Leeds West
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Leeds West in West Yorkshire
Outline map
Location of West Yorkshire within England
CountyWest Yorkshire
(West Riding of Yorkshire until 1974)
Electorate67,727 (December 2019)[1]
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentRachel Reeves (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromLeeds
Replaced byLeeds South West and Morley, & Leeds West and Pudsey

Leeds West is a borough constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post system of election. The current MP is Rachel Reeves of the Labour Party. With the exception of the Parliament of 1983–87, the seat has been held by Labour since 1945.

The seat is due to be abolished for the next general election.[2]

Boundaries

Map
Map of present boundaries

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Leeds wards of Armley and Wortley, Holbeck, and New Wortley, and part of Bramley ward.

1918–1950: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Armley and Wortley, and Bramley, and part of New Wortley ward.

1950–1951: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Bramley, Farnley and Wortley, and Upper Armley.

1951–1955: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Armley, Bramley, Stanningley, and Wortley.[3]

1955–1974: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Armley, Bramley, Stanningley, Wellington, and Wortley.

1974–1983: The County Borough wards of Armley and Castleton, Bramley, Stanningley, and Wortley.

1980–1983: The City of Leeds wards of Armley, Bramley, and Wortley.

1983–2010: The City of Leeds wards of Armley, Bramley, Kirkstall, and Wortley.

2010–present: The City of Leeds wards of Armley, Bramley and Stanningley, Farnley and Wortley, and Kirkstall. Unusually for a Parliamentary seat, the boundaries do not correspond exactly to the wards' boundaries. The seat includes small areas of the wards for Calverley and Farsley, and Morley North, but also excludes a very small area of Farnley and Wortley, which falls under Leeds Central.[4]

The constituency covers the western part of the city of Leeds in West Yorkshire.

History

The constituency was created in 1885 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and was first used in the general election of that year. Leeds had previously been represented by two MPs (1832–1868) and three MPs (1868–1885). From 1885 it was represented by five single-member constituencies: Leeds Central, Leeds East, Leeds North, Leeds South and Leeds West. The constituencies of Morley, Otley and Pudsey were also created in 1885.

Proposed abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be abolished for the next general election, with its contents distributed to three new constituencies:[2]

Members of Parliament

Rachel Reeves, Member of Parliament for Leeds West since 2010
Year Member[5] Party
1885 Herbert Gladstone Liberal
1910 Edmund Harvey Liberal
1918 John Murray Coalition Liberal
1922 Liberal
1923 Thomas Stamford Labour
1931 Vyvyan Adams Conservative
1945 Thomas Stamford Labour
1949 Charles Pannell Labour
1974 Joe Dean Labour
1983 Michael Meadowcroft Liberal
1987 John Battle Labour
2010 Rachel Reeves Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Leeds West[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rachel Reeves 22,186 55.1 -8.8
Conservative Mark Dormer 11,622 28.9 +2.7
Brexit Party Philip Mars 2,685 6.7 New
Liberal Democrats Dan Walker 1,787 4.4 +2.2
Green Victoria Smith 1,274 3.2 +0.8
Yorkshire Ian Cowling 650 1.6 +0.7
SDP Daniel Whetstone 46 0.1 New
Alliance for Green Socialism Mike Davies 31 0.1 0.0
Majority 10,564 26.2 -11.5
Turnout 40,281 59.5 -2.6
Labour hold Swing -5.8
General election 2017: Leeds West[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rachel Reeves 27,013 63.9 +15.9
Conservative Zoë Metcalfe 11,048 26.2 +6.1
UKIP Mark Thackray 1,815 4.3 -14.2
Green Andrew Pointon 1,023 2.4 -6.0
Liberal Democrats Alasdair McGregor 905 2.2 -1.7
Yorkshire Ed Jones 378 0.9 New
Alliance for Green Socialism Mike Davies 37 0.1 New
Majority 15,965 37.7 +9.8
Turnout 42,301 62.1 +2.9
Labour hold Swing +5.0
General election 2015: Leeds West[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rachel Reeves 18,456 48.0 +5.7
Conservative Alex Pierre-Traves 7,729 20.1 +0.4
UKIP Anne Murgatroyd 7,104 18.5 +15.6
Green Andrew Pointon 3,217 8.4 +3.7
Liberal Democrats Laura Coyle 1,495 3.9 −20.3
CISTA Matthew West 217 0.6 New
TUSC Ben Mayor 205 0.5 New
Majority 10,727 27.9 +9.8
Turnout 38,423 59.2 +1.7
Labour hold Swing +2.65
General election 2010: Leeds West[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rachel Reeves 16,389 42.3 −13.9
Liberal Democrats Ruth Coleman 9,373 24.2 +6.8
Conservative Joe Marjoram 7,641 19.7 +5.6
BNP Joanna Beverley 2,377 6.1 +2.8
Green David Blackburn 1,832 4.7 −2.5
UKIP Jeff Miles 1,140 2.9 +1.1
Majority 7,016 18.1 −20.7
Turnout 38,752 57.5 +4.7
Labour hold Swing −10.3

