Blackpool North and Cleveleys
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 17886 (46.9%)
Conservative: 14346 (37.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 4455 (11.7%)
Other: 1446 (3.8%)
Majority: 3540 (9.3%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 15558 (35.9%)
Labour: 20620 (47.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 5533 (12.8%)
UKIP: 1579 (3.6%)
Majority: 5062 (11.7%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 15889 (37.3%)
Labour: 21610 (50.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 4132 (9.7%)
UKIP: 950 (2.2%)
Majority: 5721 (13.4%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 19105 (35.5%)
Labour: 28051 (52.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 4600 (8.6%)
Referendum: 1704 (3.2%)
Other: 288 (0.5%)
Majority: 8946 (16.6%)
Boundary changes:
Profile:
Outgoing MP: Joan Humble(Labour) Will stand down at the next election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Paul Maynard (Conservative) Educated at St Ambrose College, Trafford and Oxford University. Former CCO researcher, currently Special Advisor to Liam Fox MP. Contested Twickenham in 2005. 
Bill Greene (Liberal Democrat)Roy Hopwood (UKIP) Contested Blackpool North and Fleetwood 2005. Contested North West Region in 2004 European elections.James Clayton (BNP)
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 82314
Male: 47.7%
Female: 52.3%
Under 18: 20.5%
Over 60: 28.3%
Born outside UK: 3.3%
White: 98.5%
Asian: 0.5%
Mixed: 0.5%
Other: 0.3%
Christian: 79.7%
Full time students: 2.3%
Graduates 16-74: 12%
No Qualifications 16-74: 35.1%
Owner-Occupied: 76.2%
Social Housing: 9.6% (Council: 7.1%, Housing Ass.: 2.4%)
Privately Rented: 11.5%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 14.6%
I’ve posted about this issue on the Bridgend thread, as I think this consitituency will contain the big caravan site at Porthcawl.
I am afraind I have not got time to do multiple posting on this topic.
Thanet North has a considerable number of caravans at Reculver.
Maybe Ceredigion as well. and parts of Pembrokeshire, and Clwyd West and Ynys Mon (Anglesey). Maybe more than we can imagine.
I’ve just posted for Thanet North, which is near me. And in fact it occurs to me that the issue does not just affect seaside seats. In Canterbury, for instance, there are residential caravan sites at Broad Oak. (I hesitate to post for Canterbury, because I think the last three posts are from me and it is somebody else’s turn!. But if nobody posts for Canterbury soon I’ll have another go).
I’ve knocked up in a static caravan site before now. It was a local by-election narrowly held by the Conservatives in Addlestone, Surrey.
I spent a lot of time in Blackpool when I were a young lad – my grandparents lived at Squires Gate – but I know the South constituency slightly better than this one.
Nrighbouring Lancaster and Wyre (as was) had the biggest proportion of people living in ‘park homes’ (posh phrase for static caravans) in the country, and the former Labour MP, Hilton Dawson, courted them assidiously, so yes, they can vote
Mr Osato. One of those sites, I think is just the other side of the boundary with Cleveleys. That is what I was thinking of.
I live in Cleveleys, we used to have a small caravan park near the town centre a good few years ago – now a housing development. They are all over the border in Fleetwood or Poulton now.
Generally speaking about cleveleys, it did go quite strongly for labour for around 15 years which was a big surprise to many when it happened, but has heavily swung back to the conservatives lately, it’s the sort of area where a good street campaign can make a difference though, ref the last by-election in Jubilee Ward. Also note that we have a high percentage of pensioners here who tend use their to vote unless.
Personally I think it we now have a proper marginal here that could go ether way. It won’t help Labour if they parachute an unknown outsider in at the last minute though. The conservative is an outsider, but he has used the last year to get himelf known
Former Wyre Borough and Lancs County Councillor Penny Martin has apparently thrown her hat into the ring, along with Blackpool Councillor Simon Blackburn. She’d be an excellent choice, hard-working and independent minded. Despite not being a Labour supporter, I’d gladly vote for her if I lived in the constituency – which, sadly, I don’t
It’s not too late for the Labour National Executive, Election Selections sub panel to declare it an all women shortlist, especially as it is an existing sitting Labour woman MP, which would boost Penny Martin’s chances
Now confirmed as an all-women shortlist, ruling out Blackburn.
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/Labour-want-candidate-to-be.6148253.jp
NEB – The NEC must have been listening as this is an AWS
Yep, was most likely outcome, given the situation. Now interviews and shortlisting next week by the party HQ, up to 6 on the shortlist. My prediction is that Mrs Martin will probably be the only local on the shortlist and will have a tough fight from the “will stand anywhere safe” professional carpetbaggers with friends in the right places. This is even though it’s far from a Labour safe seat as options are now running out for them as the election approaches