Harrogate and Knaresborough
Notional 2005 Results:
Liberal Democrat: 25228 (51.8%)
Conservative: 17417 (35.8%)
Labour: 4461 (9.2%)
Other: 1558 (3.2%)
Majority: 7811 (16.1%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 13684 (31.9%)
Labour: 3627 (8.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 24113 (56.3%)
BNP: 466 (1.1%)
UKIP: 845 (2%)
Other: 123 (0.3%)
Majority: 10429 (24.3%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 14600 (34.6%)
Labour: 3101 (7.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 23445 (55.6%)
UKIP: 761 (1.8%)
Other: 272 (0.6%)
Majority: 8845 (21%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 18322 (38.4%)
Labour: 4159 (8.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 24558 (51.5%)
Other: 614 (1.3%)
Majority: 6236 (13.1%)
Boundary changes: The new seat is greatly expanded in area, the previous boundaries were quite tightly drawn around Harrogate and Knaresborough, the new seat gains the wards of Killinghall, Claro and Boroughbridge from Skipton and Ripon and the dismembered Vale of York constituency, adding a swatge of rural villages stretching out to the east of Harrogate.
Profile: A genteel North Yorkshire town that becaming a thriving spa town for the English elite in the nineteenth century and has more recently specialised as a conference venue, and has hosted several Liberal Democrat party conferences. The seat also includes the historic market town of Knaresborough to the East of Harrogate itself.
Seeped in affluent Victorian splendour and associated with antiques and teashops, historically Harrogate was the safe Conservative seat one might expect, but in 1997 it was lost to the Liberal Democrats by Norman Lamont, who stood in the seat after his own Kingston seat had been abolished as part of the boundary review. He was perceived as a carpetbagger and amongst the nationwide swing against the Tories lost the seat. Since then Phil Willis has built it into one of the Liberal Democrats` safer seats.
Outgoing MP: Phil Willis(Lib Dem) born 1941, Burnley. Educated at Burnley Grammar and Birmingham University. Former headteacher, leader of Harrogate Borough Council and Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group on North Yorkshire County Council. Liberal Democrat Education spokesman from 2001-2005, now Chair of the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee. He has announced his intention to retire at the next general election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Andrew Jones (Conservative) . Educated at Bradford Grammar and Leeds University. Marketing consultant. Chairman of the Bow Group from 1999-2000. Contested Harrogate in 2001.
Kevin McNerney (Labour) Employment lawyer for the RCN.
Claire Kelley (Liberal Democrat) born 1956, Elgin. Educated at University of Sussex. Casework assistant for Phil Willis. North Yorkshire county councillor 1997-2005 and Harrogate district councillor 1992-2002.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 97869
Male: 48.2%
Female: 51.8%
Under 18: 22.5%
Over 60: 23%
Born outside UK: 6.4%
White: 98.2%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 0.3%
Mixed: 0.7%
Other: 0.6%
Christian: 77.8%
Full time students: 2.4%
Graduates 16-74: 25.2%
No Qualifications 16-74: 21.1%
Owner-Occupied: 77.5%
Social Housing: 9% (Council: 5.7%, Housing Ass.: 3.4%)
Privately Rented: 10.3%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 8.3%
No it wont be a comfortable hold. I expect this will go to the wire actually could be won by either party by less than 1000. That by-election rather than showing a minute swing to the Tories shows a significant rise in their share in what is about their weakest ward in this constituency. Sure the LD share was up too thanks to squeezing the Labour vote to nothing. This ward had in the recent past had Labourt second with over 30% of the vote. Obviously squeezing Labour’s vote is key to LD success here but it isnt enough on it’s own.
An interesting anecdote re voters here being snobs or posh. In other affluent NW seats such as Cheadle and Southport, a lot of posh types chose a LibDem over a working class Tory PPC. A Tory Cllr in Sefton told me that canvassing in Hightown, a Mrs Bucket character said she was Tory but wasn’t ‘voting for that woman off the radio’ (the Tory PPC Debi Jones).
I’d forgotten what a strong scouse accent Debi Jones has Lancs. Its probably a plus point though in some area’s of Sefton Central, even if it does cost her some votes in the Tory heartland wards.
Galloglass – true it should help her in the Bootle Waterloo bits? I think Scouse Esther had the same problem in Wirral South, although that Tory Assoc seems so dysfunctional. Their Southport PPC is also Lpool-born but as she left 50 years ago she might have that in common with a lot of Southport pensioners.
Lancs, Southport is very like Ormskirk, where a colleague on the council once noted to me that he was still regarded as a newcomer as he’d only lived in the town 30 years or so.
Galloglass – ha my thoughts entirely! The Southportgb site seems very parochial and against outsiders. 2 comments on the Southport thread even refer to ‘Formbyites’ running the Tory Assoc.
“it should help her in the Bootle Waterloo bits?”
It might if she was the candidate for Bootle..
Pete – 2 wards from that end ie Bootle last time are now in Sefton C. The ‘Scouse end’
Pete – I meant to say were. You’re right those 2 wards have moved into the new Bootle.