Post by greenhert on Apr 4, 2020 11:59:37 GMT
Derbyshire Dales was created for the 2010 general election from most of West Derbyshire; in fact it is almost coterminous with the pre-1983 boundaries of West Derbyshire.
Derbyshire Dales covers the southern end of the Peak District National Park and a large rural area of Derbyshire, including a few villages in the Amber Valley council area such as Whatstandwell. The main settlements of Derbyshire Dales are the former spa town of Matlock, the resort of Matlock Bath famous for its cable cars and annual regatta, Bakewell where Bakewell Tarts originated, the smaller former spa town of Ashbourne, the arty town of Wirksworth, and several villages near or in the Peaks. Demographically, Derbyshire Dales is mostly white, has a considerably older than average population, and has a high proportion of graduates for an East Midlands constituency despite its relative isolation in transport terms.
Politically, this seat's predecessor, West Derbyshire, was associated with the Cavendish family, holders of the title Duke of Devonshire. Several members of that family were MPs for this area but no Cavendish (whether by descent or marriage) has contested the area at a parliamentary level since 1944. For 123 out of the last 135 years, West Derbyshire and the Derbyshire Dales have been in Conservative hands, with Charles White Senior (for the Liberals) and his son Charles White Junior (for Labour) providing the only non-Conservative interludes. The closest challenge since has been a near-miss by the Liberals' Christopher Walmsley in a 1986 by-election, where Sir Patrick McLoughlin held the seat by only 100 votes following the resignation of journalist and broadcaster Matthew Parris. He retired as MP for this seat last year and the current MP here is Sarah Dines. At a local level, Derbyshire Dales DC is safely Conservative with the Liberal Democrats usually providing the main challenge.
Derbyshire Dales covers the southern end of the Peak District National Park and a large rural area of Derbyshire, including a few villages in the Amber Valley council area such as Whatstandwell. The main settlements of Derbyshire Dales are the former spa town of Matlock, the resort of Matlock Bath famous for its cable cars and annual regatta, Bakewell where Bakewell Tarts originated, the smaller former spa town of Ashbourne, the arty town of Wirksworth, and several villages near or in the Peaks. Demographically, Derbyshire Dales is mostly white, has a considerably older than average population, and has a high proportion of graduates for an East Midlands constituency despite its relative isolation in transport terms.
Politically, this seat's predecessor, West Derbyshire, was associated with the Cavendish family, holders of the title Duke of Devonshire. Several members of that family were MPs for this area but no Cavendish (whether by descent or marriage) has contested the area at a parliamentary level since 1944. For 123 out of the last 135 years, West Derbyshire and the Derbyshire Dales have been in Conservative hands, with Charles White Senior (for the Liberals) and his son Charles White Junior (for Labour) providing the only non-Conservative interludes. The closest challenge since has been a near-miss by the Liberals' Christopher Walmsley in a 1986 by-election, where Sir Patrick McLoughlin held the seat by only 100 votes following the resignation of journalist and broadcaster Matthew Parris. He retired as MP for this seat last year and the current MP here is Sarah Dines. At a local level, Derbyshire Dales DC is safely Conservative with the Liberal Democrats usually providing the main challenge.
