Post by bungle on Jan 17, 2024 19:12:43 GMT
Bridlington and The Wolds
On the east coast of the East Riding of Yorkshire can be found “Bright, Breezy and Bracing” Bridlington which makes a welcome reappearance into the nomenclature of parliamentary constituencies, having been previously axed in 1997. For many who are more advanced in years Bridlington is a name synonymous with seaside holidays from decades past, and this town of some 35,000 people still relies on this connection for its identity and economy. But with an electorate of some 30,000 it has never been more than a substantial minority of any constituency. From 1950 to 1997 it had a county constituency name all to itself, but this time it is given an additional descriptor of ‘The Wolds’. This is a good collective description for much of the rural territory contained here and this balance within the name reflects the fact this is both a coastal seat and one with a sizeable rural interior - The Wolds. This is not some invented name of convenience – they have a pretty clear geographical meaning and are a Yorkshire hidden gem compared to its more famous Dales and Moors. Their dendritic form of steep channels cut into a chalk landscape make for a very distinct landscape with large sweeping arable fields on top whilst livestock graze the lush valley sides and bottom. It has a sparse population yet its borderline vastness and bleakness has an innate beauty which has been well recognised by artist and part time Bridlington resident, David Hockney. The Yorkshire Wolds Way is a National Trail in its own right stretching from Hessle to Filey (and well worth a walk).
The constituency which Bridlington and The Wolds mainly replaces was a poorly named construct called East Yorkshire CC. It was a daft and imprecise name given the resurrection of the East Riding of Yorkshire as an administrative area in 1996. In the same 1997 boundary review the ERYC territory covered no less than three complete parliamentary constituencies and bits of two others. What is worse is that the most easterly part of Yorkshire can be found at Kilnsea Warren: this was contained within the old Bridlington CC before 1997 but was nowhere near this new creation of East Yorkshire.
As mentioned above, the issue for Bridlington town was how to configure it with sufficient electors to create a viable constituency. The only way the Boundary Commission could not look was east. To the north was Filey, another seaside town and the dramatic chalk headland at Flamborough. To the west were the myriad of Wolds villages and small towns such as Driffield. To the south were less well-known seaside resorts such as Hornsea and Withernsea. All configurations have been tried: from 1918 to 1950 the constituency of Buckrose combined Bridlington with areas to the north and west; from 1950 to 1955 it combined all three; from 1955 to 1983 it was mainly a north and south construct; whilst from 1983 to 1997 it was, you’ve guessed it, a west and south construct.
Bridlington town is historically comprised of two settlements: the Old Town which is about one mile inland (and contains the substantial Priory) and the Quay area where the modern harbour and seaside attractions such as the Spa can be found. Bridlington has long attracted an older residential demographic with some of the highest % of retired people within the UK. It has an insular feel to it as a result, despite retaining a railway line to both Hull and Scarborough. As a whole the town is broadly Conservative in parliamentary elections, but not to the extent found elsewhere within the constituency. At a unitary level it is hard to detect much consistency with a multitude of parties having won seats in the last 20 years. Bridlington is the place where the SDP had a continuity presence into the 2000s and were successful as late as 2011 in the Bridlington Central and Old Town ward (admittedly there was a clear personal vote for the winner: his running mate came second to last). This ward is actually semi-rural and now generally elects an Independent and a Conservative.
The North ward contains the private housing and bungalows one expects in seaside towns of this heritage, but the bulk of this is from the 1960s to 1980s and contains many comfortable retirees. This ward also contains the villages of Sewerby and Flamborough with its prominent lighthouse on the Head. As such North was the most reliable Conservative area within the town: in 2019 three Conservative candidates faced only a single Labour opponent and won handsomely. Yet it was a by-election here barely a few weeks after the local elections which was the catalyst to a rapid Liberal Democrat advance. Since then their well oiled machine has taken all before it – in 2023 they won all 3 seats here with nearly 60% of the vote.
The South ward covers the commercial centre and the harbour and includes areas of less affluent housing, HMOs and the old council estate at West Hill. It is a marginal ward with Labour having at least one success in most local elections. Other winners were usually Conservatives but of late the Yorkshire Party have now turned this into their East Yorkshire fortress taking 2 seats in 2019 and all 3 seats in 2023, but with Labour and the Tories not far behind. Turnout here was only 19% which suggests apathy is probably the real winner here.
