Elmet and Rothwell
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 24642 (44.7%)
Conservative: 18347 (33.3%)
Liberal Democrat: 9617 (17.4%)
Other: 2514 (4.6%)
Majority: 6295 (11.4%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 17732 (37.6%)
Labour: 22260 (47.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 5923 (12.6%)
BNP: 1231 (2.6%)
Majority: 4528 (9.6%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 17867 (38.9%)
Labour: 22038 (48%)
Liberal Democrat: 5001 (10.9%)
UKIP: 1031 (2.2%)
Majority: 4171 (9.1%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 19569 (36.2%)
Labour: 28348 (52.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 4691 (8.7%)
Referendum: 1487 (2.7%)
Majority: 8779 (16.2%)
Boundary changes:
Profile:
Outgoing MP: Colin Burgon(Labour) Will stand down at the next election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: Alec Shelbrooke (Conservative) James Lewis (Labour) Leeds councillor since 2003.Stewart Golton (Liberal Democrat) Darren Oddy (UKIP)
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 99014
Male: 48.8%
Female: 51.2%
Under 18: 21.8%
Over 60: 22.8%
Born outside UK: 2.8%
White: 98.4%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 0.7%
Mixed: 0.5%
Other: 0.2%
Christian: 80.6%
Jewish: 0.6%
Full time students: 2%
Graduates 16-74: 18.7%
No Qualifications 16-74: 28.6%
Owner-Occupied: 79%
Social Housing: 14.6% (Council: 13.2%, Housing Ass.: 1.4%)
Privately Rented: 3.8%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 9.1%
Tory Watch – your post sounds like an attempt to smear Alec Shelbrooke – I do not think this is the site for such posts
No it was not, and I apologise if you thought that was the case. Just reporting what I have heard on the ground.
Just to put things straight as a local resident and floating voter who follows local politics – a bit of an Anorak but I’ve also been victim to all of the literature that’s come through my door recently.
James Lewis; Labour, does indeed have a good record of votes in his ward of Kippax & Methley. Then again, if he couldn’t win here Labour really would be in the proverbial. 70% of residents must be ex-miners and even my dog could win here with a red rosette on.
The problem facing him is that he is not known outside of Kippax. He was only selected 6 months ago and will struggle to reach out across the constituency in this time. And from what I hear even his colleagues on the Council laugh at his attempts to make a speech. Another disadvantage is that he has not really ever had a career – he’s been a Cllr and tea-boy to the sitting MP but I doubt this has supplied him with the intellect needed in Parliament.
Alec Shelbrooke; Tory, is also a Leeds Cllr for Harewood and was in full health when he canvassed my door a few weeks back and I assume the stories of him being ‘ill’ are just smears from the Labour ranks who in Elmet have a history of being volatile . He’s had the advantage that he was selected nearly 4years ago and has a record of working with residents all over the constituency (not just in his ward). I believe he also has a profession outside of politics as an engineer working for Leeds University – this is likely to aid his Parliamentary career. I read on his website that he is also a local resident which always helps to know local issues.
Stewart Golton; Lib Dem, all I know about him is that he is also a Cllr but is in a spot of bother in his role as Exec member for Education after devastating ofsted reports. He is also up for re-election to the Council this year and I would imagine that he will get a good local vote but people will realise that they will have to vote Tory to get rid of Gordon Brown.
Overall I think the above commentators have under-estimated the amount of work the Tories have put in here. On newsletters I have received over that last 3 years (the 2 years of which have gone straight in the bin) it shows that the Tories have a really good record of action here.
Presuming the general and local elections will be on the same day I think the Tories may do better than expected this year. Here in Garforth, the local candidate Ryan Stephenson has been campaigning with local people for two years and also has a good record of action according to his website. The advantage he has against the sitting Labour Cllr; Tom Murray is that he is a local resident whereas Tom Murray lives on the other side of the city. Apart from the fact that Tom Murray’s history as a Cllr has been somewhat overshadowed by his egotistical colleague, people here view him as being out to further his own career rather than being a community champion.
Wetherby and Harewood are likely to retain their Cllrs, one is an Exec Member and the other replacing Alec Shelbrooke (who according to local press didn’t think it right to appear on two ballot papers like Stewart Golton) is a local guy.
The Tories will not do well in Kippax & Methley for the reasons above although they do have a reoccurring candidate who has reduced the Labour majority in the past. So Cllr Keith Parker may well see his majority cut this time but I doubt he will be thinking of retirement just yet.
3 years ago I wouldn’t have put money on the outcome of the election but with Colin Burgon standing down to spend more time on local politics (by studying latin america and visiting his chum Chavez!!), there will be the loss of a big personal vote here which may harm Labour.
I don’t think floating voters such as myself will bother too much on national policies this year but will vote more on the impressions of local candidates. My friends are telling me they’ll be voting Tory because of the positive campaign that has been run and on the record of work in the past.
Somebody above mentioned the age of our parliamentary candidates. I do not know for Stewart Golton but I have read somewhere that James Lewis is early 30s and Alec Shelbrooke late 30s. I must say that James Lewis’ greyness would lead you to believe he’s much older though his pettiness and lack of self-control makes him seem much younger.
I’d say good luck to all candidates, I wouldn’t have the guts to stand up and be criticised as they do. But if you partake you’ve got to accept the outcomes I suppose. I only hope I don’t have to tell people I have a socialist weasel as my MP.
I only hope I don’t have to tell people I have a socialist weasel as my MP.
Not quite the sort of comment one usually hears from floating voters, really.
I think Labour’s recovery might leave them with a sporting chance of success here, although the Conservatives must still be favourites.
TANGENT – I am what you would call a liberal conservative so i am probably the epitome of a floating voter. That is between Lib Dem and Conservative. Why do people always assume a ‘floater’ has to be between Labour and Tory?
And what are you calling Labour’s recovery? Nationally, they’re only scraping a second place in the polls and i’m sure the recent Unite fiasco will set them back further.
Locally, the Labour candidate has been caught out in the local press for, and i quote, “a misuse of taxpayer’s money”. I would hardly call this recovery!
I’m not sure how the polls work in this constituency. Are the Tories ahead here?