Wyre Forest (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name = Wyre Forest
Map1 = WyreForest
Map2 = Worcestershire
Type = County
Year = 1983
Entity = Worcestershire
County = Worcestershire
EP = West Midlands
MP = Richard Taylor
Party = Health Concern

Wyre Forest is a county 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 boundaries of the Wyre Forest constituency almost exactly follow those of the identically-named Wyre Forest district, and the Boundary Commission has recommended that for subsequent elections the few remaining differences be removed. Other parts of the district are currently part of the Leominster constituency.

History

The Wyre Forest constituency was first fought under its present name in the 1983 general election, having succeeded the old Kidderminster seat, and was won for the Conservatives by Esmond Bulmer. Wyre Forest was held with relative ease by the Conservatives' Anthony Coombs in the 1987 and 1992 general elections; however the 1997 Labour landslide saw that party gain the seat with David Lock securing a majority of almost 7,000. Anger over the downgrading of Kidderminster Hospital reflected on Lock at the 2001 election, and Health Concern's Richard Taylor stormed to a decisive victory, then held the seat with a considerably reduced majority in 2005.

Turnout in the Wyre Forest at general elections has generally been around 2-3% above the national average, but in 2001 the constituency recorded a 68.0% turnout as against 59.4% nationally; this spike (not repeated in 2005) is widely attributed to the intense local feelings on the hospital issue.

Members of Parliament

* "Constituency created" (1983), replacing Kidderminster (UK Parliament constituency)

Elections

Elections in the 2000s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Neville Farmer
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Mark Garnier
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Nigel Knowles
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Kate Spohrer
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern
candidate = Richard Taylor
votes =
percentage =
change =

(The Liberal Party have also announced they will stand a candidate, but have yet to decide a nominee) This will be the first election when the Liberal Democrats have stood against Taylor. It is being stated that Rustie Lee will once again try and gain the UKIP nomination.

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: Wyre ForestElection box candidate with party link
party = Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern
candidate = Richard Taylor
votes = 18,739
percentage = 39.9
change = -18.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Mark Garnier
votes = 13,489
percentage = 28.7
change = 9.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Marc Bayliss
votes = 10,716
percentage = 22.8
change = 0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK, 1989)
candidate = Frances Oborski
votes = 2,666
percentage = 5.7
change = N/AElection box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Rustie Lee
votes = 1,074
percentage = 2.3
change = 1.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Official Monster Raving Loony Party
candidate = Bert Priest
votes = 303
percentage = 0.6
change = N/AElection box majority
votes = 5,250
percentage = 11.2
change =Election box turnout
votes = 46,987
percentage = 64.2
change = -3.8Election box hold with party link
winner = Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern
swing = −13.9 Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: Wyre ForestElection box candidate with party link
party = Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern
candidate = Richard Taylor
votes = 28,487
percentage = 58.1
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = David Lock
votes = 10,857
percentage = 22.1
change = -26.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Mark Simpson
votes = 9,350
percentage = 19.1
change = -17.1Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Jim Millington
votes = 368
percentage = 0.8
change = +0.2Election box majority
votes = 17630
percentage = 36.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 49,062
percentage = 68.0
change = -7.3Election box gain with party link
winner = Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1990s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1997: Wyre ForestElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = David Lock
votes = 26,843
percentage = 48.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Anthony Coombs
votes = 19,897
percentage = 36.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = David Cropp
votes = 4,377
percentage = 8.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Referendum Party
candidate = W. Till
votes = 1,956
percentage = 3.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK, 1989)
candidate = C. Harvey
votes = 1,670
percentage = 3.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Jim Millington
votes = 312
percentage = 0.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 6,946
percentage =
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 75.4
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

See also

* List of Parliamentary constituencies in Herefordshire and Worcestershire
* [http://www.wyfopedia.org.uk/index.php/1997_General_Election Wyfopedia 1997 General Election]
* [http://www.wyfopedia.org.uk/index.php/2005_General_Election Wyfopedia 2005 General Election]

References