The southern elements within the old Bridlington CC resulted a long and thin seat as it gently followed the 50 miles of eroding Holderness coastline. This configuration has not been resurrected this time. However, there is one notable boundary change at this southern end which sees the ward of North Holderness transfer to this seat from Beverley and Holderness CC. This is a more compact ward (by East Riding standards) and is focused on the aforementioned seaside town of Hornsea. Established as a tourist destination by the railways in the 1860s, the rail link was destroyed in the 1960s. Yet despite this Hornsea maintains a population of around 8,000 and it is chiefly associated with tourism. There was also a very notable pottery here during the latter part of the 20th Century before a series of poor decisions saw it go bust. Like many east coast seaside towns, they are a mix of comfortable retirees and people who have been ‘placed’ in or have sought out cheaper housing. In Hornsea the balance is skewed towards the former and it retains a genteel air. It is a place where independents have a stranglehold in unitary elections, but they are only given cursory Conservative competition which undoubtedly reveals the underlying nature of the electorate’s preference at parliamentary level.
Otherwise the core of Bridlington and The Wolds CC is substantially the same as that of East Yorkshire. The rural territory in and around the small market town of Driffield is hugely focused on arable and livestock farming, notably pigs and poultry. These are particular sectors that have had it hard recently so enthusiasm for the Conservatives has dipped but this isn’t an area where other parties are capitalising. Driffield town itself can produce some activity (a non-friendly Independent did break through in 2023 with the other two seats being won by the Conservatives) but the surrounding rural area is solid in its Conservative intentions at parliamentary level. The same description can also be given to the vast East Wolds and Coastal ward with its sweeping large chalk fields and tiny villages. It easily returned three Conservative councillors in 2023, just as it has done throughout its existence. At a parliamentary level the Tories will be running up substantial levels of support here.
A similar pattern exists to the west of Driffield where the rural character seen in the East Wolds is merely replicated again. Small villages nestled within the natural chalk folds and vast open skies and farmsteads dominate the skyline. The small town of Market Weighton – situated between Beverley and York – marks the furthest point south west in this seat. Like Driffield, the town services its agricultural hinterland and both are combined to create a ward which has been safely Conservative throughout its existence. Unlike Driffield, Market Weighton is located within commuting distance to York which has resulted in some notable housing development in the last 20 years. If this changes its voting habits it will be hard to detect, given the vastness of both wards and parliamentary constituencies. The western end of the old East Yorkshire CC is where more substantial boundary changes are required this time to make the configuration fit. Half of the Wolds Weighton ward (all villages!) and the delightfully named Pocklington Provincial Ward (containing the eponymous town and more villages) are moved into the new Goole and Pocklington CC.
Overall this is a constituency that should be beyond the grasp of any non-Conservative party in any regular election whilst the current party politics remains extant. There is no core nucleus of support or activism for other parties here beyond particular localised contests. The sheer geography mitigates against systematic in-person campaigning without the galvanising effect of a by-election. Labour never came close in the old Bridlington CC and the nearest it got in East Yorkshire was at their high point of 1997 when it was still 7% adrift. It is understandably a non-target seat for them this time.
East Yorkshire CC has been represented by Greg Knight since 2001. He was a retread having served as MP for Derby North from 1983-97. He has generally operated in the Westminster shadows as both Deputy Chief Whip under John Major and later Chair of the Procedure Committee. He did gain a certain notoriety in the 2017 general election for his rather stilted but tuneful campaign video. He is retiring at the next election and to replace him the Conservatives have chosen local councillor (and Deputy Leader of ERYC) Charlie Dewhirst. In the process he fought off both a junior minister and the current Conservative Party Chairman, but Dewhirst is no novice. He was born locally but cut his political teeth in one of the then flagship Tory boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham as a councillor from 2010-18. He was also chosen to finish off what Shaun Bailey couldn’t achieve and win Hammersmith BC in both 2015 and 2017, but for him the Tory tide in this part of west London had already ebbed. A return home soon after, election to EYRC and a new job as Chief Policy Adviser to the National Pig Association ticked a lot of boxes for the Tory association members here for whom he was reportedly the overwhelming choice. The Liberal Democrats have selected Dale Needham, EYRC councillor for Pocklington Provincial who contested East Yorkshire CC in 2019. Reform UK have chosen Richard Kelly, who stood for them in the 2021 South East Holderness ward by-election.
