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Sherwood Forest (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 53°04′N 1°08′W / 53.07°N 1.13°W / 53.07; -1.13
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with the Australian Electoral district of Sherwood.

Sherwood Forest
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Sherwood Forest in the East Midlands
CountyNottinghamshire
Electorate76,543 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsHucknall, Ollerton, Ravenshead, Calverton
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentMichelle Welsh (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromNewark, Carlton, Ashfield

Sherwood Forest is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Michelle Welsh, of the Labour Party.[n 2] The constituency's name is shared with Sherwood Forest, which is in the area.

The constituency was formerly known as Sherwood. It was renamed as a result of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, with minor boundary changes. It was first contested under the new name at the 2024 general election.[2]

Boundaries

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Map
Map of boundaries 2010-2024

Historic (Sherwood)

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1983–1997: The District of Newark wards of Bilsthorpe, Blidworth, Boughton, Clipstone, Dover Beck, Edwinstowe, Farnsfield, Fishpool, Lowdham, Ollerton North, Ollerton South, Rainworth, and Rufford, the District of Ashfield wards of Hucknall Central, Hucknall East, Hucknall North, and Hucknall West, and the Borough of Gedling wards of Bestwood St Albans (Bestwood Village only), Calverton, Lambley, Newstead, and Woodborough.

1997–2010: The District of Newark and Sherwood wards of Bilsthorpe, Blidworth, Boughton, Clipstone, Dover Beck, Edwinstowe, Farnsfield, Lowdham, Ollerton North, Ollerton South, Rainworth, and Rufford, the District of Ashfield wards of Hucknall Central, Hucknall East, Hucknall North, and Hucknall West, and the Borough of Gedling wards of Bestwood Park, Calverton, Lambley, Newstead, Ravenshead, and Woodborough.

2010–2024 The District of Newark and Sherwood wards of Bilsthorpe, Blidworth, Boughton, Clipstone, Edwinstowe, Farnsfield, Ollerton, and Rainworth, the District of Ashfield wards of Hucknall Central, Hucknall East, Hucknall North, and Hucknall West, and the Borough of Gedling wards of Bestwood Village, Calverton, Lambley, Newstead, Ravenshead, and Woodborough.

Current (Sherwood Forest)

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Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The District of Ashfield wards of: Hucknall Central; Hucknall North; Hucknall South; Hucknall West.
  • The Borough of Gedling wards of: Calverton; Newstead Abbey.
  • The District of Newark and Sherwood wards of: Bilsthorpe; Boughton; Dover Beck; Edwinstowe & Clipstone; Farnsfield; Lowdham; Ollerton; Rainworth North & Rufford; Rainworth South & Blidworth.[3]

The constituency saw minor boundary changes, primarily due to the redrawing of local authority ward boundaries.

The constituency is in central Nottinghamshire, covering parts of three local government authorities: Hucknall in the Ashfield district, parts of the Gedling borough, and the western part of the Newark and Sherwood district, the largest geographical area of the seat.

Constituency profile

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The seat name is common with Sherwood Forest. The seat is an area of contrasts such as Ravenshead, home to some of Nottinghamshire's most affluent residents, numerous smaller rural villages, one mining village and many ex-mining villages, and the town of Hucknall, the largest in the constituency, now a commuter town, but one which remains involved with mining. Thoresby, Edwinstowe once contained a large operational coal mine underground. It does not contain the Nottingham City ward of Sherwood, which is further south, within the Nottingham East constituency.