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Leeds West[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Battle 18,704 55.5 −6.6
Liberal Democrats Darren Finlay 5,894 17.5 +7.1
Conservative Tim Metcalfe 4,807 14.3 −1.3
Green David Blackburn 2,519 7.5 −0.5
BNP Julie Day 1,166 3.5 New
UKIP David Sewards 628 1.9 −0.5
Majority 12,810 38.0 −8.5
Turnout 33,719 53.6 +3.6
Labour hold Swing
General election 2001: Leeds West[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Battle 19,943 62.1 −4.6
Conservative Kris Hopkins 5,008 15.6 −1.9
Liberal Democrats Darren Finlay 3,350 10.4 +1.4
Green David Blackburn 2,573 8.0 +5.8
UKIP Bill Finley 758 2.4 New
Liberal Noel Nowosielski 462 1.4 −0.2
Majority 14,935 46.5 -2.7
Turnout 32,094 50.0 −12.7
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Leeds West[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Battle 26,819 66.7 +11.6
Conservative John Whelan 7,048 17.5 −8.7
Liberal Democrats Nigel Amor 3,622 9.0 +0.1
Referendum Bill Finley 1,210 3.0 0.0
Green David Blackburn 896 2.2 +1.0
Liberal Noel Nowosielski 625 1.6 −6.7
Majority 19,771 49.2 +20.2
Turnout 40,220 62.9 −8,2
Labour hold Swing
General election 1992: Leeds West[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Battle 26,310 55.1 +11.9
Conservative Paul Bartlett 12,482 26.2 +3.0
Liberal Democrats George Howard 4,252 8.9 −24.7
Liberal Michael Meadowcroft 3,980 8.3 New
Green Alison M. Mander 569 1.2 New
National Front Robert I. Tenney 132 0.3 New
Majority 13,828 29.0 +19.4
Turnout 47,725 71.2 −2.1
Labour hold Swing +4.5

