Post by BossMan on May 2, 2020 12:22:08 GMT
DEWSBURY
The 2010 boundary changes had a significant effect on the shape and political make up of the Dewsbury constituency in West Yorkshire. It lost the strongly Labour ward of Heckmondwike to Batley and Spen, but gained the less Labour-inclined Denby Dale and Kirkburton wards from Wakefield. Kirkburton ward’s southernmost point is about twelve miles from the town of Dewsbury itself, giving the seat a much more semi-rural character. This had the effect of turning the constituency into a keenly fought Conservative-Labour marginal, rather than a seat the Conservatives could only win in their landslide of 1983, their first victory since 1918.
Dewsbury is a mill town, the largest of its kind in the Heavy Woollen District, and is situated in the northeastern corner of the constituency which bears its name. It has suffered much negative media attention in recent years due to a number high profile crimes linked to the area. Dewsbury was the the home of the ringleader of the 2005 London bombings. Dewsbury West includes Dewsbury Moor, a deprived area which received national attention over the Shannon Matthews kidnapping case. Another deprived area is Chickenley, which is located in Dewsbury East.
The town has a significant Asian community, mostly Muslims of Indian and Pakistani origin – particularly in the deprived Ravensthorpe area, in the Dewsbury West ward; and Savile Town in Dewsbury South.
Unsurprisingly, Labour can usually rely on the three Dewsbury wards at local elections. Dewsbury East has been reliably Labour since 2007, although there are more Tory voters in this part of the town. There was evidence of tensions and resentment against the Asian community when in 2006 it elected a BNP councillor, the year after Shahid Malik was elected MP to replace the retiring former frontbencher Ann Taylor.
Both West and South wards were over 70% Labour in May 2019. Yet South could and did elect Conservatives before 2012, and the Lib Dems last won West in 2008 after a string of previous victories. This seems very difficult to believe now, but it is possible this was largely a result of the racial and religious politics of the area, similar to what has been seen in Bradford West or Keighley. There has been a tendency for Asian and Muslim candidates to perform better in these seats regardless of the parties they represent.
But Dewsbury itself only makes up three of the constituency’s six wards. To its west is the second largest settlement, Mirfield. The contrast with Dewsbury is stark. It is much more middle class, and very reliable for the Conservatives at local elections.
Further south are the more rural wards. Kirkburton, which includes the village of the same name and a number of others, such as Shepley and Shelley, is fairly unusual in that it is a Conservative-Green marginal, with the Conservatives prevailing more often than not. Denby Dale ward is home to the Emley Moor transmitting station, made up of a 1,084 foot tower which can be seen for several miles. The ward includes the village of the same name, Skelmanthorpe and Clayton West, and is a Tory-Labour marginal.
Following the 2010 boundary changes, the constituency has changed hands three times. Shahid Malik was ousted by the Conservative Simon Reevell in 2010, who was himself beaten by Labour’s Paula Sheriff in 2015. She held on in 2017 but was ousted in the “Brexit election” of 2019 by the Conservative Mark Eastwood, who won a majority of 1,561. Labour’s 7% decline in vote share that year was fairly evenly distributed between the Tory, Lib Dem and Brexit Party candidates. Dewsbury constituency had voted 57% in favour of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum.
As long as the current boundaries remain in place, this seat of two halves, Dewsbury against the rest,will continue to be keenly contested.
The 2010 boundary changes had a significant effect on the shape and political make up of the Dewsbury constituency in West Yorkshire. It lost the strongly Labour ward of Heckmondwike to Batley and Spen, but gained the less Labour-inclined Denby Dale and Kirkburton wards from Wakefield. Kirkburton ward’s southernmost point is about twelve miles from the town of Dewsbury itself, giving the seat a much more semi-rural character. This had the effect of turning the constituency into a keenly fought Conservative-Labour marginal, rather than a seat the Conservatives could only win in their landslide of 1983, their first victory since 1918.
Dewsbury is a mill town, the largest of its kind in the Heavy Woollen District, and is situated in the northeastern corner of the constituency which bears its name. It has suffered much negative media attention in recent years due to a number high profile crimes linked to the area. Dewsbury was the the home of the ringleader of the 2005 London bombings. Dewsbury West includes Dewsbury Moor, a deprived area which received national attention over the Shannon Matthews kidnapping case. Another deprived area is Chickenley, which is located in Dewsbury East.
The town has a significant Asian community, mostly Muslims of Indian and Pakistani origin – particularly in the deprived Ravensthorpe area, in the Dewsbury West ward; and Savile Town in Dewsbury South.
Unsurprisingly, Labour can usually rely on the three Dewsbury wards at local elections. Dewsbury East has been reliably Labour since 2007, although there are more Tory voters in this part of the town. There was evidence of tensions and resentment against the Asian community when in 2006 it elected a BNP councillor, the year after Shahid Malik was elected MP to replace the retiring former frontbencher Ann Taylor.
Both West and South wards were over 70% Labour in May 2019. Yet South could and did elect Conservatives before 2012, and the Lib Dems last won West in 2008 after a string of previous victories. This seems very difficult to believe now, but it is possible this was largely a result of the racial and religious politics of the area, similar to what has been seen in Bradford West or Keighley. There has been a tendency for Asian and Muslim candidates to perform better in these seats regardless of the parties they represent.
But Dewsbury itself only makes up three of the constituency’s six wards. To its west is the second largest settlement, Mirfield. The contrast with Dewsbury is stark. It is much more middle class, and very reliable for the Conservatives at local elections.
Further south are the more rural wards. Kirkburton, which includes the village of the same name and a number of others, such as Shepley and Shelley, is fairly unusual in that it is a Conservative-Green marginal, with the Conservatives prevailing more often than not. Denby Dale ward is home to the Emley Moor transmitting station, made up of a 1,084 foot tower which can be seen for several miles. The ward includes the village of the same name, Skelmanthorpe and Clayton West, and is a Tory-Labour marginal.
Following the 2010 boundary changes, the constituency has changed hands three times. Shahid Malik was ousted by the Conservative Simon Reevell in 2010, who was himself beaten by Labour’s Paula Sheriff in 2015. She held on in 2017 but was ousted in the “Brexit election” of 2019 by the Conservative Mark Eastwood, who won a majority of 1,561. Labour’s 7% decline in vote share that year was fairly evenly distributed between the Tory, Lib Dem and Brexit Party candidates. Dewsbury constituency had voted 57% in favour of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum.
As long as the current boundaries remain in place, this seat of two halves, Dewsbury against the rest,will continue to be keenly contested.