Bradford West
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Bradford West in West Yorkshire
Outline map
Location of West Yorkshire within England
CountyWest Yorkshire
Population114,761 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate71,585 (December 2019)[2]
Major settlementsBradford
Current constituency
Created1955
Member of ParliamentNaz Shah (Labour)
Created fromBradford Central, Bradford North and Bradford South
1885–1918
SeatsOne
Type of constituencyBorough constituency
Created fromBradford

Bradford West is a constituency[n 1] in West Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Naz Shah of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Constituency profile

Bradford West covers the Bradford city centre, Manningham, Allerton and Clayton. It has a significant Pakistani population and a majority of Muslim voters.[3]

History

Before 1974, the Labour and Conservative Parties held the seat marginally in various years, since which time the Labour Party always won the seat, with the exception of the 2012 Bradford West by-election. In 1981, however, Edward Lyons, the sitting Bradford West MP, joined the newly established Social Democratic Party, consequently losing the seat at the 1983 general election.

In 1997, the seat was one of only two Labour seats in the country, the other being Bethnal Green and Bow in London, to have seen a swing towards the Conservatives away from Labour. This was attributed to the local party association selecting a Sikh, Marsha Singh to stand when the majority of the seat's population is Muslim. In 2010, however, Singh retained his seat with a swing in his favour, against the national result.

George Galloway of the Respect Party won the seat in the 2012 Bradford West by-election with 55.9% of the votes cast; his 30.9% majority was at the time the largest majority in the history of the modern constituency, but he lost the seat in 2015 to the new Labour candidate Naz Shah by a substantial (28.3%) margin. Despite Galloway's threats to contest the result, he neither launched a legal challenge nor stood again in 2017, in which Shah surpassed his record by winning a majority of 48.1%, the largest margin for a Bradford West MP in any incarnation of the seat. Despite Galloway not standing, his former Respect colleague Salma Yaqoob did stand as an Independent, garnering 6,345 votes (13.9%), not far behind the second-placed Conservative candidate.

At the 2019 general election Shah increased her vote share by 11.5%. This was easily the highest increase in the Labour Party's vote share in any constituency in the United Kingdom, in an election where Labour's vote share decreased in all but 13 constituencies. This means that Bradford West has bucked the national trend thrice, as it also did in 1997 and 2010.[4] Bradford West, since 2019, is the safest seat in the region of Yorkshire and the Humber for Labour.

Boundaries

Map
Map of present boundaries

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Bradford wards of Allerton, Bolton, Great Horton, Heaton, and Manningham.

1955–1974: The County Borough of Bradford wards of Allerton, Great Horton, Heaton, Manningham, and Thornton.

1974–1983: The County Borough of Bradford wards of Allerton, Heaton, Little Horton, Manningham, Thornton, and University.

1983–2010: The City of Bradford wards of Clayton, Heaton, Little Horton, Thornton, Toller, and University.

2010–present: The City of Bradford wards of City, Clayton and Fairweather Green, Heaton, Manningham, Thornton and Allerton, and Toller.

Members of Parliament

The constituency was originally created in 1885, but was abolished in 1918. For the 1955 general election the constituency was recreated, following a boundary review.[5]

Election Member[6][7][8][9] Party
1885 Alfred Illingworth Liberal
1895 Ernest Flower Conservative
1906 Fred Jowett Labour
1918 constituency abolished
1955 constituency recreated
Arthur Tiley Conservative
1966 Norman Haseldine Labour Co-op
1970 John Wilkinson Conservative
Feb 1974 Edward Lyons Labour
1981 SDP
1983 Max Madden Labour
1997 Marsha Singh Labour
2012 by-election George Galloway Respect
2015 Naz Shah Labour
Apr 2016 Independent
July 2016 Labour

