WJ
Non-Aligned
Posts: 3,274
|
Post by WJ on May 25, 2020 20:25:22 GMT
The constituency of Shrewsbury had existed since 1290, although since 1983 it has been tagged with the name Shrewsbury and Atcham. This matched it with the district council of the same name. However, since the Shropshire district councils were abolished in 2009 to make the Shropshire Unitary Authority the name of Atcham may fall to the psephologist’s axe at the next review. Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire and a historic market town nestled in the folds of the River Severn. The town managed to preserve many of its historic buildings and streets from the desolation of the 60’s and 70’s largely due to the challenging geography which prevented the creation of ring roads. Historically, the town had importance due to the proximity of the Welsh border and later its prosperity was due to the wool trade, however for hundreds of years, this has been a sleepy backwater on the periphery of England. These days, the town mostly acts as a retail centre for much of Shropshire and Mid-Wales, though there has also been a rise in the number of more affluent immigrants from the Black Country, who use it as a dormitory town. Shrewsbury itself, with a population of 71,000 is not large enough for its own constituency so the boundaries also include a large chuck of central Shropshire and even shares a short border with Powys. The surrounding countryside is dotted with large, dormitory villages such as Pontesbury, Bomere Heath, Bayston Hill, Dorrington, Minsterley and least amongst them, Atcham.
Politically, this is Conservative country, though historically the Whigs and later the Liberals usually managed to hold one of the two allocated seats and it was once briefly represented by Benjamin Disraeli. In more recent times, the seat became more strongly associated with the Conservatives, although rarely with an absolute majority due to a strong, but split, opposition. In 1997, Labour surged from third place overturning Derek Conway’s 10,965 majority. Conway later reappeared as the member for Old Bexley and Sidcup and his subsequent fall from grace is best covered in that entry. Conway was succeeded by Paul Marsden who went on to strengthen his hold on the constituency in 2001. However, shortly after that he fell out with Blair and the Labour whips regarding the war in Afghanistan and by December 2001 he had defected to the Liberal Democrats. From the opposition benches, he continued to be a vociferous anti-war campaigner. Just a few months before the 2005 election he re-defected back to the Labour party, though he did not contest his seat. In doing so, he became the first MP to cross the floor twice since Churchill. In 2005, the Conservatives squeaked back in under Daniel Kawczynski. Kawczynski is an unusual character given his sexual orientation and the international friends (particularly in Poland, Hungary and Saudi Arabia) whom he has lobbied for. The Conservatives have held the seat ever since, though not comfortably and this is now the closest thing to a marginal seat Shropshire has and it is likely to be in danger at the next Labour surge.
On a local level, the surrounding countryside is very much Conservative, while Shrewsbury itself has supplies the majority of the opposition members on the Council. Labour have some very strong wards, particularly in the more impoverished north of the town, while the Liberal Democrats hold sway in the leafier suburbs. The Greens also hold the Porthill ward in the south of the town.
|
|
WJ
Non-Aligned
Posts: 3,274
|
Post by WJ on May 25, 2020 20:25:49 GMT
This one might need a little more work.
|
|
|
|
Post by gwynthegriff on May 25, 2020 20:50:48 GMT
Kawczynski is an unusual character given his sexual orientation and the international friends (particularly in Poland, Hungary and Saudi Arabia) whom he has lobbied for. Er, are we to conclude from this that his sexual orientation would create difficulties for him in those countries ? |
|
WJ
Non-Aligned
Posts: 3,274
|
Post by WJ on May 25, 2020 20:53:26 GMT
Kawczynski is an unusual character given his sexual orientation and the international friends (particularly in Poland, Hungary and Saudi Arabia) whom he has lobbied for. Er, are we to conclude from this that his sexual orientation would create difficulties for him in those countries ? Quite frankly, yes. Though I do understand that not every matter in politics has to be viewed through that lense. However, of all the countries for a bisexual man to lobby for, Saudi Arabia is an unusual choice. |
|
|
|
Post by gwynthegriff on May 25, 2020 21:04:58 GMT
Er, are we to conclude from this that his sexual orientation would create difficulties for him in those countries ? Quite frankly, yes. Though I do understand that not every matter in politics has to be viewed through that lense. However, of all the countries for a bisexual man to lobby for, Saudi Arabia is an unusual choice. I had no idea he was bisexual. |
|
carlton43
Reform Party
Posts: 50,934 
Member is Online
|
Post by carlton43 on May 25, 2020 22:36:24 GMT
This one might need a little more work. You can say that again. It is a very thin piece of work. I might have a go at it myself. I have known it for over 50-years and was on the Conservative team for a few weeks in 2005. |
|
|
|
Post by greenhert on May 26, 2020 11:23:39 GMT
Another remarkable feature of this constituency is how little its boundaries have changed in the last 135 years. Atcham was already in the constituency prior to 1983 so there was no need to add it to the constituency name given how small Atcham actually is. Why was it even included in the name of a local government district at all given its tiny population? It is like calling Mid Suffolk "Eye".
