Welwyn Hatfield
2010 Results:
Conservative: 27894 (56.96%)
Labour: 10471 (21.38%)
Liberal Democrat: 8010 (16.36%)
UKIP: 1643 (3.35%)
Green: 796 (1.63%)
Independent: 158 (0.32%)
Majority: 17423 (35.58%)
2005 Results:
Conservative: 22172 (49.6%)
Labour: 16226 (36.3%)
Liberal Democrat: 6318 (14.1%)
Majority: 5946 (13.3%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 17288 (40.4%)
Labour: 18484 (43.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 6021 (14.1%)
UKIP: 798 (1.9%)
Other: 230 (0.5%)
Majority: 1196 (2.8%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 19341 (36.5%)
Labour: 24936 (47.1%)
Liberal Democrat: 7161 (13.5%)
Other: 1530 (2.9%)
Majority: 5595 (10.6%)
No Boundary Changes:
Profile: Consists of the town of Hatfield and the garden city of Welwyn Garden City, built as a new town in 1920 in accordance with the ideas of Sir Ebenezer Howard. The constituency also includes the original village of Welwyn to the North of the new town, Welham Green, Brookmans Park, Newgate Street, Woodside & Essendon.
Welwyn Garden City (which is in fact a town, not a city) is a suburban commuter town for London, although like most new towns there is a large amount of social housing. Hatfield is most commonly associated with Hatfield House, the seat of the Cecil family. More recently the town was associated with the air industry and the de Havilland Comet was built in the town. In the 1990s British Aerospace transferred production out the area and part of the former airfield is now the site of the University of Hertfordshire`s new de Havilland campus. In 2000 4 people were killed and 70 injured in an infamous rail crash south of Hatfield station.
Prior to 1997 Welwyn Hatfield was held by the combative right-wing Conservative MP David Evans, but was won by Labour`s Melanie Johnson in 1997. It fell to Grant Shapps in 2005 on one of the largest Conservative swings in the country.
Current MP: Grant Shapps(Conservative) born 1968, Hertfordshire. Educated at Watford Grammar and Manchester Polytechnic. Ran a design, print and web development company, Printhouse Corporation. First elected as MP for Welwyn Hatfield in 2005. He backed David Cameron`s leadership bid and was appointed a Vice-Chairman of the Conservative party in 2005 (more information at They work for you)
Grant Shapps(Conservative) born 1968, Hertfordshire. Educated at Watford Grammar and Manchester Polytechnic. Ran a design, print and web development company, Printhouse Corporation. First elected as MP for Welwyn Hatfield in 2005. He backed David Cameron`s leadership bid and was appointed a Vice-Chairman of the Conservative party in 2005 (more information at They work for you)
Mike Hobday (Labour) Senior manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, responsible for campaigns, policy and public affairs. Previously led the League Against Cruel Sports campaign against fox hunting. County Councillor in Welwyn Garden City 1997-2005.
Paul Zukowskyj (Liberal Democrat) Lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire.
Jill Weston (Green)
David Platt (UKIP) Nigel Parker (Independent)2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 92363
Male: 48.5%
Female: 51.5%
Under 18: 22.1%
Over 60: 21.4%
Born outside UK: 9.1%
White: 93.5%
Black: 1.4%
Asian: 2.3%
Mixed: 1.4%
Other: 1.3%
Christian: 69.5%
Hindu: 1.1%
Jewish: 0.6%
Muslim: 1.1%
Full time students: 8.2%
Graduates 16-74: 21.8%
No Qualifications 16-74: 23.1%
Owner-Occupied: 62.5%
Social Housing: 28.2% (Council: 24.1%, Housing Ass.: 4.1%)
Privately Rented: 5.6%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 2.4%
They just couldn’t get it off could they.
In more ways than one?
I’m not sure Brookman’s Park is still in this seat,
I think that’s what it’s called.
Probably is, and very Tory.
The majority here must be one of the largest ever in a seat which only two elections previously had been held by another party.
There were probably a few larger Labour majorities in 1997 in seats the Conservative had won in 1987. Hornsey & Wood Green is one example from the top of my head (not a very good omen)
And Mitcham and Morden and Croydon North have swung the other way.
Its a combination of the high swings of the new towns and demographic change. This isn’t a seat I would expect Labour to win back
Looks extremely unlikely for the medium term
but we do have to see further ahead.