Batley and Spen
2010 Results:
Conservative: 17159 (33.57%)
Labour: 21565 (42.19%)
Liberal Democrat: 8095 (15.84%)
BNP: 3685 (7.21%)
Green: 605 (1.18%)
Majority: 4406 (8.62%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 20684 (45.2%)
Conservative: 13870 (30.3%)
Liberal Democrat: 6683 (14.6%)
Other: 4482 (9.8%)
Majority: 6814 (14.9%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 12186 (31.1%)
Labour: 17974 (45.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 5731 (14.6%)
BNP: 2668 (6.8%)
Green: 649 (1.7%)
Majority: 5788 (14.8%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 14160 (36.7%)
Labour: 19224 (49.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 3989 (10.3%)
UKIP: 574 (1.5%)
Green: 595 (1.5%)
Majority: 5064 (13.1%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 17072 (36.4%)
Labour: 23213 (49.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 4133 (8.8%)
Referendum: 1691 (3.6%)
Other: 856 (1.8%)
Majority: 6141 (13.1%)
Boundary changes:
Profile:
Current MP: Mike Wood(Labour) (more information at They work for you)
Janice Small (Conservative) Mike Wood(Labour) (more information at They work for you)Neil Bentley (Liberal Democrat)Matt Blakeley (Green) David Exley (BNP) 2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 100228
Male: 48.6%
Female: 51.4%
Under 18: 25.2%
Over 60: 18.5%
Born outside UK: 7.6%
White: 83.9%
Black: 0.3%
Asian: 14.7%
Mixed: 0.8%
Other: 0.2%
Christian: 67%
Muslim: 14.3%
Full time students: 2.9%
Graduates 16-74: 12.9%
No Qualifications 16-74: 36.7%
Owner-Occupied: 70.6%
Social Housing: 18.5% (Council: 15%, Housing Ass.: 3.5%)
Privately Rented: 6.9%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 22.8%
It’s becoming clear that this seat is very kind to incumbents. Even when Elizabeth Peacock lost in 1997, the swing to Labour was only about 2/3 of the national average. Since then, while the country has swung about 10% to the Conservatives, Mike Wood has restricted the swing against him to, I would estimate, not much more than 2%. It could well be that both have been well-above-average incumbents, and certainly neither has been overly beholden to the party line and have been able to maintain an air of independence (Wood is a Campaign Group member). One suspects that Wood will have to retire before the Tories can win again – and it could well be that, by that time, the swing of the national pendulum won’t be in the right direction for that to happen either.
See minimal change here in 2012 elections. Lab will comfortably hold Batley East and West and Heckmondwike, Cons will hold Birst/Birks. Could be surprises in Liv/Gom where Lab may threaten Cons, and could Pinnock be under threat from Labour in Cleckheaton? If so Libs would have a full house of defeats in Kirklees.
This constituency has some wonderfully gritty names for its locations:
Batley
Heckmondwike
Cleckheaton
Liversedge
Gomersell
Birkinshaw
Birstall
Heckmondwike is my favourite.
I seem to remember a well-known darts player came from Cleckheaton, but I’m afraid I can’t remember which one. Of course, Cleakheaton is less “plebeian” than its name might make one think, though Heckmondwike seems to have settled down to being a Labour town again after its BNP episode.
I can’t think of one Barnaby – you don’t mean Dennis Priestly of Mexborough do you?
Yorkshire was a centre for ITV wrestlers, especially the comical ones such as Catweasel, Brian Glover and Les Kellett.
Brian Glover was a superb actor. Was he a wrestler too?
And Richard – I saw you asked me a question a few months back about whether I knew Walter Harrison. Sorry I missed it.
The answer is no. Nick Palmer referred to Walter’s plight specifically when making a post about his involvement in the ex-MPs hardship fund. Also Andy Beckett in his excellent history of the 1970s described visiting an elderly and poverty-stricken Walter Harrison at his house in Wakefield to talk about the winter of discontent and the fall of the Callaghan government.
Richard – I remember the late great Sid Waddell (There’s only one word for that – magic darts!) referring to Cleckheaton in a commentary, but I really can’t remember in what connection. I was sure a player came from or played there, but I could be wrong at so many years’ range.
I remember Brian Glover being interviewed on breakfast TV in 1983 & rather passionately, though of course completely vainly, endorsing the Labour Party.
The way I go on makes me seem real old like, but I’m still only in my early 50s.
It was Brain Glover’s prominence as an ITV wrestler that led to his acting career.
Previously his day job had been as a teacher – a role he also played on ‘Kes’
Brian Gover (aka Leon Arris, the man from Paris) versus Les Kellett:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_zPH3u65H8
Round 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmQVNxKF940
Round 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMh–WcGhiU
Kes is superb. Brian Glover’s PE teacher resonates with anyone who went to a comprehensive school in the 70s/80s.