Stockport North (UK Parliament constituency)

Summary

Stockport North was a borough constituency which returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until 1983.

Stockport North
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Stockport North in Cheshire, boundaries 1974-83
CountyCheshire
19501983
Seatsone
Created fromStockport
Replaced byDenton & Reddish and Stockport

History edit

Under the Representation of the People Act 1948, which came into effect for the 1950 general election, the two-member parliamentary borough of Stockport was abolished and replaced by the single-member borough constituencies of Stockport North and Stockport South.

Further to the Third Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which followed the local government reorganisation implemented on 1 April 1974, the constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election, with 60% of the electorate going to the new single-member Stockport constituency, and 40% going to form part of the new Denton and Reddish constituency.

Boundaries edit

1950–1974: The County Borough of Stockport wards of Edgeley, Heaton Lane, Heaton Norris North, Heaton Norris South, Hollywood, Lancashire Hill, Old Road, Reddish North, and Reddish South.[1]

1974–1983: The County Borough of Stockport wards of Cheadle Heath, Edgeley, Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey, Heaton Moor, Heaton Norris, Lancashire Hill, Longford, and Reddish Green.[1][2]

Boundaries adjusted to take account of revision of local authority wards

From 1 April 1974 until the constituency was abolished for the 1983 general election, the constituency comprised parts of the metropolitan borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, but its boundaries were unchanged.

On abolition, the majority of the constituency was re-combined with the majority of Stockport South to form the re-established constituency of Stockport. Northern-most parts, comprising the town of Reddish, were included in the new constituency of Denton and Reddish.

Members of Parliament edit

Always a fairly marginal seat, the constituency changed hands at the 1964, 1970 and February 1974 general elections.

Election Member [3] Party
1950 Sir Norman Hulbert Conservative
1964 Arnold Gregory Labour
1970 Idris Owen Conservative
Feb 1974 Andrew Bennett Labour
1983 constituency abolished: see Stockport & Denton and Reddish

Election results edit

Elections in the 1950s edit

General election 1950: Stockport North[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Hulbert 22,762 47.9
Labour AM Watson 19,134 40.3
Liberal William Hugh Evans 5,638 11.9
Majority 3,628 7.6
Turnout 47,534 88.5
Conservative win (new seat)
General election 1951: Stockport North[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Hulbert 25,691 55.1 +7.2
Labour John Owen 20,893 44.9 +4.6
Majority 4,798 10.2 +2.6
Turnout 46,584 85.4 -3.1
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Stockport North[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Hulbert 23,547 55.4 +0.3
Labour Muriel Nichol 18,980 44.6 -0.3
Majority 4,567 10.8 +0.6
Turnout 42,527 79.8 -5.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1959: Stockport North[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Norman Hulbert 23,487 53.7 -1.7
Labour Mervyn Edward J. Swain 20,265 46.3 +1.7
Majority 3,222 7.4 -3.4
Turnout 43,752 82.1 +2.3
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s edit

General election 1964: Stockport North[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arnold Gregory 18,969 44.5 -1.8
Conservative Norman Hulbert 17,067 40.1 -13.6
Liberal Barry Downs 6,560 15.4 New
Majority 1,902 4.4 N/A
Turnout 42,596 81.5 -0.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.9
General election 1966: Stockport North[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Arnold Gregory 21,598 54.2 +9.7
Conservative Idris Owen 18,262 45.8 +5.7
Majority 3,336 8.4 +4.0
Turnout 39,860 79.1 -2.4
Labour hold Swing +2.0

Elections in the 1970s edit

General election 1970: Stockport North[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Idris Owen 18,132 46.0 +0.2
Labour Arnold Gregory 17,261 43.8 -10.4
Liberal Samuel Collier 4,022 10.2 New
Majority 871 2.2 N/A
Turnout 39,415 74.4 -4.7
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +5.3
General election February 1974: Stockport North[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Andrew Bennett 16,948 39.4 -4.4
Conservative Idris Owen 16,745 39.0 -7.0
Liberal P.J. Arnold 9,283 21.6 +11.4
Majority 203 0.4 N/A
Turnout 42,976 82.0 +7.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +1.3
General election October 1974: Stockport North[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Andrew Bennett 17,979 43.6 +4.2
Conservative Idris Owen 16,155 39.2 +0.2
Liberal P.J. Arnold 7,085 17.2 -4.4
Majority 1,824 4.4 +4.0
Turnout 41,219 78.0 -4.0
Labour hold Swing +2.0
General election 1979: Stockport North[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Andrew Bennett 18,789 44.1 +0.5
Conservative John William Last 18,456 43.3 +4.1
Liberal J. Hartley 5,096 12.0 -5.2
National Front K Walker 244 0.6 New
Majority 333 0.8 -3.6
Turnout 42,585 79.5 +1.5
Labour hold Swing -1.8

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0-900178-09-4. OCLC 539011.
  2. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Stockport) Order 1971. SI 1971/2115". Statutory Instruments 1971. Part III Section 2. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1972. pp. 6236–6238.
  3. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 5)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  5. ^ a b F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950-1973; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1973
  • Times Guides to the House of Commons