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Leeds West[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Battle 21,032 43.2 +9.2
Liberal Michael Meadowcroft 16,340 33.6 −4.8
Conservative Philip Allott 11,276 23.2 −3.7
Majority 4,692 9.6 N/A
Turnout 48,648 73.3 +4.3
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +7.0
General election 1983: Leeds West[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Michael Meadowcroft 17,908 38.4
Labour Joseph Dean 15,860 34.0
Conservative Jocelyn Keeble 12,515 26.9
BNP A. Braithwaite 334 0.7 New
Majority 2,048 4.4 N/A
Turnout 46,617 69.0
Liberal gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Leeds West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Dean 21,290 49.38
Conservative H. Simmonds 11,626 26.96
Liberal C. Greenfield 9,734 22.58
National Front J. Duckenfield 466 1.08 New
Majority 9,664 22.42
Turnout 43,116 73.33
Labour hold Swing
General election October 1974: Leeds West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Dean 20,669 49.64
Liberal Michael Meadowcroft 13,062 31.37
Conservative D. Hall 7,907 18.99
Majority 7,607 18.27
Turnout 41,638 68.93
Labour hold Swing
General election February 1974: Leeds West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Dean 19,436 42.13
Liberal Michael Meadowcroft 15,451 33.49
Conservative D. Hall 11,246 24.38
Majority 3,985 8.64
Turnout 46,133 77.03
Labour hold Swing
General election 1970: Leeds West [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Pannell 21,618 51.83
Conservative Alexander Leitch 14,749 35.36
Liberal Patricia Armitage 5,341 12.81
Majority 6,869 16.47
Turnout 41,708 65.69
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Leeds West [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Pannell 24,391 56.28
Conservative Michael Glover 13,883 32.04
Liberal Denis Pedder 5,062 11.68
Majority 10,508 24.24
Turnout 43,336 72.02
Labour hold Swing
General election 1964: Leeds West [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Pannell 22,968 50.53
Conservative Michael Glover 15,697 34.54
Liberal Denis Pedder 6,787 14.93 New
Majority 7,271 15.99
Turnout 45,452 74.54
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Leeds West [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Pannell 25,878 54.87
Conservative David Crouch 21,285 45.13
Majority 4,593 9.74
Turnout 47,163 78.25
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: Leeds West [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Pannell 24,576 52.75
Conservative Joseph Hiley 18,312 39.31
Liberal Harold Hudson 3,699 7.94 New
Majority 6,264 13.44
Turnout 46,587 77.38
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: Leeds West [26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Pannell 22,357 54.11
Conservative Bertrand Mather 18,957 45.89
Majority 3,400 8.22
Turnout 41,314 85.92
Labour hold Swing
General election 1950: Leeds West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Pannell 21,339 51.58
Conservative Bertrand Mather 16,824 40.67
Liberal Cecil Rhodes 3,209 7.76
Majority 4,515 10.91
Turnout 41,372 86.42
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

Leeds West by-election 1949[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Pannell 21,935 55.2 -3.8
Conservative Bernard Mather 17,826 44.8 +17.1
Majority 4,109 10.4 -21.0
Turnout 39,761
Labour hold Swing
General election 1945: Leeds West[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Stamford 26,593 59.0 +14.3
Conservative Vyvyan Adams 12,457 27.7 -26.6
Liberal James Booth 6,008 13.3 New
Majority 14,136 31.3 N/A
Turnout 45,058 76.1 +5.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Leeds West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Vyvyan Adams 20,545 54.27
Labour Thomas Stamford 17,311 45.73
Majority 3,234 8.54
Turnout 37,856 70.46
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Leeds West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Vyvyan Adams 24,701 63.25
Labour Thomas Stamford 14,354 36.75
Majority 10,347 26.50 N/A
Turnout 39,055 76.72
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Leeds West [29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Stamford 18,765 47.2 +4.7
Unionist George William Martin 13,129 33.0 −9.5
Liberal Ralph Cleworth 7,894 19.8 +4.8
Majority 5,636 14.2 +14.2
Turnout 39,788 79.4 +1.9
Registered electors 50,107
Labour hold Swing +7.1
General election 1924: Leeds West [30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Stamford 13,057 42.5 +1.8
Unionist Alexander Frederick Gordon Renton 13,054 42.5 +8.9
Liberal Herbert Brown 4,597 15.0 −10.7
Majority 3 0.0 −7.1
Turnout 30,708 77.5 +5.9
Registered electors 39,644
Labour hold Swing −3.6
General election 1923: Leeds West [30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Stamford 11,434 40.7 −7.6
Unionist Alexander Frederick Gordon Renton 9,432 33.6 New
Liberal John Murray 7,200 25.7 −26.0
Majority 2,002 7.1 N/A
Turnout 28,066 71.6 +4.0
Registered electors 39,175
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +9.2
General election 1922: Leeds West [30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Murray 13,391 51.7 −10.2
Labour Thomas Stamford 12,487 48.3 +18.8
Majority 904 3.4 −29.0
Turnout 25,878 67.6 +14.9
Registered electors 38,259
Liberal hold Swing −14.5

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Leeds West [30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Liberal John Murray 12,642 61.9 −4.3
Labour John Arnott 6,020 29.5 New
Independent Joseph Henry Chapman* 1,138 5.6 New
Independent Liberal David Thomas Barnes 619 3.0 New
Majority 6,622 32.4 0.0
Turnout 20,419 52.7 −17.0
Registered electors 38,766
Liberal hold Swing N/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

* Chapman was supported by the three local branches of National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers and Comrades of the Great War.

