York Outer
2010 Results:
Conservative: 22912 (42.99%)
Labour: 9108 (17.09%)
Liberal Democrat: 19224 (36.07%)
BNP: 956 (1.79%)
UKIP: 1100 (2.06%)
Majority: 3688 (6.92%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Liberal Democrat: 15585 (38.6%)
Conservative: 13764 (34.1%)
Labour: 9768 (24.2%)
Other: 1239 (3.1%)
Majority: 1821 (4.5%)
New seat: The unitary authority of York was reviewed separately at the review and given two seats. Rather than an East/West or North/South split York has been divided into inner and outer parts, resulting in this unusual “doughnut-shaped” seat that entirely surrounds the new
Profile: Consists of York`s suburbs, including those historic villages such as Fulford, Osbaldwick, Skelton and Heworth which have merged with York, Heslington, the site of the University of York campus and the town of Haxby. While the notional figures suggest the seat will be a Lib Dem/Conservative marginal, every single council ward that mades up the constituency was won by the Liberal Democrats in 2003. In 2007 the Conservatives took 8 of the seats to the Liberal Democrats` 16.
Current MP: Julian Sturdy (Conservative) born 1971, Yorkshire. Educated at Harper Adams University. Farmer. Harrogate councillor 2002-2007. Contested Scunthorpe 2005.
Julian Sturdy (Conservative) born 1971, Yorkshire. Educated at Harper Adams University. Farmer. Harrogate councillor 2002-2007. Contested Scunthorpe 2005.
James Alexander (Labour) Educated at York University. Project and Outreach worker for York St John University. York councillor since 2007.
Madeleine Kirk (Liberal Democrat) born 1953, Manchester. Educated at Loreto Convent, Manchester and York College of Further Education. Accountant with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. City of York Councillor since 1991. Contested Yorkshire Region, 1999 European elections. Contested Elmet in 2005 and 2001, Leeds East in 1997.
Judith Morris (UKIP) Cathy Smurthwaite (BNP) 
Richard Jackson (Independent) Taxi driver.2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 90491
Male: 48.2%
Female: 51.8%
Under 18: 20.1%
Over 60: 23.6%
Born outside UK: 4.8%
White: 98%
Black: 0.2%
Asian: 0.6%
Mixed: 0.5%
Other: 0.7%
Christian: 78.6%
Full time students: 7.1%
Graduates 16-74: 23.2%
No Qualifications 16-74: 22.6%
Owner-Occupied: 85.3%
Social Housing: 8.6% (Council: 3.1%, Housing Ass.: 5.5%)
Privately Rented: 3.8%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 5%
The con is buy PR proportional representation get PR preferential representation one is “fair” if you like weak Govt the other favours the Libs and whats “fair” got to do with it.
“It’s very obvious that many of those who back PR the most are the ones who simply dont understand how it works.”
Yes – polls have indicated that voters support a change in the voting system and at the same time don’t like hung parliaments. You can’t really have it both ways and clearly this may be an advisable line for advocates of FPTP to keep on repeating.
I agree votedave, but some voters will look at the current system and think, this doesn’t prevent hung parliaments, does it. Although we all know they are rare.
“Yes – polls have indicated that voters support a change in the voting system and at the same time don’t like hung parliaments.”
And polls wouldalso indicate that people think there should be greater local decision making in areas like the health service, but that services shouldn’t be delivered differently from area to area. The point is that people respond instinctively to the question put before them (largely due to whatever rhetoric is around in the media at the time – current system bad, hung parliaments bad, local decision making good, inconsistent services bad, etc…) without ever really joining up these ideas in any consequential way. At least until the referendum campaign starts, when all the arguments will come under the spotlight and both sides will need to up their game. When presented with the arguments, people might not be so ready to automatically dismiss hung parliaments (or FPTP) as bad.
I think that is true. The arguments for FPTP are becoming increasingly weak despite the fact that I didn’t like the idea of the LDs holding the balance of power a few years ago.
