As there were no township boundaries in 1832, the original constituency was defined as a circular area in a radius of three-quarters of a mile from the old market place in Rochdale. In 1868 the boundary was extended to include Wardleworth, Spotland, Wuerdle, Belfield, Newbold, Buersill, and Marland.[2]
1918–1950: The County Borough of Rochdale
1950–1983: As prior but with redrawn boundaries
1983–1997: The Borough of Rochdale wards of Balderstone, Brimrod and Deeplish, Castleton, Central and Falinge, Healey, Newbold, Norden and Bamford, Smallbridge and Wardleworth, and Spotland
1997–2010: The Borough of Rochdale wards of Balderstone, Brimrod and Deeplish, Central and Falinge, Healey, Littleborough, Newbold, Smallbridge and Wardleworth, Spotland, and Wardle
2010–present: The Borough of Rochdale wards of Balderstone and Kirkholt, Central Rochdale, Healey, Kingsway, Littleborough Lakeside, Milkstone and Deeplish, Milnrow and Newhey, Smallbridge and Firgrove, Spotland and Falinge, and Wardle and West Littleborough
Proposededit
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, the composition of the constituency from the next general election, due by January 2025, will be reduced to bring the electorate within the permitted range. This will be achieved by transferring the Spotland and Falinge ward to the new constituency of Heywood and Middleton North.[3]
It was held for two decades by Cyril Smith, first of the Liberal Party and then of the Liberal Democrats. He won a by-election in 1972, taking the seat from Labour, and held it until his retirement in 1992. After Smith's death it emerged that he had been a serial child abuser.[4]
In 2010, the town was brought to national attention when the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown was caught on a tape recording describing a local woman, Gillian Duffy, as a "bigot" after having a conversation with her while campaigning (later described as Bigotgate by the UK media). Despite this unfavourable publicity, Labour still managed to narrowly win the seat from the Liberal Democrats; and in 2015 achieved their highest majority in the seat's history, with the Liberal Democrats falling to fourth place.
For the 2010 UK general election, the seat gained the villages of Milnrow and Newhey from Oldham East and Saddleworth and lost the areas of Sudden, Marland, and part of Norden to Heywood and Middleton, a 19.16% boundary change. Those changes made the seat a notional Labour victory in the Rallings and Thrasher figures[5] which were used by the Press Association for determining gains, losses and swings. However, other predictions by political commentator Martin Baxter[6][failed verification] showed the seat maintaining a narrow Lib Dem majority. The Times Guide to the House of Commons 2010 estimated that had the seat been fought on these boundaries in 2005, Labour would have won the seat with approximately 40.9% of the vote to the Liberal Democrats' 40.7%.[7]
In the 2021 UK Census, the population was recorded as 114,400. The constituency was reported 62.7% White, 29.6% Asian, and 3.1% Black.[8]
The Times Guide to the House of Commons 2010 reported that based on the notional 2005 result on the new boundaries the Labour vote had fallen by 4.5% and the Liberal Democrat vote had fallen by 6.1%, while the Conservative voteshare increased by 7.6%.[7]
A General Election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the summer of 1914, the following candidates had been adopted to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place.
^A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer). 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.
^Ali was suspended from the Labour Party on 12 February 2024, after nominations closed (2 February), so he was still identified as the Labour Party candidate on the ballot paper.[23]
^The Green Party withdrew Otten's endorsement on 7 February 2024, after nominations closed (2 February), so he was still identified as the Green Party candidate on the ballot paper.[24]
Referencesedit
^"England Parliamentary electorates 2010–2023". Boundary Commission for England. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
^Brownbill, J; Farrer, William (1911). "A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5". Victoria County History. pp. 187–201.
^"The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
^"Sir Cyril Smith: Former MP sexually abused boys, police say". BBC News. 27 November 2012.
^"Press Association Notional 2005 election results". Archived from the original on 15 May 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
^Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 1)
^ abcdefghStooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I to the Present Time Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. p. 203. Retrieved 29 November 2018 – via Google Books.
^ abChurton, Edward (1838). The Assembled Commons or Parliamentary Biographer: 1838. p. 89. Retrieved 29 November 2018 – via Google Books.
^ abMosse, Richard Bartholomew (1838). The Parliamentary Guide: a concise history of the Members of both Houses, etc. p. 163. Retrieved 29 November 2018 – via Google Books.
^"William Sharman Crawford (1781–1861; Irish politician)". Manuscripts and Special Collections. University of Nottingham. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
^Navickas, Katrina (2016). Protest and the Politics of Space and Place, 1789–1848. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-7190-9705-8. Retrieved 1 July 2018 – via Google Books.
^Newton, JS (1975). The political career of Edward Miall, editor of the nonconformist and founder of the liberation society(PDF) (PhD). Durham University. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
^Brennan, Michael Joseph (2013). Civic and municipal leadership: a study of three northern towns between 1832 and 1867(PDF) (PhD). University of Leeds. p. 60. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
^"Edward Miall: Obituary". Bradford Observer. 30 April 1881. Retrieved 30 May 2020 – via University of Alberta.
^Fisher, David R. (2009). "RAMSAY, Sir Alexander, 2nd bt. (1785–1852), of Balmain, Fasque, Kincardine". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
^"General Election". Saunders's News-Letter. 28 March 1857. p. 1. Retrieved 1 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Election News". Stroud Journal. 14 March 1857. p. 6. Retrieved 1 July 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Labour's Simon Danczuk suspended over 'inappropriate behaviour'". BBC News. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
^Rochdale Borough Council (2 February 2024). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll: Rochdale Constituency". rochdale.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
^Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Statement of persons nominated" (PDF). Rochdale Borough Council. 14 November 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 November 2019.
^Steve Rumbelow (11 May 2017). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll – Rochdale Constituency" (PDF). Rochdale Borough Council. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
^"Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"Rochdale". BBC News. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
^"Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"Constituency | Rochdale". Election 2010. BBC News. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
^"Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Rochdale". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
^"Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
^"Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"British Socialist Party". Manchester Guardian. 13 April 1914.
^ abcdeCraig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
^ abcdefghijklmnCraig, FWS, ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885(e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-02349-3. hdl:2027/mdp.39015032111430. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3. Retrieved 30 May 2020 – via Springer Link.
^ ab"Polling To-Day". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 31 March 1880. p. 6. Retrieved 10 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Rochdale Observer". 4 November 1868. p. 4. Retrieved 17 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Rochdale Election". Morning Advertiser. 2 July 1841. p. 2. Retrieved 29 November 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.