Bolton West
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 18200 (43.7%)
Conservative: 14125 (33.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 8257 (19.8%)
Other: 1111 (2.7%)
Majority: 4075 (9.8%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 15175 (37.4%)
Labour: 17239 (42.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 7241 (17.9%)
UKIP: 524 (1.3%)
Other: 364 (0.9%)
Majority: 2064 (5.1%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 13863 (33.6%)
Labour: 19381 (47%)
Liberal Democrat: 7573 (18.4%)
Other: 397 (1%)
Majority: 5518 (13.4%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 17270 (35.1%)
Labour: 24342 (49.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 5309 (10.8%)
Referendum: 865 (1.8%)
Other: 1374 (2.8%)
Majority: 7072 (14.4%)
Boundary changes: Bolton loses most of Hulton and a small part of Rumworth ward to Bolton South East. It gains a small part of Smithills ward from Bolton North East and the town of Atherton, currently split between Leigh and Worsley.
Profile: Bolton West contains very little of Bolton itself, just the relatively affluent outskirts like Heaton. The majority of the seat is made up of the suburban and rural commuter belt between Bolton and Wigan, including the town of Horwich (home of Bolton Wanderers) and the former mining towns of Westhoughton and Atherton and the village of Blackrod. The seat is the most affluent of the three Bolton seats, with the largest proportion of owner-occupiers. While the boundary changes have made the seat somewhat safer, as of October 2006 Ruth Kelly remains the cabinet minister in the most vulnerable seat.
Current MP: Ruth Kelly (Labour) born 1968, Northern Ireland. Educated at Sutton High School and Queen`s College, Oxford. Before becoming an MP she worked for the Guardian and the Bank of England. First elected in 1997. Became a junior treasury minister in 2001, and was promoted to Minister of State in the cabinet office in September 2004 and became Secretary of State for education in December 2004, becoming the youngest female cabinet minister ever. Following the local elections in 2006 she took over the departmental responsibilties of John Prescott as the new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, also becoming Minister for Women and Equality. Kelly is a devout Catholic and reportedly a member of Opus Dei. Her presumed religious views on homosexuality led some to question the decision to give her responsibility for government policy on equality. Secretary of State for Transport since June 2007 (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Susan Williams (Conservative) born Cork. Trafford councillor since 1998 and leader of Trafford Council since 2004.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 90425
Male: 48.9%
Female: 51.1%
Under 18: 23.6%
Over 60: 20%
Born outside UK: 3.5%
White: 96.6%
Black: 0.3%
Asian: 2.1%
Mixed: 0.7%
Other: 0.3%
Christian: 82.2%
Hindu: 1%
Muslim: 1.1%
Full time students: 2.8%
Graduates 16-74: 19.6%
No Qualifications 16-74: 28.3%
Owner-Occupied: 76.6%
Social Housing: 16.8% (Council: 13.2%, Housing Ass.: 3.5%)
Privately Rented: 4.1%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 9%
80 Responses
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Twickenham (& Richmond Park,Windsor)
Target 188 -
June 10th, 2008 at 2:06 pmso if everything moved in the same ratio,
Tories would have a majority of 148 if they took Hazel Grove, not 21.
I take your point, although Hazel Grove could be one of those seats which the Tories lose badly when in opposition but come back strongly in when winning elections again.
June 10th, 2008 at 2:38 pmTwickenham (& Richmond Park,Windsor)
You might be right - I don’t think the local elections were very good this year though.
June 10th, 2008 at 3:08 pmBournemouth West
Jackie Pearcey has been selected by the Lib Dems here.
August 11th, 2008 at 11:09 amTwickenham (& Richmond Park,Windsor)
I think this will clearly be a two way contest,
August 11th, 2008 at 11:28 amalthough where the LD vote goes, and how much of it, could of course be important.
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