|
|
Chris from Brum
Lib Dem
What I need is a strong drink and a peer group.
Posts: 9,743
|
Post by Chris from Brum on May 26, 2020 12:29:26 GMT
Another remarkable feature of this constituency is how little its boundaries have changed in the last 135 years. Atcham was already in the constituency prior to 1983 so there was no need to add it to the constituency name given how small Atcham actually is. Why was it even included in the name of a local government district at all given its tiny population? It is like calling Mid Suffolk "Eye". CF. also Basingstoke and Deane, where the intention was to include both the largest *and* smallest settlements in the borough. But more pertinently, the new borough based on Shrewsbury, created in 1974, merged the County Borough of Shrewsbury with the Rural District of Atcham. So the new name reflected that, and when the parliamentary boundaries were updated to coincide with the borough, it was duly renamed. Near to Atcham is the NT property of Attingham Park, a grand stately home with gardens. Atcham's name is a contraction of Attingham, however the grand pile is pronounced in full as spelt. |
|
Rural Radical
Labour
Now living in a Labour held ward at Borough level for the first time in many years
Posts: 1,627
|
Post by Rural Radical on May 26, 2020 18:59:06 GMT
Yes Gwyn he came out as such some time ago. Since then at least one other MP has done the same. We could do with a little detail about where the Labour & Conservative vote is strongest in the town (the villages I know are very Conservative). As I recall the town has wards which are regularly and comfortably won by all 3 main parties. I would personally be specific that Kawczynski is bisexual. He also happens to be the tallest MP possibly of all time. Bayston Hill is pretty strong for Labour. |
|
Rural Radical
Labour
Now living in a Labour held ward at Borough level for the first time in many years
Posts: 1,627
|
Post by Rural Radical on May 26, 2020 22:04:38 GMT
Yes Gwyn he came out as such some time ago. Since then at least one other MP has done the same. We could do with a little detail about where the Labour & Conservative vote is strongest in the town (the villages I know are very Conservative). As I recall the town has wards which are regularly and comfortably won by all 3 main parties. I would personally be specific that Kawczynski is bisexual. He also happens to be the tallest MP possibly of all time. Bayston Hill is pretty strong for Labour. |
|
Rural Radical
Labour
Now living in a Labour held ward at Borough level for the first time in many years
Posts: 1,627
|
Post by Rural Radical on May 26, 2020 22:07:12 GMT
Yes Gwyn he came out as such some time ago. Since then at least one other MP has done the same. We could do with a little detail about where the Labour & Conservative vote is strongest in the town (the villages I know are very Conservative). As I recall the town has wards which are regularly and comfortably won by all 3 main parties. I would personally be specific that Kawczynski is bisexual. He also happens to be the tallest MP possibly of all time. Bayston Hill is pretty strong for Labour. The other strong Labour wards are: Sundorne Castlefields & Ditherington Belle Vue Sutton & Reabrook |
|
|
|
Post by timrollpickering on May 26, 2020 22:43:47 GMT
But more pertinently, the new borough based on Shrewsbury, created in 1974, merged the County Borough of Shrewsbury with the Rural District of Atcham. So the new name reflected that, and when the parliamentary boundaries were updated to coincide with the borough, it was duly renamed. Near to Atcham is the NT property of Attingham Park, a grand stately home with gardens. Atcham's name is a contraction of Attingham, however the grand pile is pronounced in full as spelt. The 1974 onwards authority was initially called "Shrewsbury" but the council voted to change the name in June that year. The council was NOC at the time and this may have been one of the prices of a smooth merger. I presume nobody ever debates the pronunciation of Atcham. |
|
|
|
Post by Delighted Of Tunbridge Wells on May 26, 2020 23:05:46 GMT
