Darlington
2010 Results:
Conservative: 13503 (31.48%)
Labour: 16891 (39.38%)
Liberal Democrat: 10046 (23.42%)
BNP: 1262 (2.94%)
UKIP: 1194 (2.78%)
Majority: 3388 (7.9%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 20972 (52.5%)
Conservative: 10330 (25.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 7308 (18.3%)
Other: 1300 (3.3%)
Majority: 10642 (26.7%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 10239 (26%)
Labour: 20643 (52.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 7269 (18.5%)
UKIP: 730 (1.9%)
Other: 507 (1.3%)
Majority: 10404 (26.4%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 12950 (31.8%)
Labour: 22479 (55.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 4358 (10.7%)
Other: 967 (2.4%)
Majority: 9529 (23.4%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 13633 (28.3%)
Labour: 29658 (61.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 3483 (7.2%)
Referendum: 1399 (2.9%)
Majority: 16025 (33.3%)
Boundary changes:
Profile:
Current MP: Jenny Chapman (Labour) Darlington councillor.
Edward Legard (Conservative) born 1966. Educated at St Andrews university and RMA Sandhurst. Barrister and former army officer. Ryedale councillor.Jenny Chapman (Labour) Darlington councillor.Mike Barker (Liberal Democrat) born 1954, Berkshire. Educated at Forest Grammar School and University College Swansea. Managing director of family health food business. Darlington councillor. Contested Stockton South 2005.Charlotte Bull (UKIP) Amanda Foster (BNP) 2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 85830
Male: 48%
Female: 52%
Under 18: 23.2%
Over 60: 21.9%
Born outside UK: 3.4%
White: 97.7%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 1%
Mixed: 0.7%
Other: 0.4%
Christian: 79.3%
Muslim: 0.6%
Full time students: 2%
Graduates 16-74: 15.3%
No Qualifications 16-74: 33%
Owner-Occupied: 70.3%
Social Housing: 19.4% (Council: 15.2%, Housing Ass.: 4.2%)
Privately Rented: 8.5%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 8.1%
Labour: 18000
Conservative: 14000
Liberal Democrat: 6500
Other: 1500
Majority: 4000
Actually she tells me how to vote.
Just a bit of fun as she was sat next to me when I typed.
Frederick – it may be at risk but only if there is a landslide.
Focusing on seats like Stockton South and maybe Middlesbrough & Cleveland East does run the risk that less marginals go I suppose but I don’t think the Cons are particularly targeting here, at least not this time.
I do not think Labour will lose here, despite Alan Milburn standing down – I think Peter’s prediction is pretty plausible
Selection meeting Dec 05th.
Lots of candiates want this seat as it is still seen as a highly probable hold.
To be fair no parachute although the local union machine and Stephen Hughes (MEP) have thrown their weight behind Pat McCourt, Leader of Ferryhill council.
There are better candidates (especially from outside the Area). So the key question is do the local party want a potential westminser figure or a local decent person.
There are a couple of other local candidates who have a chance particularly if Pat suffers a back-lash for his machine support, Jenny Chapman could be a strong contender and a worthy one.
Who are the better candidates you mention Jim Jam?
Have there been many local canddiates standing for selection?
Raj Singh, Leader of Camden council made a good impression at a recent ‘meet the candidates’ session.
Perhaps 15 local candidiates out of 50 if you count Teesside, North Yorshire and Durham, but only 2 from Darlington itself with Jenny Chapman probably being the only one to make the short list.
Nominations from branches (inc mine) are still open and I don’t know who has received any as yet.
The interesting thing is that most of them talk about their camplaigning ability, contacts etc and very few offer any distiinctive policy differences except the safe anti Iraq war one.
I would rather have someone whose views I disagreed with within certain parameters but who at least as some they are prepared to speak about.
I should be a red back-ground but forgot my login password awaiting a new one.
