North Herefordshire

[greenhert]

North Herefordshire replaced the long-standing Leominster constituency in 2010, which was renamed mainly to objections from the smaller towns of Kington and Bromyard of being excluded from the constituency name. The Boundary Commission thus renamed it North Herefordshire.

North Herefordshire is one of the most rural constituencies in England, and only the towns of Leominster and Ledbury have a population exceeding 10,000 people. Ledbury is famous for its cider, and from 1997 to 2001 also sold (formerly Austin) Maestro cars that were supposed to have been sold in Bulgaria as knock-down kits. Leominster was once famous for its priory and also saw the last use of the ducking stool, in 1809, with that ducking stool still on display in the old Leominster Priory. North Herefordshire relies significantly on agriculture and tourism economically and socially.

North Herefordshire and its predecessor Leominster have been Conservative since 1910 despite the valiant efforts of the Liberals' Roger Pincham in the 1970s (in 1983, boundary changes took in Tenbury Wells making the seat even more Conservative; Tenbury Wells was moved to West Worcestershire in 2010 but by then the Liberals/Liberal Democrats' best chances had passed), and has the lowest Labour support in the West Midlands region. It is locally and nationally becoming better for the Green Party, who have saved their deposit here in 3 consecutive general elections; Ellie Chowns, Green MEP for the West Midlands from May 2019 until January 2020 when Britain left the EU, was the candidate on the latter two occasions and in 2019 achieved the best Green result that did not involve "Unite to Remain" in any fashion.

[Chris from Brum]

Apr 2, 2020 22:08:42 GMT greenhert said:

North Herefordshire replaced the long-standing Leominster constituency in 2010, which was renamed mainly to objections from the smaller towns of Kington and Bromyard of being excluded from the constituency name. The Boundary Commission thus renamed it North Herefordshire.

North Herefordshire is one of the most rural constituencies in England, and only the towns of Leominster and Ledbury have a population exceeding 10,000 people. Ledbury is famous for its cider, and from 1997 to 2001 also sold (formerly Austin) Maestro cars that were supposed to have been sold in Bulgaria as knock-down kits. Leominster was once famous for its priory and also saw the last use of the ducking stool, in 1809, with that ducking stool still on display in the old Leominster Priory. North Herefordshire relies significantly on agriculture and tourism economically and socially.

North Herefordshire and its predecessor Leominster have been Conservative since 1910 despite the valiant efforts of the Liberals' Roger Pincham in the 1970s (in 1983, boundary changes took in Tenbury Wells making the seat even more Conservative; Tenbury Wells was moved to West Worcestershire in 2010 but by then the Liberals/Liberal Democrats' best chances had passed), and has the lowest Labour support in the West Midlands region. It is locally and nationally becoming better for the Green Party, who have saved their deposit here in 3 consecutive general elections; Ellie Chowns, Green MEP for the West Midlands from May 2019 until January 2020 when Britain left the EU, was the candidate on the latter two occasions and in 2019 achieved the best Green result that did not involve "Unite to Remain" in any fashion.

Strictly, in the Priory Church, which remains the main parish church for the town.  It's a rather impressive piece of kit, that ducking stool, and looks as though it could be wheeled out at a moment's notice if required!  I should say that I visit Leominster at least annually as my orchestra has a regular June concert there as part of the festival, in said Priory Church.  This will be the first year that we will have missed it due to COVID-19 forcing the cancellation of the festival  

[European Lefty]

Apr 3, 2020 8:49:03 GMT @barnabymarder said:

I read in the former Almanac that Leominster as it then was (and the seat hasn't changed that much since) was the most rural seat in England, based on the percentage of residents in rural enumeration districts. Perhaps this is still the case, I'm sure Robert would know. I have not been here very much although I have been to the remarkable Sun Inn at Leintwardine (was visiting my sister who lived in Hereford at the time).

I imagine it is still true, depending on how you define rural. Only a Scottish Highlands or a North Yorkshire seat would come close.

[Chris from Brum]

Apr 3, 2020 8:53:47 GMT European Lefty said:

Apr 3, 2020 8:49:03 GMT @barnabymarder said:

I read in the former Almanac that Leominster as it then was (and the seat hasn't changed that much since) was the most rural seat in England, based on the percentage of residents in rural enumeration districts. Perhaps this is still the case, I'm sure Robert would know. I have not been here very much although I have been to the remarkable Sun Inn at Leintwardine (was visiting my sister who lived in Hereford at the time).

I imagine it is still true, depending on how you define rural. Only a Scottish Highlands or a North Yorkshire seat would come close.

Richmond and Thirsk & Malton must be challengers.

[Pete Whitehead]

Apr 3, 2020 8:49:03 GMT @barnabymarder said:

I read in the former Almanac that Leominster as it then was (and the seat hasn't changed that much since) was the most rural seat in England, based on the percentage of residents in rural enumeration districts. Perhaps this is still the case, I'm sure Robert would know. I have not been here very much although I have been to the remarkable Sun Inn at Leintwardine (was visiting my sister who lived in Hereford at the time).

I stayed at Leintwardine last year and saw the Sun Inn. It is next to the small chip shop where we bought a meal and apparently it was a thing to take your meal into the parlour of the Sun Inn. My wife wanted us to do this but I didn't fancy it, being a longstanding practitioner of 'social distancing' before it became all the rage..

[Robert Waller]

2011 Census

Age 65+ 23.4% 29/650
Owner-occupied 70.1% 216/650
Private rented 15.2% 264/650
Social rented 11.5% 523/650
White 98.6% 44/650
Black 0.2% 574/650
Asian 0.6% 613/650
Managerial & professional 32.8%
Routine & Semi-routine 24.1%
Self employed 16.8% 4/650
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 7.3% 8/650
4 or more cars/vans in household 4.4% 12/650
Degree level 30.1% 179/650
No qualifications 21.8% 379/650
Students 5.4% 593/650

2021 Census

Owner occupied 70.6% 159/573
Private rented 18.3% 268/573
Social rented 11.1% 467/573
White 97.7%
Black 0.2%
Asian 0.8%
Managerial & professional 34.9% 227/573
Routine & Semi-routine 22.2% 341/573
Degree level 34.7% 210/573
No qualifications 17.1% 333/573



General Election 2019: North Herefordshire

Party Candidate Votes % ±%

Conservative Bill Wiggin 32,158 63.0 +1.0
Liberal Democrats Phillip Howells 7,302 14.3 +2.6
Labour Joe Wood 6,804 13.3 -5.6
Green Ellie Chowns 4,769 9.3 -3.8

C Majority 24,856 48.7 +5.6

Turnout 50,252 72.6 -1.5

Conservative hold

Swing

3.3 Lab to C

0.8 C to LD