Elections

Bradford West election results

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Bradford West[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Naz Shah 33,736 76.2 +11.5
Conservative Mohammed Afzal 6,717 15.2 -1.4
Brexit Party Derrick Hodgson 1,556 3.5 New
Liberal Democrats Mark Christie 1,349 3.0 +1.5
Green Darren Parkinson 813 1.8 +0.8
Independent Azfar Bukhari 90 0.2 New
Majority 27,019 61.0 +12.9
Turnout 44,261 62.6 -4.8
Labour hold Swing +6.5
General election 2017: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Naz Shah 29,444 64.7 +15.1
Conservative George Grant 7,542 16.6 +1.3
Independent Salma Yaqoob 6,345 13.9 New
UKIP Derrick Hodgson 885 1.9 −5.8
Liberal Democrats Alun Griffiths 712 1.6 −1.3
Green Celia Hickson 481 1.1 −1.6
Independent Hussain Khadim 65 0.1 New
Independent Muhammad Hijazi 54 0.1 New
Majority 21,902 48.1 +19.7
Turnout 45,528 67.4 +3.8
Labour hold Swing New
General election 2015: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Naz Shah 19,977 49.6 +4.3
Respect George Galloway 8,557 21.2 +18.1
Conservative George Grant 6,160 15.3 -15.8
UKIP Harry Boota 3,140 7.8 +5.8
Liberal Democrats Alun Griffiths 1,173 2.9 −8.8
Green Celia Hickson 1,085 2.7 +0.4
Independent James Kirkcaldy 100 0.2 New
English Democrat Therese Muchewicz 98 0.2 New
Majority 11,420 28.4 +14.2
Turnout 40,290 63.6 +13.6
Labour hold Swing New
2012 Bradford West by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Respect George Galloway 18,341 55.9 +52.8
Labour Imran Hussain 8,201 25.0 −20.3
Conservative Jackie Whiteley 2,746 8.4 −22.7
Liberal Democrats Jeanette Sunderland 1,505 4.6 −7.1
UKIP Sonja McNally 1,085 3.3 +1.3
Green Dawud Islam 481 1.5 −0.8
Democratic Nationalists Neil Craig 344 1.0 −0.1
Monster Raving Loony Howling Laud Hope 111 0.3 New
Majority 10,140 30.9
Turnout 32,814 50.0 −14.9
Respect gain from Labour Swing +36.6
General election 2010: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Marsha Singh 18,401 45.3 +5.6
Conservative Zahid Iqbal 12,638 31.1 −0.2
Liberal Democrats David Hall-Matthews 4,732 11.7 −7.4
BNP Jenny Sampson 1,370 3.4 −3.5
Respect Arshad Ali 1,245 3.1 New
Green David Ford 940 2.3 −0.7
UKIP Jason Smith 812 2.0 New
Democratic Nationalists Neil Craig 438 1.1 New
Majority 5,763 14.2 +5.8
Turnout 40,576 64.9 +10.9
Labour hold Swing +2.9

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Marsha Singh 14,570 40.1 −7.9
Conservative Haroon Rashid 11,544 31.7 −5.4
Liberal Democrats Mukhtar Ali 6,620 18.2 +11.8
BNP Paul Cromie 2,525 6.9 New
Green Parvez Darr 1,110 3.1 −3.9
Majority 3,026 8.4 -2.5
Turnout 36,369 54.0 +0.4
Labour hold Swing -1.2
General election 2001: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Marsha Singh 18,401 48.0 +6.4
Conservative Mohammed Riaz 14,236 37.1 +4.1
Green John Robinson 2,672 7.0 +5.1
Liberal Democrats Abdul Khan 2,437 6.4 −8.4
UKIP Imran Hussain 427 1.1 New
Asian League Farhan Khokhar 197 0.5 New
Majority 4,165 10.9 +2.3
Turnout 38,370 53.6 −9.7
Labour hold Swing +1.2

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Marsha Singh 18,932 41.6 −11.6
Conservative Mohammed Riaz 15,055 33.0 −0.8
Liberal Democrats Helen Wright 6,737 14.8 +4.0
Socialist Labour Party (UK) Abdul R. Khan 1,551 3.4 New
Referendum Party Christopher Royston 1,348 3.0 New
Green Party of England and Wales John Robinson 861 1.9 New
British National Party Gary Osborn 839 1.8 New
Socialist Party (England and Wales) Sajjad Shah 245 0.5 New
Majority 3,877 8.6 -10.8
Turnout 45,568 63.3 -6.6
Labour hold Swing -5.4
General election 1992: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Max Madden 26,046 53.2 +1.3
Conservative Andrew J. Ashworth 16,544 33.8 -2.9
Liberal Democrats Alun O. Griffiths 5,150 10.5 -0.9
Independent Peter Braham 735 1.5 New
Islamic Party of Britain David Pidcock 471 1.0 New
Majority 9,502 19.4 +4.2
Turnout 48,946 69.9 -0.3
Labour hold Swing +2.1

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Max Madden 25,775 51.9 +12.2
Conservative Iain Duncan Smith 18,224 36.7 +3.8
SDP Manzoor Moghal 5,657 11.4 -15.7
Majority 7,551 15.2 +8.4
Turnout 49,656 70.2 +1.3
Labour hold Swing +4.2
General election 1983: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Max Madden 19,499 39.7 -14.1
Conservative Stephen Day 16,162 32.9 -3.7
SDP Edward Lyons 13,301 27.1 +19.0
Workers' Revolutionary Party (UK) B. Slaughter 139 0.3 New
Majority 3,337 6.8 -10.4
Turnout 49,101 68.9 -0.2
Labour hold Swing -5.2