On the east coast of the East Riding of Yorkshire can be found “Bright, Breezy and Bracing” Bridlington which makes a welcome reappearance into the nomenclature of parliamentary constituencies, having been previously axed in 1997. For many who are more advanced in years Bridlington is a name synonymous with seaside holidays from decades past, and this town of some 35,000 people still relies on this connection for its identity and economy. But with an electorate of some 30,000 it has never been more than a substantial minority of any constituency. From 1950 to 1997 it had a county constituency name all to itself, but this time it is given an additional descriptor of ‘The Wolds’. This is a good collective description for much of the rural territory contained here and this balance within the name reflects the fact this is both a coastal seat and one with a sizeable rural interior - The Wolds. This is not some invented name of convenience – they have a pretty clear geographical meaning and are a Yorkshire hidden gem compared to its more famous Dales and Moors. Their dendritic form of steep channels cut into a chalk landscape make for a very distinct landscape with large sweeping arable fields on top whilst livestock graze the lush valley sides and bottom. It has a sparse population yet its borderline vastness and bleakness has an innate beauty which has been well recognised by artist and part time Bridlington resident, David Hockney. The Yorkshire Wolds Way is a National Trail in its own right stretching from Hessle to Filey (and well worth a walk).
The constituency which Bridlington and The Wolds mainly replaces was a poorly named construct called East Yorkshire CC. It was a daft and imprecise name given the resurrection of the East Riding of Yorkshire as an administrative area in 1996. In the same 1997 boundary review the ERYC territory covered no less than three complete parliamentary constituencies and bits of two others. What is worse is that the most easterly part of Yorkshire can be found at Kilnsea Warren: this was contained within the old Bridlington CC before 1997 but was nowhere near this new creation of East Yorkshire.
As mentioned above, the issue for Bridlington town was how to configure it with sufficient electors to create a viable constituency. The only way the Boundary Commission could not look was east. To the north was Filey, another seaside town and the dramatic chalk headland at Flamborough. To the west were the myriad of Wolds villages and small towns such as Driffield. To the south were less well-known seaside resorts such as Hornsea and Withernsea. All configurations have been tried: from 1918 to 1950 the constituency of Buckrose combined Bridlington with areas to the north and west; from 1950 to 1955 it combined all three; from 1955 to 1983 it was mainly a north and south construct; whilst from 1983 to 1997 it was, you’ve guessed it, a west and south construct.
Bridlington town is historically comprised of two settlements: the Old Town which is about one mile inland (and contains the substantial Priory) and the Quay area where the modern harbour and seaside attractions such as the Spa can be found. Bridlington has long attracted an older residential demographic with some of the highest % of retired people within the UK. It has an insular feel to it as a result, despite retaining a railway line to both Hull and Scarborough. As a whole the town is broadly Conservative in parliamentary elections, but not to the extent found elsewhere within the constituency. At a unitary level it is hard to detect much consistency with a multitude of parties having won seats in the last 20 years. Bridlington is the place where the SDP had a continuity presence into the 2000s and were successful as late as 2011 in the Bridlington Central and Old Town ward (admittedly there was a clear personal vote for the winner: his running mate came second to last). This ward is actually semi-rural and now generally elects an Independent and a Conservative.
The North ward contains the private housing and bungalows one expects in seaside towns of this heritage, but the bulk of this is from the 1960s to 1980s and contains many comfortable retirees. This ward also contains the villages of Sewerby and Flamborough with its prominent lighthouse on the Head. As such North was the most reliable Conservative area within the town: in 2019 three Conservative candidates faced only a single Labour opponent and won handsomely. Yet it was a by-election here barely a few weeks after the local elections which was the catalyst to a rapid Liberal Democrat advance. Since then their well oiled machine has taken all before it – in 2023 they won all 3 seats here with nearly 60% of the vote.
The South ward covers the commercial centre and the harbour and includes areas of less affluent housing, HMOs and the old council estate at West Hill. It is a marginal ward with Labour having at least one success in most local elections. Other winners were usually Conservatives but of late the Yorkshire Party have now turned this into their East Yorkshire fortress taking 2 seats in 2019 and all 3 seats in 2023, but with Labour and the Tories not far behind. Turnout here was only 19% which suggests apathy is probably the real winner here.
