Post by greenhert on Apr 23, 2020 16:20:14 GMT
The Stoke-on-Trent Central constituency was created in 1950, mainly from the old Hanley constituency. It comprises Stoke itself, Hanley, Hartshill, and Penkhull, in addition to a few housing estates in the east of the constituency.
Stoke-on-Trent Central is one of the poorest constituencies in the country. Unemployment is notably above the national and regional average as is the proportion of people classing themselves as "long term sick or disabled". This was once a centre of Britain's class-leading potterymaking industry but only Emma Bridgewater still employs staff in any significant numbers; glassmaking has disappeared as well although the connected industry of tilemaking still exists to some extent. Stoke-on-Trent Central contains the University of Staffordshire and some Keele students also stay in its western edge. Stoke-on-Trent Central has low owner-occupation levels, 52.6%, even though the proportion of students is only 18%. Incidentally, Stoke on Trent Central has the highest proportion of people with degree level qualifications of the 3 Stoke constituencies, but at 17.7% it is well below the national and regional average. It is also the most ethnically diverse constituency in Stoke although its ethnic breakdown is actually close to the national average.
Stoke-on-Trent Central used to be the most safely Labour of the 3 Stoke seats, which used to be all solidly Labour anyway, and it also had the lowest turnout. In 2015 it was the only constituency in Britain to record a turnout of lower than 50%, although it had previous form with turnouts of 47.4% and 48.4% in 2001 and 2005 respectively. Like the rest of Stoke on Trent it had both far right and independent streaks; localist Independent Richard Wise saved his deposit in 2001 and the BNP saved their deposit in both 2005 and 2010. The quality of its Labour representation has been partly responsible; from 1983 to 2010 it was represented by Old Etonian Mark Fisher, son of Sir Nigel Fisher who was Conservative MP for Surbiton from 1955 to 1983 (Sir Nigel was also educated at Eton). He was succeeded by Tristram Hunt, son of Labour life peer (Lord) Julian Hunt; his selection was mired in controversy as he was shortlisted over every local candidate who applied for the candidacy, leading to one of them, Gary Elsby, standing as an Independent. This did not prevent Mr Hunt being elected, though. In 2015 UKIP achieved second place and Independent activist Mark Breeze polled 6.8%, continuing both the political streaks seen in the Blair years. When Mr Hunt resigned in 2017 to become director of the V&A museum it became a target for UKIP in the resulting by-election, but then UKIP leader Paul Nuttall bungled his campaign and Gareth Snell was elected with only a 2.2% swing against him. When UKIP collapsed, the Conservatives were the main beneficiaries although Mr Snell recovered enough of the ex-Labour vote to keep the swing against him down to 2.5% in the June 2017 general election. His relief proved to be short-lived, however, as Kentish councillor Jo Gideon, one of the oldest new Conservative MPs of the 2019 intake, defeated him in 2019 by 670 votes to become this area's first Conservative MP since 1931 (counting Hanley as its closest predecessor). At a local level the City Independents have been making substantial advances against Labour although Labour has held up better here than in the two neighbouring constituencies.
Stoke-on-Trent Central is one of the poorest constituencies in the country. Unemployment is notably above the national and regional average as is the proportion of people classing themselves as "long term sick or disabled". This was once a centre of Britain's class-leading potterymaking industry but only Emma Bridgewater still employs staff in any significant numbers; glassmaking has disappeared as well although the connected industry of tilemaking still exists to some extent. Stoke-on-Trent Central contains the University of Staffordshire and some Keele students also stay in its western edge. Stoke-on-Trent Central has low owner-occupation levels, 52.6%, even though the proportion of students is only 18%. Incidentally, Stoke on Trent Central has the highest proportion of people with degree level qualifications of the 3 Stoke constituencies, but at 17.7% it is well below the national and regional average. It is also the most ethnically diverse constituency in Stoke although its ethnic breakdown is actually close to the national average.
Stoke-on-Trent Central used to be the most safely Labour of the 3 Stoke seats, which used to be all solidly Labour anyway, and it also had the lowest turnout. In 2015 it was the only constituency in Britain to record a turnout of lower than 50%, although it had previous form with turnouts of 47.4% and 48.4% in 2001 and 2005 respectively. Like the rest of Stoke on Trent it had both far right and independent streaks; localist Independent Richard Wise saved his deposit in 2001 and the BNP saved their deposit in both 2005 and 2010. The quality of its Labour representation has been partly responsible; from 1983 to 2010 it was represented by Old Etonian Mark Fisher, son of Sir Nigel Fisher who was Conservative MP for Surbiton from 1955 to 1983 (Sir Nigel was also educated at Eton). He was succeeded by Tristram Hunt, son of Labour life peer (Lord) Julian Hunt; his selection was mired in controversy as he was shortlisted over every local candidate who applied for the candidacy, leading to one of them, Gary Elsby, standing as an Independent. This did not prevent Mr Hunt being elected, though. In 2015 UKIP achieved second place and Independent activist Mark Breeze polled 6.8%, continuing both the political streaks seen in the Blair years. When Mr Hunt resigned in 2017 to become director of the V&A museum it became a target for UKIP in the resulting by-election, but then UKIP leader Paul Nuttall bungled his campaign and Gareth Snell was elected with only a 2.2% swing against him. When UKIP collapsed, the Conservatives were the main beneficiaries although Mr Snell recovered enough of the ex-Labour vote to keep the swing against him down to 2.5% in the June 2017 general election. His relief proved to be short-lived, however, as Kentish councillor Jo Gideon, one of the oldest new Conservative MPs of the 2019 intake, defeated him in 2019 by 670 votes to become this area's first Conservative MP since 1931 (counting Hanley as its closest predecessor). At a local level the City Independents have been making substantial advances against Labour although Labour has held up better here than in the two neighbouring constituencies.
