Worcester (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name = Worcester
Map1 = Worcester
Map2 = Worcestershire
Type = Borough
Year = 1295
Entity = Worcestershire
County = Worcestershire
EP = West Midlands
MP =Michael Foster
Party = Labour

Worcester is a borough constituency 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.

Boundaries

The constituency covers the city of Worcester, with exactly the same boundaries as the city. It borders the Mid Worcestershire constituency to the east, and West Worcestershire to the west.

History

Many political commentators and journalists look on Worcester as having the demographic statistics which most closely mirror those as in the United Kingdom as a whole. As such the term "Worcester Woman" has come into use as a description for a typical voter.

A Conservative seat for many years, Worcester was represented by the high-profile Conservative cabinet minister Peter Walker for three decades, from a by-election in 1961 until he stood down in 1992. Peter Luff (also Conservative) held the seat until 1997, when he moved to the new Mid Worcestershire constituency.

Michael Foster of the Labour Party took the seat in the 1997 general election. This can be put down to a combination of Labour's landslide victory nationally, but also to the fact that boundary changes meant the constituncy was now solely an urban area, rather than also containing much of the surrounding countryside.

Peter Walker's son, Robin Walker, was selected as the Conservative candidate for the seat in August 2006.

The constituency is marginal and has been selected as a "target" by the Conservative Party.

Members of Parliament

* "Constituency created in 1295"

MPs 1660-1885

MPs 1885-present

Election results

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: WorcesterElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Michael Foster
votes = 19,421
percentage = 41.9
change = −6.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Margaret Harper
votes = 16,277
percentage = 35.1
change = −0.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Mary Dhonau
votes = 7,557
percentage = 16.3
change = +3.7Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Richard Chamings
votes = 1,113
percentage = 2.4
change = −0.9Election box candidate with party link
party = British National Party
candidate = Martin Roberts
votes = 980
percentage = 2.1
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Chris Lennard
votes = 921
percentage = 2.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Prudence Dowson
votes = 119
percentage = 0.3
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 3,144
percentage = 6.8
change = Election box turnout
votes = 46,388
percentage = 64.1
change = +2.1Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = −3.2

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: WorcesterElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Michael Foster
votes = 21,478
percentage = 48.6
change = -1.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Richard Adams
votes = 15,712
percentage = 35.5
change = -0.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Paul Chandler
votes = 5,578
percentage = 12.6
change = +0.1Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Richard Chamings
votes = 1,442
percentage = 3.3
change = +1.5Election box majority
votes = 5,766
percentage = 13.1
change = Election box turnout
votes = 44,210
percentage = 62.0
change = -12.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

See also

* List of Parliamentary constituencies in Herefordshire and Worcestershire