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edward Lyons 24,309 53.82
Conservative Thomas Stow 16,554 36.65
Liberal Nicholas Flood 3,668 8.12
British National Front G. Brown 633 1.4
Majority 7,755 17.17
Turnout 45,164 69.05
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edward Lyons 21,133 48.53
Conservative John Wilkinson 16,192 37.18
Liberal S. Harris 5,884 13.51
Campaign for a More Prosperous Britain Harold Smith 339 0.78
Majority 4,941 11.35
Turnout 43,548 69.47
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Edward Lyons 20,787 43.36
Conservative John Wilkinson 18,568 38.74
Liberal Party (UK) Roderick Francis Hutton Taylor 7,216 15.05
Anti-Immigration Jim Merrick 1,164 2.43
Ind Democratic Alliance Ralph Oakden Herbert 200 0.42
Majority 2,219 4.62
Turnout 47,935 77.12
Labour gain from Conservative
General election 1970: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Wilkinson 20,475 51.95
Labour Norman Haseldine 18,936 48.05
Majority 1,539 3.90
Turnout 39,411 73.81
Conservative gain from Labour

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Norman Haseldine 19,704 52.03
Conservative Arthur Tiley 18,170 47.97
Majority 1,534 4.06
Turnout 37,874 76.61
Labour Co-op gain from Conservative
General election 1964: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Tiley 21,121 54.02
Labour Co-op Norman Haseldine 17,974 45.98
Majority 3,147 8.04
Turnout 39,098 76.79
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Tiley 23,012 56.24
Labour Sydney Hyam 17,906 43.76
Majority 5,106 12.48
Turnout 40,918 81.76
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Arthur Tiley 22,306 53.81
Labour Co-op Muriel Ferguson 19,147 46.19
Turnout 41,453 81.72
Conservative hold Swing

Elections 1885 - 1910

Elections in the 1910s

General election December 1910: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Fred Jowett 7,729 64.0 −2.6
Conservative Ernest Flower 4,339 36.0 +2.6
Majority 3,390 28.0 -5.2
Turnout 12,068 81.4 −8.6
Labour hold Swing +2.6
General election January 1910: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Fred Jowett 8,880 66.6 +27.5
Conservative Ernest Flower 4,461 33.4 +0.7
Majority 4,419 33.2 +26.8
Turnout 13,341 90.0 −0.8
Labour hold Swing +13.4

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Fred Jowett 4,957 39.1 −10.7
Conservative Ernest Flower 4,147 32.7 −17.5
Liberal William Claridge 3,580 28.2 New
Majority 810 6.4
Turnout 12,684 90.8 +10.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +14.1
General election 1900: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ernest Flower 4,990 50.2 +9.5
Labour Fred Jowett 4,949 49.8 New
Majority 41 0.4 -4.4
Turnout 9,939 80.5 −5.8
Conservative hold Swing +14.1

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ernest Flower 3,936 40.7 +7.2
Liberal John Cousin Horsfall 3,471 35.9 −0.4
Ind. Labour Party Ben Tillett 2,264 23.4 −6.8
Majority 465 4.8
Turnout 9,671 86.3 +2.8
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing 3.8
General election 1892: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alfred Illingworth 3,306 36.3 −23.9
Conservative Ernest Flower 3,053 33.5
[[Bradford Labour Union|Bradford Labour Union]] Ben Tillett 2,749 30.2 New
Majority 253 2.8 -13.0
Turnout 9,108 83.5 +13.5
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alfred Illingworth 3,975 60.2 +2.3
Liberal Unionist Archibald William Stirling 2,623 39.8
Majority 1,352 20.4
Turnout 6,598 70.0 −15.9
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1885: Bradford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alfred Illingworth 4,688 57.9
Conservative Henry Byron Reed 3,408 42.1
Majority 1,280 15.8
Turnout 8,096 85.9
Liberal win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

  1. ^ "Bradford West: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Constituency data: electorates – House of Commons Library". Parliament UK. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  3. ^ UK Polling Report https://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/bradfordwest/
  4. ^ The Times Guide to the House of Commons 2019. Glasgow: Times Books. 2020. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-00-839258-1.
  5. ^ The Bradford West Constituency was created in 1955 after a boundary review. In previous elections the city was divided into four constituencies: Bradford Central, Bradford East, Bradford North and Bradford South.
  6. ^ "Hansard 1803–2005". Bradford West 1885–1918. UK Parliament. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Hansard 1803–2005". Bradford West 1955–. UK Parliament. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  8. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 5)
  9. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 81. ISBN 0-900178-27-2.
  10. ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000589

External links

53°48′N 1°47′W / 53.8°N 1.79°W / 53.8; -1.79

Bradford constituencies
Constituencies in Yorkshire and the Humber (54)
Authority control databases: People
Categories