North West Leicestershire
2005 Results:
Labour: 21449 (45.5%)
Conservative: 16972 (36%)
Liberal Democrat: 5682 (12.1%)
Other: 3037 (6.4%)
Majority: 4477 (9.5%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 15274 (33.9%)
Labour: 23431 (52.1%)
Liberal Democrat: 4651 (10.3%)
UKIP: 1021 (2.3%)
Other: 632 (1.4%)
Majority: 8157 (18.1%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 16113 (31%)
Labour: 29332 (56.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 4492 (8.6%)
Referendum: 2088 (4%)
Majority: 13219 (25.4%)
No Boundary Changes:
Profile: North West Leicestershire is co-terminous with the local government district of the same name, and remains unchanged under the new boundaries. Part of the seat is made up of former coal mining towns and villages like Coalville and Ibstock and these form the core of Labour`s support in the area. More recently, the former coalfields have also seen some local success for the BNP. Elsewhere the seat contains more rural and Conservative voting villages in the National Forest and the market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. In the northern part of the constituency lies Castle Donnington, the Donnington Park racing circuit and festival venue, which had been expected to host the British Grand Prix from 2010 until the company running the track went into administration in 2009 and the East Midlands Airport.
This is a key marginal seat between the Conservatives and Labour. It was held by the Conservatives from its creation in 1983, represented by David Ashby who was caught up in the endless series of “Back to basics” scandals during the Major years – in his case over whether he was having an affair with another man, or was sharing a double bed with him to save on hotel bills. In 1997 it fell to the late David Taylor as part of the Labour landslide.
Outgoing MP: Vacant. David Taylor (Labour) died of a heart attack on the 26th December 2009 (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Andrew Bridgen (Conservative) Born 1964, Burton on Trent. Educated at the Pingle School and Nottingham University. Former Royal Marines officer. Director of family produce business in Derbyshire, AB Produce.
Ross Willmott (Labour) Former regional director of a charity and university research fellow. Leicestershire county councillor 1985-1997. Leicester councillor since 1996, leader of Leicester city council 1999-2003 and since 2007. Contested Blaby 1997, East Midlands 2004 European elections.
Paul Reynolds (Liberal Democrat) Professor of International Government at the University of WestminsterMartin Green (UKIP)Ian Meller (BNP)
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 85503
Male: 49.4%
Female: 50.6%
Under 18: 22%
Over 60: 21%
Born outside UK: 2.4%
White: 98.8%
Asian: 0.4%
Mixed: 0.5%
Other: 0.2%
Christian: 78.2%
Full time students: 2%
Graduates 16-74: 16.2%
No Qualifications 16-74: 33.2%
Owner-Occupied: 76.6%
Social Housing: 16.1% (Council: 12.8%, Housing Ass.: 3.3%)
Privately Rented: 4.7%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 3.3%
2010 By-election
David Taylor was intending to stand down from Parliament at the next election, but died of a heart attack on Boxing Day 2009. A date for a by-election (assuming it is not overtaken by the General Election) has yet to be announced.
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Andy i would expect BNP to save deposit with ease but not too sure about ukip in 2004 they polled 26.2% in euro then 3.3% in the General Election (BNP 8.3% – 3.1%) the following year. Last year they polled 16.2% in euro elections (BNP 14.5%) and with no major campaigning in the area i think 5% may be a tough target for them in such an election especially with the candidate not being as good as Blunt in 2005 who is well known locally and is the Dad of the Tory leader on the District Council. Anyway not long to wait to find out now.
Local Lib Dem branch suspended by head office today see article in the Leicester Mercury
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Liberal-Democrats-suspend-party-branch-Leicestershire/article-1840197-detail/article.html
The Leicester Mercury reported yesterday that the LibDem local party has been suspended. “after allegations of in-fighting and rule-breaking. It followed a bid to revoke the membership of county and district councillor Michael Wyatt.”
How is Labour’s refusal to call the by-election playing on the ground here? I would have thought locals would be unhappy about it, but whether people who aren’t overly interested in politics particularly care is another question.
Since the passing of DT we have covered a lot of ground and not had many people calling for a by election except the tories and Lib Dems the time for me has totally passed now and the £140k cost of running such an election would be an insult to the voters to have an MP for 3 or 4 weeks before the General. For Labour i think its a chance missed to get some extra votes as many remember David Taylor as a good MP and as time goes past i cant see this coming to votes for Labour. On the ground the Tories and Labour have been out in recent weeks so its all keeping quite busy here.
Have heard rumours of an IND anti new housing candidate that may be standing in NW Leics will confirm if i hear anything solid, but would make things interesting as its such a big issue here and in most places at present
Just out of interest, does anyone know who constituents can contact with concerns in the event of losing their MP, or are they quite literally voiceless in parliament for the period until a new MP is elected?
The sad death of Ashok Kumar reminds us that Labour got away with not holding a bye-election here. Shame.
Jack R. I think that the party holding a seat usually arranges for a neighbouring MP to deal with constituency business. But these days there is a further issue in that presumably nobody is paying the MP’s staff who help with casework. But of course in the normal course of events such considerations get overtaken by the holding of a bye-election -which ensure that the constituencies intereests are acually exceptionally well noticed! But not for this seat.
Yes, shame indeed. You may remember that I pressed strongly on this back when it was still possible to hold a by-election here. But its shame not only on Labour-who abused their power to avoid holding a vote here. It is shame also on the Conservatives and other parties who stuck to the ‘old boys network’ and failed to make an issue of Labour’s abuse of power. They probably think that if the same thing happens in their dying days of government, Labour will return the favour and keep quiet as well.
‘Just out of interest, does anyone know who constituents can contact with concerns in the event of losing their MP, or are they quite literally voiceless in parliament for the period until a new MP is elected?’
When Andrew Turner suffered a stroke a couple of years back, I believe Julian Lewis and Desmond Swayne handled Isle of Wight affairs until he regained his health. Although he is still with us, so this is not quite the scenario you talk about.