Eastleigh
Notional 2005 Results:
Liberal Democrat: 18282 (38.3%)
Conservative: 17752 (37.2%)
Labour: 10075 (21.1%)
Other: 1617 (3.4%)
Majority: 530 (1.1%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 18648 (37.5%)
Labour: 10238 (20.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 19216 (38.6%)
UKIP: 1669 (3.4%)
Majority: 568 (1.1%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 16302 (34.3%)
Labour: 10426 (21.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 19360 (40.7%)
UKIP: 849 (1.8%)
Green: 636 (1.3%)
Majority: 3058 (6.4%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 18699 (33.7%)
Labour: 14883 (26.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 19453 (35.1%)
Referendum: 2013 (3.6%)
Other: 446 (0.8%)
Majority: 754 (1.4%)
Boundary changes:
Profile:
Outgoing MP: Chris Huhne(Lib Dem) born 1954. Educated at Westminster school and Oxford University. Former city economist and journalist. Contested Reading East 1983, Oxford West and Abingdon 1987. MEP for South East England 1999-2005 and deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group in the European Parliament. MP for Eastleigh since 2005. Lib Dem shadow chief secretary 2005-2006, Lib Dem shadow secretary of state for the Environment 2006-2007, Lib Dem shadow home secretary since 2007. Somewhat audaciously Huhne stood for the Liberal Democrat leadership following Charles Kennedy`s resignation, despite having been an MP for only a few months, and came surprisingly close to victory. During Ming Campbell`s short leadership a Huhne candidacy when Campbell stood down was seen as inevitale, but he entered the 2007 contest playing catch up to the younger front runner Nick Clegg, who had declined to enter the contest in 2006. In the event Huhne again came closer than expected, losing by only 511 votes (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Maria Hutchings (Conservative) Mother of an autistic son who berated Tony Blair on a Channel 5 discussion programme during the 2005 election about the closure of special schools. 
Les Barraclough (Labour) Chris Huhne(Lib Dem) born 1954. Educated at Westminster school and Oxford University. Former city economist and journalist. Contested Reading East 1983, Oxford West and Abingdon 1987. MEP for South East England 1999-2005 and deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group in the European Parliament. MP for Eastleigh since 2005. Lib Dem shadow chief secretary 2005-2006, Lib Dem shadow secretary of state for the Environment 2006-2007, Lib Dem shadow home secretary since 2007. Somewhat audaciously Huhne stood for the Liberal Democrat leadership following Charles Kennedy`s resignation, despite having been an MP for only a few months, and came surprisingly close to victory. During Ming Campbell`s short leadership a Huhne candidacy when Campbell stood down was seen as inevitale, but he entered the 2007 contest playing catch up to the younger front runner Nick Clegg, who had declined to enter the contest in 2006. In the event Huhne again came closer than expected, losing by only 511 votes (more information at They work for you)
Ray Finch (UKIP) Engineer. Contested South East 2009 European elections.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 96098
Male: 49.1%
Female: 50.9%
Under 18: 24.1%
Over 60: 18.5%
Born outside UK: 4.7%
White: 97.5%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 1.1%
Mixed: 0.7%
Other: 0.5%
Christian: 76.4%
Full time students: 2.1%
Graduates 16-74: 17%
No Qualifications 16-74: 23.5%
Owner-Occupied: 79.2%
Social Housing: 13.6% (Council: 1.3%, Housing Ass.: 12.3%)
Privately Rented: 5.3%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 5.5%
Labour Home reported Les Barraclough has been selected as Labour PPC (dated 30 Dec). http://www.labourhome.org/?p=9347
I think Chris Huhne will buck the trend for 3 reasons:
1. He is a high profile MP
2. First time incumbency
3. The Labour vote will decrease significantly and more will go to LD than Tory.
Only a narrow win again however!
I really hope Huhney can pull this one out of the bag, I really respect him as an MP and as one of the leading figures for the Lib Dems. He has the ideas and the charisma to really bring the party forward.
I’ve posted recently for a number of seats in which the Conservatives are challenging Labour asking whether they are putting up billboard posters (the ones showing a picture of Cameron and referring to the NHS).
Can anybody tell me whether the Tories are putting up their posters in seats, such as this one, in which they are challenging the LibDems?
The poster would not necessarily be appropriate to seats like this as if Labour are not doing well enough the LibDems might (actually, I have cynically suggested that the posters could suggest that the Tories are not doing well enough, but that is another matter).
The location of political posters is interesting to psephologists because it provides an indication as to which seats the parties regard as being “in the balance”.
I can see the tories taking this seat with a 1000 plus majority. I dont think Huhne will have a large personal vote to effect the trend. The Tories are putting alot into this seat.
I would be amazed if Huhne lost this seat although given the closeness of it he cannot afford to spend too long out on the campaign trail which will, whatever you think of Huhne, not do the Lib Dems any good as they need their big hitters out there.
I am sure he will be conscious of Tim Collins in 2005 spending time on the road when he should have been in his seat.
The Lib Dems will throw the kitchen sink at this.
I see a Lib Dem hold here.
I hope Maria Hutchings wins this seat. Very good policiticaly and heavens we do need some new life in this constituency. She has my vote