The constituency of Shrewsbury had existed since 1290, although since 1983 it has been tagged with the name Shrewsbury and Atcham. This matched it with the district council of the same name. However, since the Shropshire district councils were abolished in 2009 to make the Shropshire Unitary Authority the name of Atcham may fall to the psephologist’s axe at the next review. Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire and a historic market town nestled in the folds of the River Severn. The town managed to preserve many of its historic buildings and streets from the desolation of the 60’s and 70’s largely due to the challenging geography which prevented the creation of ring roads. Historically, the town had importance due to the proximity of the Welsh border and later its prosperity was due to the wool trade, however for hundreds of years, this has been a sleepy backwater on the periphery of England. These days, the town mostly acts as a retail centre for much of Shropshire and Mid-Wales, though there has also been a rise in the number of more affluent immigrants from the Black Country, who use it as a dormitory town. Shrewsbury itself, with a population of 71,000 is not large enough for its own constituency so the boundaries also include a large chuck of central Shropshire and even shares a short border with Powys. The surrounding countryside is dotted with large, dormitory villages such as Pontesbury, Bomere Heath, Bayston Hill, Dorrington, Minsterley and least amongst them, Atcham. Politically, this is Conservative country, though historically the Whigs and later the Liberals usually managed to hold one of the two allocated seats and it was once briefly represented by Benjamin Disraeli. In more recent times, the seat became more strongly associated with the Conservatives, although rarely with an absolute majority due to a strong, but split, opposition. In 1997, Labour surged from third place overturning Derek Conway’s 10,965 majority. Conway later reappeared as the member for Old Bexley and Sidcup and his subsequent fall from grace is best covered in that entry. Conway was succeeded by Paul Marsden who went on to strengthen his hold on the constituency in 2001. However, shortly after that he fell out with Blair and the Labour whips regarding the war in Afghanistan and by December 2001 he had defected to the Liberal Democrats. From the opposition benches, he continued to be a vociferous anti-war campaigner. Just a few months before the 2005 election he re-defected back to the Labour party, though he did not contest his seat. In doing so, he became the first MP to cross the floor twice since Churchill. In 2005, the Conservatives squeaked back in under Daniel Kawczynski. Kawczynski is an unusual character given his sexual orientation and the international friends (particularly in Poland, Hungary and Saudi Arabia) whom he has lobbied for. The Conservatives have held the seat ever since, though not comfortably and this is now the closest thing to a marginal seat Shropshire has and it is likely to be in danger at the next Labour surge. On a local level, the surrounding countryside is very much Conservative, while Shrewsbury itself has supplies the majority of the opposition members on the Council. Labour have some very strong wards, particularly in the more impoverished north of the town, while the Liberal Democrats hold sway in the leafier suburbs. The Greens also hold the Porthill ward in the south of the town. It's a very detailed and good preview, but one small point. Wouldn't Telford be more marginal in the long term? The swing and subsequent large majority for Lucy Allan in 2019 was out of character for the seat. |
|
Sibboleth
Labour
'Sit on my finger, sing in my ear, O littleblood.'
Posts: 16,035
|
Post by Sibboleth on May 27, 2020 0:33:14 GMT
Given the very similar boundaries it's quite striking that the Tories held it in 1945 but lost it in 1997 & 2001 even though they had a new candidate in 1945. Although Labour's lead in 1997 & 2001 was slightly higher even than in 1945. It's not unique of course but it's still interesting Shrewsbury changed a lot after the war, with the growth of engineering jobs (gone now, but their sociological impact has lasted) and the big postwar migration of the rural poor to market towns. The 1945 version of the constituency also included a historically Liberal-voting agricultural region around Chirbury, long since moved to Ludlow by 1997. |
|
Sibboleth
Labour
'Sit on my finger, sing in my ear, O littleblood.'