I live in Scotland and it now seems crazy that 3 member council wards in England still use FPTP instead of STV like in Scotland!
People in England are just scared of the unknown,
I don’t think the LDs have handled coalition government very well so far.
An interesting point A Brown. To be honest the party I’d take most interest in regarding the electoral system debate is Labour. The LibDems are motivated by blatant self interest in their PR affinity; the tories know that while FPTP helps (helped?) Labour most, they can probably get enough to go it alone in future elections.
I’ve heard the argument that FPTP works on a large scale across a large population (ie nationwide).
When it comes to council level though, STV would seem the most logical method to plump for IMO. Certainly FPTP for multimember constituencies is plain stupid.
By far the worst electoral system I think is the supplementary vote, used for electing mayors.
I think we can defeat AV
A great result for the Canadian Tories winning a majority for the first time since 1988 and an absolute disaster both for the LIberals and for the separatist Bloc Quebec.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff was decapitated in his Toronto riding
I was astonished by the Canadian result. It is indeed a fantastic victory for Mr Harper who I think was not predicted to win a majority.
But even more astonishing is the complete collapse of the ‘party of government’ the Liberal Party and the Quebec Bloc.
The rise of the left wing NDP in Canada looks like the rise of Labour in the UK at the 1922 election. Will the Liberals ever be back in power I wonder?
Fantastic result in Canada,
after the nightmare of 1993.
I hope we can finish the job here on Thursday,
finish the Lib Dems off forever.
Where I’m canvassing we hope to decapitate the Lib Dem leader and their former Parliamentary candidate aswell.
Will the boundary changes just coming out get rid of “dooghnut” seats like this one?
Will the boundary changes just coming out get rid of “doughnut” seats like this one?
The names York Central and York Outer survive. York Outer takes in a bit of Selby borough now, but it’s still a donut
In which party’s interests is it to appeal against the Doughnut arrangement? And are there any local groupings with the morals and resources to appeal as a mater of principle?
I believe the original carve-up was to the benefit of Labour and the Lib Dems (at the time there were no Conservative councillors in York). As the Tories won YO last year I don’t think they’d appeal against it, so it will probably stay
I’m sure I’m not the only person to see a contradiction between “in which party’s interests is it to appeal against the arrangement” and “are there any local groupings with the morals and resources to appeal as a mater of principle”.
If your reason for wanting to challenge the boundaries is party interest, the appeal is not, repeat not, a matter of principle. It’s a matter of seeking party advantage.
One would imagine that the changes here to take in a lot of the more rural selby constituency, get rid of the labour voting heworth ward, and add tadcaster (possibly slightly labour?) would take this seat totally out of the reach of the Lib dems, probably becoming a much safer seat for the tories, but possibly also putting labour ahead. Anybody know any figures?
Both Tadcaster wards are Conservative
Yes I doubt that Tadcaster voted Labour even in 1997.
IMO, a ‘Tadcaster and Selby’ seat would make far more sense than the proposed ‘Selby and Castleford’.
IMO, a ‘Tadcaster and Selby’ seat would make far more sense than the proposed ‘Selby and Castleford’.
Could the opposition to the Tories be almost locked,
leaving a safe Tory seat?
If you had 1997 conditions here, a Labour gain wouldn’t be completely ridiculous – but I don’t believe they’ll get anywhere near,
and the Lib Dems will still have a presence here.
Not sure they’ll stay second though.
Lib dems will probably cling to 2nd very narrowly, see my comments on York central.
Selections seem to be coming thick and fast from all three parties now the boundaries issue is settled, The Lib Dems have selected Nick Emmerson, an ‘international lawyer’ – for which read partner at Eversheds – for this seat.
Looks like they haven’t entirely given up on this leafy constituency.
http://yorklibdems.org.uk/en/article/2013/656906/nick-emmerson-selected-as-the-lib-dem-prospective-parliamentary-candidate-for-york-outer