Leeds North West

History

The constituency was created in 1950, as Leeds North-West; the name was changed by dropping the hyphen in 1955. Before the 1950 general election, Leeds was represented by the constituencies of: Leeds Central, Leeds North, Leeds South, Leeds West, (all created 1885); Leeds North-East and Leeds South-East (both created 1918). There were also constituencies of Batley and Morley (created 1918) and Pudsey and Otley (created 1918 replacing Pudsey). Leeds North West was created before the 1950 election, and at the same time the Pudsey and Otley constituency was abolished, re-creating the Pudsey constituency and moving Otley into the Ripon constituency.

The constituency was held for the Conservative Party by Donald Kaberry from its creation in 1950 until his retirement in 1983, and then by Keith Hampson (1983–1997), who had previously been MP for Ripon. It was taken for Labour in the 1997 general election by Harold Best, who was re-elected in the 2001 general election. Best retired at the 2005 general election. The seat was contested for Labour by Judith Blake (at that time Deputy Leader of the Labour Group on Leeds City Council, and later also Labour's candidate in the 2010 general election), but it was taken for the Liberal Democrats by Greg Mulholland. Mulholland was re-elected in 2010 and 2015. Alex Sobel regained the seat for Labour in the 2017 general election, and was re-elected in 2019.

The notional 2019 result for the reconfigured constituency was a Conservative win. Accordingly, Alex Sobel decided to stand (successfully) in the 2024 general election for the new and much safer seat of Leeds Central and Headingley. The Leeds North West seat was won by Katie White for Labour, making it a notional gain from the Conservatives.

Constituency profile

Under its pre-2024 boundaries, this constituency had one of the biggest student populations in the country at over a quarter of the electorate; it comprises outer Leeds suburbs that are professional, middle-to-high income and residential.

It was within the Yorkshire and the Humber European Parliament constituency, which from 2019 to 2020 when the UK left the EU was represented by three Brexit Party, one Labour, one Liberal Democrat and one Green Party MEPs.

Boundaries

1950–1951: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Far Headingley, Hyde Park, and Kirkstall.

1951–1955: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Far Headingley, Hyde Park, Kirkstall, and Meanwood.

1955–1974: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Far Headingley, Hyde Park, Kirkstall, Meanwood, and Moortown.

1974–1983: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Cookridge, Headingley, Kirkstall, Moortown, and Weetwood.

1983–2010: The City of Leeds wards of Cookridge, Headingley, Otley and Wharfedale, and Weetwood.

The Leeds North West boundary was revised for the 1983 general election, bringing in Otley and the nearby villages of Bramhope, Pool-in-Wharfedale and Arthington from the abolished Ripon constituency. Moortown was transferred to Leeds North East, and Kirkstall to Leeds West.

2010–2024: The City of Leeds wards of Adel and Wharfedale, Headingley, Otley and Yeadon, and Weetwood.

Minor changes to reflect changes to ward names and boundaries.

2024–present: The City of Leeds wards of Adel and Wharfedale, Guiseley and Rawdon, Horsforth, and Otley and Yeadon.

Following the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency boundaries were substantially changed although its name was unchanged. Headingley and Weetwood in the south of the 2010 constituency were moved to the new constituency of Leeds Central and Headingley, while Guiseley, Rawdon and Horsforth were transferred in from Pudsey (reconfigured and renamed Leeds West and Pudsey).

The old constituency was divided between the new constituency (85.7% by area and 50.2% by population of the old constituency) and Leeds Central and Headingley (14.3% by area and 49.8% by population). The new constituency was made up predominantly of parts of the old constituency (62.2% by area and 47.3% by population of the new constituency) and Pudsey (37.7% by area and 52.7% by population), with a small contribution from Leeds North East (0.1% by area and 0.0% by population).

The constituency currently covers the northwestern part of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire. It stretches from Otley in the north to Horsforth in the south, with Guiseley and Yeadon in between them in terms of major settlements.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Note that the figures for gain and loss refer to comparisons with the notional 2019 result for the constituency with its revised boundaries.

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Notes

References

References

1. (5 July 2024). "Leeds North West – General election results 2024". BBC News.
2. "Leeds North West". BBC News.
3. "Notional election for the constituency of Leeds North West on 12 December 2019.".
4. "2001 Census see student population of wards". Neighbourhood Statistics.
5. "Politics". [[The Guardian]].
6. . (1952). ["Statutory Instruments 1951"](https://books.google.com/books?id=RY1QAQAAIAAJ). *[[Her Majesty's Stationery Office]]*.
7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
8. "Leeds North West (13 April 2010 – 30 May 2024) – overlaps".
9. "Leeds North West (31 May 2024 – ) – overlaps".
10. {{Rayment-hc. l. 1. (March 2012)
11. "Leeds North West results".
12. "Leeds North West results". BBC News.
13. "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". [[UK Parliament]].
14. "General Election 2019: Leeds North West Constituency: Statement of Persons Nominated". Leeds City Council.
15. (12 December 2019). "Leeds North West General Election 2019 results in full". Manchester Evening News.
16. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
17. "Leeds North West". BBC News.
18. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
19. (7 May 2010). "UK > England > Yorkshire & the Humber > Leeds North West". BBC.
20. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus.
21. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus.
22. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
23. "BBC 1997 elections results".
24. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
25. (9 April 1992). "Politics Resources". Politics Resources.
26. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
27. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].