Saffron Walden
2010 Results:
Conservative: 30155 (55.46%)
Labour: 5288 (9.73%)
Liberal Democrat: 14913 (27.43%)
BNP: 1050 (1.93%)
UKIP: 2228 (4.1%)
Green: 735 (1.35%)
Majority: 15242 (28.03%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Conservative: 25593 (50.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 14715 (29%)
Labour: 8139 (16.1%)
Other: 2258 (4.5%)
Majority: 10878 (21.5%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 27263 (51.4%)
Labour: 8755 (16.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 14255 (26.9%)
UKIP: 860 (1.6%)
Other: 1887 (3.6%)
Majority: 13008 (24.5%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 24485 (48.9%)
Labour: 11305 (22.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 12481 (24.9%)
UKIP: 1769 (3.5%)
Majority: 12004 (24%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 25871 (45.3%)
Labour: 12275 (21.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 15298 (26.8%)
Referendum: 2308 (4%)
Other: 1298 (2.3%)
Majority: 10573 (18.5%)
Boundary changes:
Profile:
Current MP: Alan Haselhurst(Conservative) (more information at They work for you)
Alan Haselhurst(Conservative) (more information at They work for you)Barbara Light (Labour) Peter Wilcock (Liberal Democrat) born 1953. Educated at Oxford University. Retired retail manager, now working as a researcher. Uttlesford councillor since 1995. Leader of the Lib Dem group on Uttesford council since 2007.Reza Hossain (Green) Roger Lord (UKIP) Educated at Clacton County High School. Arable farmer. Contested Eastern Region 1999, 2004 European elections. Contested Essex North 1997, Colchester 2001, Braintree 2005.Chrissie Mitchell (BNP)2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 89843
Male: 49.6%
Female: 50.4%
Under 18: 22.6%
Over 60: 20.9%
Born outside UK: 5.6%
White: 98%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 0.6%
Mixed: 0.7%
Other: 0.5%
Christian: 76.8%
Full time students: 2.8%
Graduates 16-74: 22.7%
No Qualifications 16-74: 22.7%
Owner-Occupied: 75%
Social Housing: 13.4% (Council: 10.6%, Housing Ass.: 2.8%)
Privately Rented: 7.1%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 4.5%
Cons Hold= 14,000 maj
Con Hold
Maj 13900
Con maj 14,500
Full Candidate List:
Alan HASELHURST – Con
Reza HOSSAIN – Green
Barbara Ann LIGHT – Labour
Roger Gordon LORD – UKIP
Christine Margaret MITCHELL – BNP
Peter Anthony Wilcock – Lib Dem
CON HOLD
The expenses scandal seems not to have had as big an effect on the results as I thought. The LibDem to C swing here was 3.4%.
Sir A H will definitely not be the CWM come next week, because under the new rules it will be a Labour MP. Apparently the most likely candidates are George Howarth, Tom Clarke and Stuart Bell.
erghh!
Well since MPs now quite like breaking procedural rules-as we saw with the disgraceful refusal to put the speakership to a full vote on Tuesday-perhaps the coalition should gang up to install Haselhurst anyway.
Could I clarify whether there was any breach of procedure in the election of Speaker? I’m not clear that there was but would be happy to be corrected.
As I understand it, Tapsell was in the Chair and asked the question. He adjudged that “I think the ayes have it” as in his opinion there were more people who shouted “aye” than “nay”. There could have been an objection from the floor at that point, and Tapsell would have had asked those supporting his determination to rise, followed by those objecting. But there was no objection so the point’s moot. In my view, Tapsell was completely right to call it for the ayes based on the recording I saw, but even if not then it was procedurally fine.
Local press after the Election stated that Sir Alan would be retiring from the Deputy Speakership.
Since the election of speaker is not usually challenged, its not quite clear is it. But as I understand it, a single objection is enough to trigger a vote.
Much as I would have laughed heartily at Bercow’s removal, I just don’t think the numbers are there in the current parliament to make that possible.
Yes I agree, but still it would have been lovely to try. Theres a general lack of guts in modern politics for my liking.
From what I read about the procedure (beforehand), it had to be a sustained objection.
So, as was said a couple of posts back, when Sir Peter Tapsell said “I think the ayes have it”, the ‘nays’ needed to reiterate their oposition. They didn’t. Presumably because they knew it would be pointless.
I think Nick Palmer confirmed something to that effect on PoliticalBetting.
I believe Alan Haselhurst has stood down as Deputy Speaker, a role in which he did an excellent job (unlike a couple of recent Speakers).
How active a part will he now be playing as a constituency MP? Presumably he will play an elder statesman role, doing things quietly but effectively, but not getting engaged in anything very controversial.
Until recently, he would have had a peerage and there would have been a bye-election. And Alan Haselhurst probably deserves a peerage much more than many people who are going to get one. This would have given a new person a chance; but the parties now run so scared of by-elections that I doubt if it will happen.
Sir Alan Haselhurst appears to be still active in the affairs of the Commons.
According to Wiki:
“In July 2010 Sir Alan was appointed chairman of both the House of Commons Administration Committee and the UK branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, having earlier been defeated in the election for chair of the Backbench Business Committee by Natascha Engel.”
Sir Alan may have been a more logical choice for chairman of the Backbench Business Committee, given his experience and proven ability to be independent of his party (as Deputy Speaker), but I think it’s right that an opposition MP has that job…. It’ll be interesting to see if that remains the case when Labour next forms the government, thereby confirming it as convention.
With regard to a possible peerage… a few months before this year’s general election, ConservativeHome published a list of people who the party leadership were apparently considering nominating for peerages (after the election had been held). Sir Alan’s name was on that list. I presume CCHQ was thinking he was going to retire, which of course in the end he didn’t do. When he does retire, and if by that time peerages are still appointed in the same way, I expect he will become Lord Haselhurst.
But there’s no point in forcing a by-election by giving him a peerage now. For one thing, I think the voting public would be less amenable nowadays to by-elections caused by appointments to the Peerage… it’s just unnecessary, and it looks as though your taking the electorate for granted.
Given Alan Haselhurst has a majority of just over 15000, with Labour in a distant 3rd place. I think it is tempting for party elders such as himself to be elevated to the Lords thus triggering a by election. From CCHQ’s point of view it would give somebody else a chance to be parachuted into a safe seat. BTW I am not saying Sir Alan should resign as an MP, but the ancient practise of elevating MP’s to the Lords should be revisited as I think the Tories could hold safe seats such as this one in a by-election.
For some reason people have been discussing this seat on the Brent North thread. This is my recent post there: -
I feel sorry for people who haven’t heard of Saffron Walden. It is a very interesting and beautiful old town. I went to school nearby, in Newport (Essex). Of course, it hasn’t grown more because it is not on a railway line to London: the nearest station is Audley End. But I wouldn’t call a town of 14,000 very small. It is about ten times the size of Fordwich, which is just outside Canterbury (but likely to go into the new Herne constituency) and is England’s smallest town, and a limb of the Cinque Port of Sandwich.
Saffron Walden has been the name of a constituency for many years, and was for a long time (I think 1929 – 1965) represented by Rab Butler.
I haven’t looked at the proposed boundaries of Essex NW, but a better name might be Uttlesford, which is the name of the local authority, if it has to be changed at all.
There was, rather unusually, a council by-election in this constituency on Tuesday, in the part of the Chelmsford borough which is in this seat. It was in the Broomfield & the Walthams ward & resulted in a Lib Dem gain from Independent.