The Cotswolds
2010 Results:
Conservative: 29075 (53.03%)
Labour: 5886 (10.73%)
Liberal Democrat: 16211 (29.56%)
UKIP: 2292 (4.18%)
Green: 940 (1.71%)
Independent: 428 (0.78%)
Majority: 12864 (23.47%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Conservative: 24903 (49.3%)
Liberal Democrat: 14111 (27.9%)
Labour: 9378 (18.6%)
Other: 2145 (4.2%)
Majority: 10792 (21.4%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 23326 (49.3%)
Labour: 8457 (17.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 13638 (28.8%)
UKIP: 1538 (3.2%)
Other: 392 (0.8%)
Majority: 9688 (20.5%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 23133 (50.3%)
Labour: 10383 (22.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 11150 (24.2%)
UKIP: 1315 (2.9%)
Majority: 11983 (26.1%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 23698 (46.4%)
Labour: 11608 (22.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 11733 (23%)
Referendum: 3393 (6.6%)
Other: 689 (1.3%)
Majority: 11965 (23.4%)
Boundary changes: Gains Minchinhampton and part of Wotton-under-Edge. The name of the seat is changed from the rather unnatural to Cotswold to the more intuitive The Cotswolds.
Profile: This is a large rural seat, almost all of lying within the eponymous Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This is an area of rolling hills, small picturesque market towns and villages of listed buildings, built of cotswold stone. Economically tourism and agriculture, particularly sheep and dairy farming are important. The main town is Cirencester, home of the Royal Agricultural College. Other significant towns are Stow-on-the-Wold, Northleach, Lechlade on Thames. Tetbury (and the neighbouring village of Doughton, location of Highgrove, the Prince of Wales`s estate) and Moreton-in-Marsh. This is a very safe Conservative seat, though to some extent this has been because Labour have managed to keep a strong third place rather than seeing their vote squeezed by tactical voting.
Current MP: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown(Conservative) born 1953, Cambridge into a family with a long political history – his uncle was MP for Bury St Edmunds, his great uncles were MP Newbury and Speaker of the Commons. Educated at Eton and the Royal Agricultural College. Chartered surveyor and farmer. First elected as MP for Cirencester and Tewkesbury in 1992. PPS to Douglas Hogg 1995-1997. Shadow minister for local government 2002-2005. Assistant Chief whip 2005. Shadow minister for foriegn affairs since 2005 (more information at They work for you)
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown(Conservative) born 1953, Cambridge into a family with a long political history – his uncle was MP for Bury St Edmunds, his great uncles were MP Newbury and Speaker of the Commons. Educated at Eton and the Royal Agricultural College. Chartered surveyor and farmer. First elected as MP for Cirencester and Tewkesbury in 1992. PPS to Douglas Hogg 1995-1997. Shadow minister for local government 2002-2005. Assistant Chief whip 2005. Shadow minister for foriegn affairs since 2005 (more information at They work for you)
Mark Dempsey (Labour) Environmental policy advisor. Contested Cotswold 2005.
Mike Collins (Liberal Democrat) Kevin Lister (Green) Lecturer.
Adrian Blake (UKIP)Alex Steel (Independent)2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 92692
Male: 48.6%
Female: 51.4%
Under 18: 21%
Over 60: 25.4%
Born outside UK: 5.4%
White: 98.8%
Asian: 0.2%
Mixed: 0.5%
Other: 0.4%
Christian: 79.5%
Full time students: 2.3%
Graduates 16-74: 24.6%
No Qualifications 16-74: 23.3%
Owner-Occupied: 69.9%
Social Housing: 14.4% (Council: 3%, Housing Ass.: 11.4%)
Privately Rented: 9.6%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 4.9%
but there were plenty of other very odd divisions.