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

General election December 1910: Leeds West [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edmund Harvey 8,715 66.2 +6.2
Conservative George Jones 4,445 33.8 -6.2
Majority 4,270 32.4 +12.4
Turnout 13,160 69.7 -18.4
Liberal hold Swing +6.2
Edmund Harvey
General election January 1910: Leeds West [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edmund Harvey 9,969 60.0 -6.6
Conservative Samuel Samuel 6,654 40.0 +6.6
Majority 3,315 20.0 -13.2
Turnout 16,623 88.1 +13.0
Liberal hold Swing -6.6

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Leeds West [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Gladstone 9,258 66.6 +14.7
Conservative Samuel Samuel 4,650 33.4 -14.7
Majority 4,608 33.2 +29.4
Turnout 13,908 75.1 -5.3
Registered electors 18,518
Liberal hold Swing +14.7
H. Gladstone
General election 1900: Leeds West [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Gladstone 7,043 51.9 +1.5
Liberal Unionist Walter Harding 6,522 48.1 -1.5
Majority 521 3.8 +3.0
Turnout 13,565 80.4 -6.9
Registered electors 16,867
Liberal hold Swing +1.5

Elections in the 1890s

J.T. North
General election 1895: Leeds West [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Gladstone 6,314 50.4 -1.1
Conservative John Thomas North 6,218 49.6 +1.1
Majority 96 0.8 -2.2
Turnout 12,532 87.3 +1.5
Registered electors 14,358
Liberal hold Swing -1.1
By-election 16 Mar 1894: Leeds West [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Gladstone Unopposed
Liberal hold

Gladstone is appointed First Commissioner of Works, requiring a by-election.

H. Gladstone
General election 1892: Leeds West [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Gladstone 5,974 51.5 -12.3
Conservative Arthur Greenwood[32] 5,621 48.5 +12.3
Majority 353 3.0 -24.6
Turnout 11,595 85.8 +17.8
Registered electors 13,510
Liberal hold Swing -12.3

Elections in the 1880s

Charles Williams
General election 1886: Leeds West [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Gladstone 5,226 63.8 +2.1
Conservative Charles Williams 2,970 36.2 -2.1
Majority 2,256 27.6 +4.2
Turnout 8,196 68.0 -14.4
Registered electors 12,058
Liberal hold Swing +1.6
General election 1885: Leeds West [31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Herbert Gladstone 6,130 61.7
Conservative William Wheelhouse 3,804 38.3
Majority 2,326 23.4
Turnout 9,934 82.4
Registered electors 12,058
Liberal win (new seat)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Leeds West Parliamentary constituency". BBC. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – Yorkshire and the Humber | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  3. ^ "The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Order 1951. SI 1951/320". Statutory Instruments 1951. Vol. II. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1952. pp. 410–412.
  4. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  5. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 1)
  6. ^ "Leeds West Constituency". Leeds City Council. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  7. ^ "General election candidates announced for Leeds West and Pudsey constituencies - West Leeds Dispatch". 11 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  9. ^ "Leeds West". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  10. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ^ "UK > England > Yorkshire & the Humber > Leeds West". Election 2010. BBC. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  12. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  17. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1987. Politics Resources. 11 June 1987. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  19. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1983. Politics Resources. 9 June 1983. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  21. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1970.
  22. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1966.
  23. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1964.
  24. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1959.
  25. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
  26. ^ The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
  27. ^ "By-election Blog". Election 1945. Blogspot. 21 July 1949. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  28. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1945. Politics Resources. 5 July 1945. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  29. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  30. ^ a b c d Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  32. ^ "The Representation of West Leeds: Adoption of Mr Arthur Greenwood". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 30 July 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 22 November 2017.

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