Posts: 16,035
|
Post by Sibboleth on May 27, 2020 0:39:28 GMT
It's a very detailed and good preview, but one small point. Wouldn't Telford be more marginal in the long term? The swing and subsequent large majority for Lucy Allan in 2019 was out of character for the seat. If nothing else, the agricultural element here means that there's a much higher floor for the Conservatives, unless they really are stupid enough to force through a Free Trade Agreement with the USA. Of course an extra factor in Telford last year was controversy over the candidate: the man the local party wanted was prevented from standing due to the imposition of an AWS. He's a very popular man in Dawley at least and considered pulling a Peter Law, but was eventually convinced to stand as a paper candidate at Ludlow instead. But sentiment locally was, I gather, not appeased and I wonder how much effort elements in the (normally very effective, despite its small size) local party put in, under the circumstances. |
|
Richard Allen
Banned
Four time loser in VUKPOTY finals
Posts: 19,052
|
Post by Richard Allen on May 27, 2020 0:57:22 GMT
Yes Gwyn he came out as such some time ago. Since then at least one other MP has done the same. We could do with a little detail about where the Labour & Conservative vote is strongest in the town (the villages I know are very Conservative). As I recall the town has wards which are regularly and comfortably won by all 3 main parties. I would personally be specific that Kawczynski is bisexual. He also happens to be the tallest MP possibly of all time. Bayston Hill is pretty strong for Labour. While Bayston Hill is technically a village in its own right in some ways it is more like a peripheral suburb of Shrewsbury. It is bit too close to the town, and the Bypass (A5), for it to be affluent commuter village territory but also separated from the town by the aforementioned bypass. |
|
J.G.Harston
Lib Dem
Leave-voting Brexit-supporting Liberal Democrat
Posts: 14,781
|
Post by J.G.Harston on May 27, 2020 1:35:14 GMT
Bayston Hill is pretty strong for Labour. While Bayston Hill is technically a village in its own right in some ways it is more like a peripheral suburb of Shrewsbury. It is bit too close to the town, and the Bypass (A5), for it to be affluent commuter village territory but also separated from the town by the aforementioned bypass. The Town Council parish boundary runs so close to, but wriggles around the bypass, it's demanding I get my pencils out and redraw it along the bypass itself.
|
|
|
|
Post by Adam in Stroud on May 27, 2020 7:21:42 GMT
It's a very detailed and good preview, but one small point. Wouldn't Telford be more marginal in the long term? The swing and subsequent large majority for Lucy Allan in 2019 was out of character for the seat. If nothing else, the agricultural element here means that there's a much higher floor for the Conservatives, unless they really are stupid enough to force through a Free Trade Agreement with the USA. Of course an extra factor in Telford last year was controversy over the candidate: the man the local party wanted was prevented from standing due to the imposition of an AWS. He's a very popular man in Dawley at least and considered pulling a Peter Law, but was eventually convinced to stand as a paper candidate at Ludlow instead. But sentiment locally was, I gather, not appeased and I wonder how much effort elements in the (normally very effective, despite its small size) local party put in, under the circumstances. Although that is exactly what they have prepared the ground for by legislating in the Ag Bill to allow importers to be exempt from UK standards. Even if they don't go ahead, they have sent out a signal that they are willing to do so in the face of specific call not to from across the sector. |
|
|
|
Post by timrollpickering on May 27, 2020 12:25:09 GMT
Shrewsbury is a rare English town with an alternative name in Welsh - Amwythig ("fortified place"). It's the hub of the Welsh railway network with links to the main lines in both north and south Wales as well as being the start of the Cambrian and Heart of Wales lines through mid and west Wales. This is because there's no internal connection between the three main lines in Wales itself. (Despite this Welsh organisations generally hold their all-Wales meetings in Wales. However exceptions have included the Welsh Assembly government meeting council & industry representatives over transport policy.) |
|
J.G.Harston
Lib Dem
Leave-voting Brexit-supporting Liberal Democrat
Posts: 14,781
|
Post by J.G.Harston on May 27, 2020 16:12:37 GMT
Shrewsbury is a rare English town with an alternative name in Welsh - Amwythig ("fortified place"). It's the hub of the Welsh railway network with links to the main lines in both north and south Wales as well as being the start of the Cambrian and Heart of Wales lines through mid and west Wales. This is because there's no internal connection between the three main lines in Wales itself. (Despite this Welsh organisations generally hold their all-Wales meetings in Wales. However exceptions have included the Welsh Assembly government meeting council & industry representatives over transport policy.) Well, Shewsbury in on the Servern, so it's "really" in Wales. 
|
|