Thanks Jim Jam
Not sure who this Raj guy is though. He doesn’t seem to be on the Camden website at all. Looks like Camden council is a Lib-Con coalition.
maybe he meants Raj Chada who is a former leader of Camden council but lost his seat in 2006 elections.
I know he has applied for Darlington.
Thanks Andrea that is who I meant.
I answered James B’s question too quickly.
What about the likes of Susannah Clare (opera singer), Cyndi Hughes (wife of Stephen Hughes MEP) and Lee Vasey (got 1 vote in the Washington & Sunderland West selection)
Matt – there was 50-60 people put themselves forward to be nominated and I did get a list at the pre-nomination gathering but frankly did not retain.
I don’t recognise any of the above names except Cyndi Hughes and as above Stephen is supporting Pat McCourt so she is not standing.
I will post the short list when I know, shoud be about 2 weeks away.
I think Pat and Jenny are certain to be short-listed beyond that I was impressed by Raj but I am not a key player in the constituency having only been here for 2 years.
Some people liked a guy called Roger Baker who is fairly local but not for me.
Interesting that so many names have applied – must be one of the higher figures for any Party in any constituency.
Bit depressing that the favourites seem to be the usual suspects – a councillor who worked for the local MP, someone backed by the union machine, someone from Labour Party HQ, another lefty lawyer.
Surely there must be some other decent candidate(s) with a some life experience that will be good for the constituency and also bring something to Parliament.
“Interesting that so many names have applied –must be one o the higher figures for any Party in any constituency.”
Don’t Tory selections for safe seats normally attract 150-200 applicants?
Devizes recently had 182 hopefuls applying.
Because of their structure, Tory selections usually attract more applicants than Labour ones.
Labour shortlist (source: Northern Echo)
Pat McCourt (Ferryhill Town councillor; Unite trade unionist)
Jenny Chapman (Darlington councillor; former Milburn assistant)
Dan Whittle (journalist, stood in Wells in 2005)
Ashton McGregor (former Tower Hamlets councillor)
I guess the favourites are Pat McCourt and Jenny Chapman
Selection is Sat Dec 05th,
I will post as soon as I get home with the result.
Think your are correct Matt about the favourites but what do I know a candidate I rated and who was nominated by my branch did not make the short list?
I have some preconceptions based on meeting 3 of the candidates and literature I have received but will make my mind up on the day.
Ashton McGregor? Interesting – I had no idea he had any Parliamentary ambitions at all. Pretty savvy and a works bloody hard so Darlington could do worse.
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/darlington/4752692.Labour_shortlist_confirmed/
The BNP have selected John Hoodless here
Jenny Chapman is the Labour PPC.
Just under 60% of the vote.
Best candidate at the hustings although Dan and Ashton will be MPs in the future if they stick to it.
I’m pleased.
I think this is the only the 3rd Open Shortlist in a Labour held seat that has selected a woman (others being Bolton South East and Wolverhampton North East)
FWIW if anyone is looking!
No evidence of Ashcrofts millions in Darlington.
Safe Labour hold – I will be in Stockton South or Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland for the GTVO operation.
BNP have a new candidate – Amanda Foster
Lab Hold= 5,000 maj
Lab Hold
Maj 6300
Lab maj 3,500
LAB HOLD
The labour vote is just 1.5% more than in 1983 now! This has to fall to the Tories if the conservatives get an overall majority.
Louis – true, although the background of the Tory PPC will need to change to win here.
I am surprised how close it was in the end, though its worth nothing the Conservative share was actually slightly better in 2001
“I am surprised how close it was in the end”
and much closer than the overhyped Sunderland Central
Similar result to Hartlepool here however unlike Hartlepool I can see Labour returning to around 50% at the expense of the lib dems.
If any one is out there, if the BC review goes ahead as proposed the seat becomes more marginal perhpas notional 1000-1500; probably still lab anyhow in 2015 due to LD drift to Lab but plenty of time.
Could be one of the top con targets to get OM, maybe we will get Ashcrofts millions this time.