 73.0 +10.2
Conservative Matthew Lloyd 10,710 21.8 +4.0
UKIP Glyn Redican 1,488 3.0 ―11.1
Liberal Democrats Ryan Bate 896 1.8 ―0.6
Independent Vic Turton 309 0.6 ±0.0
Majority 25,440 51.2 +6.2
Turnout 49,553 67.4 +5.6
Labour hold Swing +3.1
General election 2015: Halton[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Twigg 28,292 62.8 +5.1
Conservative Matthew Lloyd 8,007 17.8 ―2.4
UKIP Glyn Redican 6,333 14.1 +11.1
Liberal Democrats Ryan Bate 1,097 2.4 ―11.4
Green David Melvin 1,017 2.3 +0.7
Independent Vic Turton 277 0.6 New
Majority 20,285 45.0 +7.5
Turnout 45,023 61.8 +1.8
Labour hold Swing +3.8
Halton general election results (click for larger version)
General election 2010: Halton[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Twigg 23,843 57.7 ―5.4
Conservative Ben Jones 8,339 20.2 +0.3
Liberal Democrats Frank Harasiwka 5,718 13.8 ―3.2
BNP Andrew Taylor 1,563 3.8 New
UKIP John Moore 1,228 3.0 New
Green Jim Craig 647 1.6 New
Majority 15,504 37.5 ―5.7
Turnout 41,338 60.0 +6.4
Labour hold Swing ―2.9

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Halton[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Twigg 21,460 62.8 ―6.4
Conservative Colin Bloom 6,854 20.1 +1.5
Liberal Democrats Roger Barlow 5,869 17.2 +5.0
Majority 14,606 42.7 ―7.9
Turnout 34,183 53.1 ―1.0
Labour hold Swing ―3.9
General election 2001: Halton[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Twigg 23,841 69.2 −1.7
Conservative Chris Davenport 6,413 18.6 +0.9
Liberal Democrats Peter Walker 4,216 12.2 +4.9
Majority 17,428 50.6 −2.6
Turnout 34,470 54.1 −14.2
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Halton[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Derek Twigg 31,497 70.9 +11.3
Conservative Philip Balmer 7,847 17.7 −12.6
Liberal Democrats Janet Jones 3,263 7.3 −1.5
Referendum Reginald Atkins 1,036 2.3 New
Liberal David Proffitt 600 1.4 New
Republican John Alley 196 0.4 New
Majority 23,650 53.2 +23.9
Turnout 44,439 68.3
Labour hold Swing
General election 1992: Halton[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Oakes 35,005 59.7 +4.2
Conservative Grant Mercer 16,821 28.7 −1.5
Liberal Democrats David Reaper 6,104 10.4 −3.9
Monster Raving Loony Stephen Herley 398 0.7 New
Natural Law Nicola Collins 338 0.6 New
Majority 18,184 31.0 +5.7
Turnout 58,666 78.3 0.0
Labour hold Swing +2.9

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Halton[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Oakes 32,065 55.5 +9.1
Conservative John Hardman 17,487 30.2 −3.4
SDP Flo Clucas 8,272 14.3 −5.7
Majority 14,578 25.3 +12.5
Turnout 57,824 78.3 +5.0
Labour hold Swing +6.3
General election 1983: Halton[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gordon Oakes 24,752 46.4
Conservative Philip Pedley 17,923 33.6
SDP Thomas Tilling 10,649 20.0
Majority 6,829 12.8
Turnout 53,324 73.3
Labour win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  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.

References

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  1. ^ "England Parliamentary electorates 2010-2018". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  2. ^ "'Halton', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  3. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – North West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Halton". 12 March 2016. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995".
  7. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007".
  8. ^ "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 1)
  10. ^ "General Election 2019: Statement of persons nominated" (PDF). 15 November 2019.
  11. ^ "General Election 2017: who is standing for election". Liverpool Echo. 11 May 2017.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Halton". BBC News. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  14. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ^ "2010 general election Results: Halton". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  16. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  21. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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53°19′37″N 2°42′22″W / 53.327°N 2.706°W / 53.327; -2.706

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