Loughborough (UK Parliament constituency)

Boundaries

Historic

1885–1918: The Sessional Division of Loughborough (except the parishes of Cossington, Seagrave, and Sileby), and parts of the Sessional Divisions of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Leicester.

1918–1950: The Borough of Loughborough, the Urban Districts of Ashby-de-la-zouch, Ashby Woulds, and Shepshed, the Rural Districts of Castle Donington and Loughborough, and the Rural District of Ashby-de-la-Zouch except the parish of Bardon.

1950–1955: The Borough of Loughborough, the Urban Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ashby Woulds, and Shepshed, and the Rural Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Castle Donington.

1955–1974: The Borough of Loughborough, the Urban Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ashby Woulds, and Shepshed, the Rural District of Ashby-de-la-Zouch as constituted by the County of Leicester (Coalville Urban District) Confirmation Order 1953, and the Rural District of Castle Donington.

1974–1983: The Borough of Loughborough, the Urban Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ashby Woulds, and Shepshed, the Rural District of Ashby-de-la-Zouch as altered by the West Midland Counties Order 1965, and the Rural District of Castle Donington as altered by the East Midland Counties Order 1965 and the County of Leicester (Coalville Urban District) Confirmation Order 1969.

1983–1997: The Borough of Charnwood wards of Ashby, Barrow upon Soar and Quorndon, Birstall Goscote, Birstall Greengate, Birstall Netherhall, Birstall Riverside, Birstall Stonehill, Garendon, Hastings, Hathern, Lemyngton, Nanpantan, Mountsorrel and Rothley, Outwoods, Sileby, Southfields, Storer, The Wolds, Thurcaston, Woodhouse and Swithland, and Woodthorpe.

1997–2010: The Borough of Charnwood wards of Ashby, Barrow upon Soar and Quorndon, Garendon, Hastings, Hathern, Lemyngton, Nanpantan, Outwoods, Shepshed East, Shepshed West, Sileby, Southfields, Storer, The Wolds, and Woodthorpe.

2010–2024: The Borough of Charnwood wards of Barrow and Sileby West, Loughborough Ashby, Loughborough Dishley and Hathern, Loughborough Garendon, Loughborough Hastings, Loughborough Lemyngton, Loughborough Nanpantan, Loughborough Outwoods, Loughborough Shelthorpe, Loughborough Southfields, Loughborough Storer, Quorn and Mountsorrel Castle, Shepshed East, Shepshed West, Sileby, and The Wolds.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was reduced to bring the electorate within the permitted range with the transfer of Sileby ward (as it existed on 1 December 2020) to the newly created constituency of Melton and Syston.

Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Borough of Charnwood from the 2024 general election:

• Barrow upon Soar; Dishley, Hathern & Thorpe Acre; Loughborough Ashby; Loughborough East; Loughborough Nanpantan, Loughborough Outwoods & Shelthorpe; Loughborough Southfields; Loughborough Storer; Loughborough Woodthorpe; Quorn & Mountsorrel Castle, Shepshed East, Shepshed West; The Wolds; and a small part of Sileby & Seagrave.

History

Loughborough was originally part of a larger constituency, Leicestershire, which was split into two districts in the Reform Act 1832.

In the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 Leicestershire was divided into five parts, Eastern (Melton), Mid [or] (Loughborough), Western (Bosworth) and Southern (Harborough), each returning one member; the last part was a borough constituency for Leicester, which returned two MPs.

In 1983 the Leicestershire coalfield, an area loyal to Labour, was removed from the constituency and replaced by much of the Soar Valley, a rural area that tended to vote Conservative. Opencast coal mining is still relevant to the west of the seat only at Measham, one of the few high-profile excavations planned by Coalfield Resources PLC (formerly UK Coal). In 1995 the Soar Valley was moved to the newly created Charnwood constituency, approximately reinstating the pre-1983 version of the seat.

The last time that Loughborough was not represented by an MP from a governing political party was prior to the February 1974 general election; since that time the constituency has been a bellwether.

Members of Parliament

North Leicestershire prior to 1885

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

|reg. electors=68,996

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

The 2005 general election saw Andy Reed returned with a decreased majority after his share of the vote dropped by 8.3%. Loughborough was the 126th target seat of the Conservative Party and their share of the vote increased slightly but the Liberal Democrats had the largest increase. The swing of 5.0% from Labour to Conservative was higher than the national swing of 3.0% and turnout was above average.

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1910s

Elections in the 1900s

|reg. electors = 13,126 |reg. electors = 11,428

Elections in the 1890s

|reg. electors = 10,274 |reg. electors = 10,060

Elections in the 1880s

|reg. electors = 9,313

|reg. electors = 9,313

Notes

References

Sources

• UK Genealogy Archives – History
• BBC News: Loughborough constituency – History and Boundaries
• Andy Reed MP | Loughborough Constituency – Boundaries
• British Parliamentary Election results 1983–1997 – Elections (1983–1992)
• UK General Elections since 1832 – Elections (1951–1979)
• McCalmont, Frederick Haynes, Stenton Michael, Vincent, John Russell. McCalmont's parliamentary poll book: British election results. ()
• F. W. S. Craig. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973. ()
• F. W. S. Craig. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949. ()

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England.
2. . (1972). ["Statutory Instruments 1971"](https://books.google.com/books?id=-k9LAQAAIAAJ). *[[Her Majesty's Stationery Office]]*.
3. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
4. LGBCE. "Charnwood {{!}} LGBCE".
5. "The Charnwood (Electoral Changes) Order 2022".
6. "New Seat Details - Loughborough".
7. {{Rayment-hc. l. 4. (March 2012)
8. "Loughborough - General election results 2024". [[BBC News]].
9. "Loughborough Parliamentary constituency". BBC.
10. "Loughborough Parliamentary constituency 2017 Candidates".
11. (9 June 2017). "General Election 2017: Loughborough". The Daily Express.
12. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
13. "Loughborough Greens select Matt Sisson as Parliamentary Candidate".
14. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
15. "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Loughborough". BBC News.
16. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
17. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
18. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
19. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
20. (9 April 1992). "Politics Resources". Politics Resources.
21. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
22. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].
23. (1974). "British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918". Macmillan Press.