Penistone and Stocksbridge
2010 Results:
Conservative: 14516 (31.21%)
Labour: 17565 (37.76%)
Liberal Democrat: 9800 (21.07%)
BNP: 2207 (4.74%)
UKIP: 1936 (4.16%)
English Democrat: 492 (1.06%)
Majority: 3049 (6.55%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 19074 (47%)
Liberal Democrat: 10225 (25.2%)
Conservative: 9331 (23%)
Other: 1960 (4.8%)
Majority: 8849 (21.8%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 6890 (15%)
Labour: 23477 (51.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 12234 (26.7%)
BNP: 2010 (4.4%)
UKIP: 1273 (2.8%)
Majority: 11243 (24.5%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 7801 (18.3%)
Labour: 24170 (56.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 9601 (22.6%)
UKIP: 964 (2.3%)
Majority: 14569 (34.3%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 7707 (14.5%)
Labour: 30150 (56.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 13699 (25.8%)
Referendum: 1468 (2.8%)
Majority: 16451 (31%)
Boundary changes:
Profile: By the standards of South Yorkshire, one of Labour`s most reliable bedrocks in England, this is almost marginal. Labour have below 50% of the vote, no councillors in the seat and it is only an almost even divide of opposition support between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats that prevents this appearing much closer.
The seat covers the north-western suburbs of Sheffield and the steel town of Stocksbridge – set north-west of Sheffield on the edge of the moors. The northern part of the seat drawn from the Borough of Barnsley covers the rural villages in the foothills of the pennines around the market town of Penistone and, to the east, the former mining village of Dodworth. Most of the seat is made up of traditional industrial areas, loyal to Labour, though with the decline of coal and steel and the old allegiences that went with it, there is more new build housing and commuters into Sheffield and Barnsley.
In the southern part of the seat, drawn from the dismembered Sheffield Hillsborough, the Liberal Democrats are the main challengers to Labour and perform strongly at the local level. In the northern part of the seat, transferred from Barnsley West and Penistone, Penistone itself has tended to be a good area for the Conservatives – at least, by the low standards of Tories in South Yorkshire. The future of this seat will largely depend on whether one of the parties can successfully position themselves as the alternative to Labour in this seat.
Current MP: Angela Smith(Labour) (more information at They work for you)
Spencer Pitfield (Conservative) born in Kent. Educated in South Africa and received a doctorate in performance practice from Sheffield University. Music teacher. Hertsmere borough councillor 2001-2008. Contested Sheffield Hallam in 2005.Angela Smith(Labour) (more information at They work for you)
Ian Cuthbertson (Liberal Democrat) born West Yorkshire. Educated at Bradford Grammar School and Bradford University. York councillor 2003-2007. Contested Dewsbury 2001, Selby 2005.
Grant French (UKIP)Paul James (BNP) Paul McEnhill (English Democrat)2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 84584
Male: 48.7%
Female: 51.3%
Under 18: 20.8%
Over 60: 22.3%
Born outside UK: 2.1%
White: 98.4%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 0.7%
Mixed: 0.5%
Other: 0.2%
Christian: 80.2%
Full time students: 2.1%
Graduates 16-74: 16.8%
No Qualifications 16-74: 31.3%
Owner-Occupied: 75.6%
Social Housing: 18.5% (Council: 17.5%, Housing Ass.: 1.1%)
Privately Rented: 3.8%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 5%
I agree with the above. The local elections seem to consolidate exisiting regional support for both main parties, with Conservative and Labour making gains to mop up independent and Lib Dem support in Parliamentary seats they won last year. This could be because there is a lack of leadership where unsuccessful Parliamentary candidates have gone.
The Lib Dems held up reasonably well in areas where they have been established for many years and have the MP. In areas where they challenged and missed in 2010, they have fallen back significantly.
The result of a General Election tomorrow would likely be a hung Parliament, with the SNP being the kingmakers, as they displace the Lib Dems in many of their Scottish seats and take a few from Labour.
Interesting comments.
I am delighted to see us return to the two party system, and the Lib Dems crushed.
1992 apart, the Lib Dems have got in the way of every election after 1979, and as HH says, been treated by the media with an importance they don’t deserve, and been allowed to say different things to different voters.
Finally, the game is up.
And the sanctimonious wet liberals and luvvies in North London who tried to help them rig our electoral system were thumped.
Penistone is going to be split between Barnsley West & Ecclesfield and Sheffield West & Penistone, effectively ending any hopes the Tories had in South Yorkshire. Had this seat survived it was at least a possible Tory gain in the future.
Paul D – true. Could a local Tory have won this time? Although 10% did vote BNP UKIP EngDem
I doubt it was ever going to be anything but Labour in 2010, because the notionals split 2nd so evenly between the Tories and Lib Dems. With the Tories now a clear 2nd they’d have had a chance in future against an unpopular Labour had this seat survived.
2012 Local Election results for Penistone & Stocksbridge, with change on 2011
Lab 42.6% (+2.4%)
LD 18.0% (-2.7%)
Con 16.5% (-6.2%)
Oth 22.9% (+6.5%) – This includes 13.0% for UKIP and 5.9% for the Independent who won in Dodworth
Labour took the 3 sheffield wards, all count as gains off the Lib Dems (East Ecclesfield, Stocksbridge & Upper Don and West Ecclesfield). For the Barnsley wards, Ind win in Darton, whilst the Conservatives held Penistone East and Labour gained Penistone West. That gain in West looks quite impressive, as Con lead Labour there by some 500 votes last year. It also wasn’t due to any UKIP intervention as only the 3 main parties stood.
ooops….ind win in Dodworth, not Darton!
It’ll be interesting to see how this seat goes, between Labour and Conservative.
Most likely: Tory vote will probably hold steady but there’ll be a 10% swing from LD to Lab.
Indeed, before the 2010 election several posters were remarking that Labour held very few council seats within this constituency. That’s changed now & the party has started to regain its traditional lead in many areas. The Tories do have a strong base in Penistone town but even there Labour have regained some strength, though it’s in the Sheffield city part of the constituency where their improvement has been clearest.
“Indeed, before the 2010 election several posters were remarking that Labour held very few council seats within this constituency. ”
In fact before the 2010 election Labour had no council seats within this constituency but that changed in May 2010 when they gained a seat in East Ecclesfield from the LDs. A similar situation occurred in Sefton Central