Yeovil
2010 Results:
Conservative: 18807 (32.9%)
Labour: 2991 (5.23%)
Liberal Democrat: 31843 (55.71%)
BNP: 1162 (2.03%)
UKIP: 2357 (4.12%)
Majority: 13036 (22.81%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Liberal Democrat: 25625 (52.5%)
Conservative: 16212 (33.2%)
Labour: 5132 (10.5%)
Other: 1832 (3.8%)
Majority: 9413 (19.3%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 17096 (34.3%)
Labour: 5256 (10.5%)
Liberal Democrat: 25658 (51.4%)
UKIP: 1903 (3.8%)
Majority: 8562 (17.2%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 17338 (36%)
Labour: 7077 (14.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 21266 (44.2%)
UKIP: 1131 (2.3%)
Green: 786 (1.6%)
Other: 534 (1.1%)
Majority: 3928 (8.2%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 14946 (27.7%)
Labour: 8053 (14.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 26349 (48.7%)
Referendum: 3574 (6.6%)
Other: 1131 (2.1%)
Majority: 11403 (21.1%)
Boundary changes:
Profile:
Current MP: David Laws(Liberal Democrat) Born 1965, Farnham. Educated at Woburn Hill School and Cambridge University. Former investment banker. MP for Yeovil since 2001. Appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury following the 2010 election he was in office for only 17 days before resigning when it was revealed that he had been claiming expenses for a flat he rented from his partner (more information at They work for you)
Kevin Davis (Conservative) born Kingston. Chief Executive of a national disability charity. Former leader of Kingston council. Contested Kingston and Surbiton in 2005. Lee Skevington (Labour) David Laws(Liberal Democrat) (more information at They work for you)Nigel Pearson (UKIP)Robert Baehr (BNP)2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 99352
Male: 48.9%
Female: 51.1%
Under 18: 22%
Over 60: 24.4%
Born outside UK: 3.5%
White: 98.8%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 0.3%
Mixed: 0.5%
Other: 0.3%
Christian: 77.5%
Full time students: 1.6%
Graduates 16-74: 15.4%
No Qualifications 16-74: 27.4%
Owner-Occupied: 73.8%
Social Housing: 15.1% (Council: 6.3%, Housing Ass.: 8.7%)
Privately Rented: 6.8%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 10.6%
I just read his account of the coalition formation and the aftermath entitled “22 Days in May” and I thought it was very good. I would recommend it to anybody who is interested in the LibDem perspective. It seems though that despite what happened to him, he would hold his seat next time, as it seems that his constituents still hold him in affection and this ought to be forgotten. I think Labour are playing a ‘dirty tricks’ campaign by reporting him to the police over an incident which seems quite minor and I think the police could well drop the case against him.
I think £40k is a bit more than than a minor offence!
My point is that he shouldn’t sit it out until the general election when yes Laws may well get comfitably re-elected but call a by-election now, face his critics head on, when re-elected he can can put this episode to rest, instead this story will linger on the Yeovil thread for the next 4 years.