Ashfield (UK Parliament constituency)

Constituency profile

The constituency is located in Nottinghamshire and is roughly coterminous with the Ashfield local government district, excepting the town of Hucknall. The constituency contains the market towns of Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield, as well as nearby villages including Huthwaite, Selston and Underwood.

Coal mining was formerly a significant part of the local economy. Residents of the constituency are, on average, less wealthy and less likely to be degree-educated than the rest of the country. The constituency's population is 96% white. The local government district has historically been Labour-controlled, but is currently run by the Ashfield Independents. Voters in the constituency overwhelmingly voted in favour of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; Ashfield is estimated to have been in the top 20 most Brexit-supporting constituencies out of 650.

Boundaries

Historic

1955–1974: The Urban Districts of Eastwood, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and Sutton-in-Ashfield, and in the Rural District of Basford the parishes of Annesley, Bestwood Park, Brinsley, Felley, Linby, Newstead, Papplewick, and Selston.

1974–1983: The Urban Districts of Hucknall, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and Sutton-in-Ashfield, and in the Rural District of Basford the parishes of Annesley, Felley, and Selston.

1983–2010: The District of Ashfield wards of Jacksdale, Kirkby-in-Ashfield Central, Kirkby-in-Ashfield East, Kirkby-in-Ashfield West, Selston, Sutton-in-Ashfield Central, Sutton-in-Ashfield East, Sutton-in-Ashfield North, Sutton-in-Ashfield West, Underwood, and Woodhouse, and the Borough of Broxtowe wards of Brinsley, Eastwood East, Eastwood North, and Eastwood South.

2010–2024: The District of Ashfield wards of Jacksdale, Kirkby-in-Ashfield Central, Kirkby-in-Ashfield East, Kirkby-in-Ashfield West, Selston, Sutton-in-Ashfield Central, Sutton-in-Ashfield East, Sutton-in-Ashfield North, Sutton-in-Ashfield West, Underwood, and Woodhouse, and the Borough of Broxtowe wards of Brinsley, Eastwood North and Greasley Beauvale, and Eastwood South.

Current

Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, and reflecting the local government boundary review in the District of Mansfield which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency is composed of the following with effect from the 2024 general election:

• The District of Ashfield wards of: Abbey Hill; Annesley & Kirkby Woodhouse; Ashfields; Carsic; Central & New Cross; Huthwaite & Brierley; Jacksdale; Kingsway; Kirkby Cross & Portland; Larwood; Leamington; St. Mary’s; Selston; Skegby; Stanton Hill & Teversal; Summit; Sutton Junction & Harlow Wood; The Dales; Underwood.

• Parts of the District of Mansfield wards of: Lindhurst; Pleaseley; Rufford; Sherwood.1 The parts in the Borough of Broxtowe were transferred to the Broxtowe constituency and the parts in Mansfield District were transferred from the Mansfield constituency.

History

Until the Conservatives gained the seat at the 2019 general election, it had almost always been a Labour Party seat since its creation for the 1955 general election. The Ashfield constituency has been served by a former Secretary of State, Geoff Hoon, and, since its creation until 2019, for only two years has been served by one member of another party, Tim Smith of the Conservative Party, from 1977 to 1979. Ashfield's 2019 result indicates quite a large Conservative majority. In 2010, the seat had a marginal majority of only 192 votes over the Liberal Democrats, but that was increased to 8,820 in 2015 after a collapse in the Liberal Democrat vote, with the Conservatives finishing in second place.

In 2017, there was another narrow margin of victory for Labour after an 8.9% swing to the Conservatives, who squeezed most of the fairly substantial UKIP vote from two years earlier, and also a large vote for the Ashfield Independents candidate of nearly 10%, but Labour on that occasion did just enough to hang on by just over 400 votes. In 2019, the Ashfield Independents candidate Jason Zadrozny, who had come close to winning the seat for the Liberal Democrats nine years earlier, came second with a substantial vote, and the Conservatives took the seat despite achieving fewer votes and a smaller percentage of the total vote than in 2017. When the MP Lee Anderson left the Tories to become an independent and then subsequently join Reform UK, he contested it once again in the 2024 election, managing to win it for the party due to their message resounding with the predominantly pro-Brexit electorate and Anderson having the advantage of incumbency.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

|reg. electors =68,929

Elections in the 2010s

|reg. electors = 78,204

|reg. electors = 78,076

|reg. electors = 77,091

The Liberal Democrats had again selected Jason Zadrozny as their prospective parliamentary candidate for the 2015 general election, but he was suspended by the party and removed as a candidate just weeks before the election after being arrested; he was later cleared. He was replaced by Philip Smith.

|reg. electors = 77,379

Elections in the 2000s

|reg. electors = 73,321

|reg. electors = 73,428

Elections in the 1990s

|reg. electors = 72,299

|reg. electors = 75,075

Elections in the 1980s

|reg. electors = 70,937

|reg. electors = 69,791

Elections in the 1970s

|reg. electors = 77,878

|reg. electors = 74,701

|reg. electors = 74,064

|reg. electors = 67,681

Elections in the 1960s

|reg. electors = 62,030

|reg. electors = 61,960

Elections in the 1950s

|reg. electors = 61,139

|reg. electors = 59,820

Notes

References

Sources

• Youngs, Frederic A., Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Vol II, Northern England, London, 1991

References

1. "Usual Resident Population, 2011". Office for National Statistics.
2. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England.
3. (24 June 2016). "EU Referendum: Ashfield votes to LEAVE the EU".
4. Railway Junction Diagrams 1914 page 143, Ian Allan Ltd reprint, {{ISBN. 0-7110-1256-3
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6. "The Electoral Calculus' profile of Ashfield".
7. Library, House of Commons. (6 February 2017). "Brexit: votes by constituency".
8. LGBCE. "Mansfield {{!}} LGBCE".
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10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
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16. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
17. "Conservatives choose Ashfield candidate for General Election".
18. (2 April 2015). "Ashfield Liberal Democrats name new candidate". [[Nottingham Post]].
19. Sherdley, Rebecca. (30 October 2017). "Cleared councillor Jason Zadrozny vows to sue police over sex abuse claims".
20. Mason, Rowena. (26 March 2015). "Lib Dem election candidate arrested on suspicion of child sexual abuse". The Guardian.
21. (30 October 2017). "Nottinghamshire councillor Jason Zadrozny's child sex case thrown out". BBC News.
22. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
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29. (9 April 1992). "Politics Resources". Politics Resources.
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