The southern elements within the old Bridlington CC resulted a long and thin seat as it gently followed the 50 miles of eroding Holderness coastline. This configuration has not been resurrected this time. However, there is one notable boundary change at this southern end which sees the ward of North Holderness transfer to this seat from Beverley and Holderness CC. This is a more compact ward (by East Riding standards) and is focused on the aforementioned seaside town of Hornsea. Established as a tourist destination by the railways in the 1860s, the rail link was destroyed in the 1960s. Yet despite this Hornsea maintains a population of around 8,000 and it is chiefly associated with tourism. There was also a very notable pottery here during the latter part of the 20th Century before a series of poor decisions saw it go bust. Like many east coast seaside towns, they are a mix of comfortable retirees and people who have been ‘placed’ in or have sought out cheaper housing. In Hornsea the balance is skewed towards the former and it retains a genteel air. It is a place where independents have a stranglehold in unitary elections, but they are only given cursory Conservative competition which undoubtedly reveals the underlying nature of the electorate’s preference at parliamentary level.
Otherwise the core of Bridlington and The Wolds CC is substantially the same as that of East Yorkshire. The rural territory in and around the small market town of Driffield is hugely focused on arable and livestock farming, notably pigs and poultry. These are particular sectors that have had it hard recently so enthusiasm for the Conservatives has dipped but this isn’t an area where other parties are capitalising. Driffield town itself can produce some activity (a non-friendly Independent did break through in 2023 with the other two seats being won by the Conservatives) but the surrounding rural area is solid in its Conservative intentions at parliamentary level. The same description can also be given to the vast East Wolds and Coastal ward with its sweeping large chalk fields and tiny villages. It easily returned three Conservative councillors in 2023, just as it has done throughout its existence. At a parliamentary level the Tories will be running up substantial levels of support here.
A similar pattern exists to the west of Driffield where the rural character seen in the East Wolds is merely replicated again. Small villages nestled within the natural chalk folds and vast open skies and farmsteads dominate the skyline. The small town of Market Weighton – situated between Beverley and York – marks the furthest point south west in this seat. Like Driffield, the town services its agricultural hinterland and both are combined to create a ward which has been safely Conservative throughout its existence. Unlike Driffield, Market Weighton is located within commuting distance to York which has resulted in some notable housing development in the last 20 years. If this changes its voting habits it will be hard to detect, given the vastness of both wards and parliamentary constituencies. The western end of the old East Yorkshire CC is where more substantial boundary changes are required this time to make the configuration fit. Half of the Wolds Weighton ward (all villages!) and the delightfully named Pocklington Provincial Ward (containing the eponymous town and more villages) are moved into the new Goole and Pocklington CC.
Overall this is a constituency that should be beyond the grasp of any non-Conservative party in any regular election whilst the current party politics remains extant. There is no core nucleus of support or activism for other parties here beyond particular localised contests. The sheer geography mitigates against systematic in-person campaigning without the galvanising effect of a by-election. Labour never came close in the old Bridlington CC and the nearest it got in East Yorkshire was at their high point of 1997 when it was still 7% adrift. It is understandably a non-target seat for them this time.
East Yorkshire CC has been represented by Greg Knight since 2001. He was a retread having served as MP for Derby North from 1983-97. He has generally operated in the Westminster shadows as both Deputy Chief Whip under John Major and later Chair of the Procedure Committee. He did gain a certain notoriety in the 2017 general election for his rather stilted but tuneful campaign video. He is retiring at the next election and to replace him the Conservatives have chosen local councillor (and Deputy Leader of ERYC) Charlie Dewhirst. In the process he fought off both a junior minister and the current Conservative Party Chairman, but Dewhirst is no novice. He was born locally but cut his political teeth in one of the then flagship Tory boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham as a councillor from 2010-18. He was also chosen to finish off what Shaun Bailey couldn’t achieve and win Hammersmith BC in both 2015 and 2017, but for him the Tory tide in this part of west London had already ebbed. A return home soon after, election to EYRC and a new job as Chief Policy Adviser to the National Pig Association ticked a lot of boxes for the Tory association members here for whom he was reportedly the overwhelming choice. The Liberal Democrats have selected Dale Needham, EYRC councillor for Pocklington Provincial who contested East Yorkshire CC in 2019. Reform UK have chosen Richard Kelly, who stood for them in the 2021 South East Holderness ward by-election.
