Comments on: High Peak

By: Lancs Observer

Lancs Observer — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:50:37 +0000

I recently read Matthew Parris’s “Chance Witness” in which he mentions he only discovered former Whip & MP for this seat Spencer Le Marchent’s gay life after his death (from alcoholism). The Daily Mail ran a piece speculating on Charles Hendry MP being gay, after an incident in a bar with a young male researcher. He was also MP for this seat. Both married posh, wealthy ladies. I realise ‘arranged’ marriages of conveniences occurred a century ago, but hadn’t realised politicos still did.

By: A Brown

A Brown — Sun, 08 May 2011 12:35:58 +0000

Good result for Labour here, falling 1 seat short of control. They might have actually won control if they had put a 2nd candidate up in new Mills West.
3 seats for the LDs was expected.

Lab 21 (+12)
Con 15 (-9)
LD 3 (-3)
Ind 4 (nc)

By: A Brown

A Brown — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:43:30 +0000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Peak_Council_election,_2007#cite_note-0

Looking at these figures, it looks like labour could gain 6/7 seats or so but that the tories will narrowly remain the largest party

By: H.Hemmelig

H.Hemmelig — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:48:50 +0000

Would make sense. Those areas are more influenced by Stockport, where the Lib Dems are very strong, than Derbyshire.

By: A Brown

A Brown — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:36:16 +0000

I was under the impression the lib dems were strong in Whaley bridge and chapel en le frith but I don’t know.

By: Paul D

Paul D — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:22:41 +0000

Swing was a shade over 7%, so about in line with the national swing. I’d have to check to see how it compares to the rest of the county

By: H.Hemmelig

H.Hemmelig — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:21:32 +0000

Unlike the rest of Derbyshire there aren’t huge numbers of swing voters here. Instead there’s a sizeable core vote for both major parties – for Labour in Glossop and the towns towards Manchester, and for the Tories in the substantial rural area. Buxton as you mention is competitive between Tories and Labour.

The Lib Dems do well here. I wonder if their strength comes from the Manchester end of the seat which might be influenced by Lib Dem strength in Hazel Grove, Cheadle etc? Or do Lib Dem votes here mostly come from the Tory rural areas?

By: A Brown

A Brown — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:12:58 +0000

I though this was an underwhelming result for the tories at the GE compared with other Derbs seats.
Maybe a big swing to the tories in Buxton but not much of a rise in the rest of the seat.

By: A Brown

A Brown — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 09:58:05 +0000

Maybe but what about Whaley Bridge? Still seems a bit strange even if people in new Mills etc get Northwest tonight.

By: Warofdreams

Warofdreams — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 09:52:17 +0000

This is also the sort of seat which could benefit if the boundary commission ignores county boundaries. The northernmost part of the seat was formerly in Cheshire, so it’s hardly as if the boundaries are inviolable. I doubt this will happen, though, as the surrounding boundaries are also those of regions.

The area around Glossop and New Mills has all its links with Manchester (and is politically more similar to neighbouring Greater Manchester), the Hope Valley and Upper Derwent Valley are closely linked with Sheffield (although they are politically quite different), while the remainder of the seat could then better be linked with Derbyshire Dales.