In statistics

The constituency consists of Census Output Areas of three local government districts with similar characteristics: a working population whose income is close to the national average, and lower than average reliance upon social housing.[4] At the end of 2012, the unemployment rate in the constituency stood as 3.5% of the population claiming jobseekers allowance, compared to an identical regional average which was below the national average.[5] Taking the part of Newark and Sherwood that contributes to the seat: a slightly below average 18.6% of its population are without a car, a medium 25.1% of the population are without qualifications and a high 24.2% have level 4 qualifications or above (2011). In terms of tenure, 70.2% of homes are owned outright or on a mortgage by occupants as at the 2011 census across that district.[6]

History

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On the constituency's creation in 1983, Andy Stewart gained the seat for the Conservatives in their landslide victory that year with a small majority of 658. The Nottinghamshire miners drifted further from Labour during the 1984 strike and Stewart was re-elected with an increased majority in 1987. However, in 1992 the seat was gained for Labour by Paddy Tipping, who held it until he retired in 2010, when the seat was regained for the Conservatives by Mark Spencer, by a majority of 214. In 2015, Spencer's lead over the second placed candidate increased to 4,647 votes. This further increased in 2017 and another big swing to the Conservatives in 2019 saw Spencer's majority increase to 16,186, the first time a Conservative had a five-figure majority in the seat.[7]

Members of Parliament

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Newark, Carlton and Ashfield prior to 1983

Election Member[8] Party
1983 Andy Stewart Conservative
1992 Paddy Tipping Labour
2010 Sir Mark Spencer Conservative
2024 Michelle Welsh Labour

Elections

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Election results for Sherwood

Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Sherwood Forest[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michelle Welsh[11] 18,841 38.7 +9.2
Conservative Mark Spencer 13,398 27.5 −33.3
Reform UK Helen O'Hare[12] 11,320 23.3 N/A
Green Sheila Greatrex-White[13] 2,216 4.6 +2.0
Liberal Democrats David Dobbie[14] 1,838 3.8 −1.9
Independent Lee Waters[15] 864 1.8 N/A
Independent Jeremy Spry 183 0.4 N/A
Majority 5,443 11.2 N/A
Turnout 48,660 61.9 −5.7
Registered electors 78,894
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +21.2

Lee Waters was selected to stand by the Ashfield Independents.

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Sherwood[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Spencer 32,049 60.8 Increase9.3
Labour Jerry Hague 15,863 30.1 Decrease11.7
Liberal Democrats Tim Ball 2,883 5.5 Increase3.4
Green Esther Cropper 1,214 2.3 Increase1.1
Independent Simon Rood 700 1.3 New
Majority 16,186 30.7 Increase 21.0
Turnout 52,709 67.6 Decrease 2.6
Conservative hold Swing Increase 10.5
General election 2017: Sherwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Spencer 27,492 51.5 Increase 6.5
Labour Mike Pringle 22,294 41.8 Increase 5.9
UKIP Stuart Bestwick 1,801 3.4 Decrease 11.2
Liberal Democrats Becky Thomas[17] 1,113 2.1 Decrease 0.1
Green Morris Findley 664 1.2 Decrease 1.0
Majority 5,198 9.7 Increase 0.6
Turnout 53,364 70.2 Increase 1.1
Conservative hold Swing Increase 0.3
General election 2015: Sherwood[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Spencer 22,833 45.0 +5.8
Labour Léonie Mathers 18,186 35.9 −2.9
UKIP Sally Chadd[20] 7,399 14.6 +11.6
Green Lydia Davies-Bright[21] 1,108 2.2 New
Liberal Democrats Dan Mosley[22] 1,094 2.2 −12.7
Class War Dave Perkins 78 0.2 New
Majority 4,647 9.1 +8.7
Turnout 50,698 69.1 +0.2
Conservative hold Swing +4.4
General election 2010: Sherwood[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Spencer 19,211 39.2 +5.8
Labour Emilie Oldknow 18,997 38.8 −10.6
Liberal Democrats Kevin Moore 7,283 14.9 +1.4
BNP James North 1,754 3.6 New
UKIP Margot Parker 1,490 3.0 −0.7
NOTA (None of the Above) Russ Swan [25] 219 0.4 New
Majority 214 0.4 N/A
Turnout 48,954 68.9 +7.1
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.2

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Sherwood[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paddy Tipping 22,824 48.4 −5.8
Conservative Bruce Laughton 16,172 34.3 +0.5
Liberal Democrats Peter Harris 6,384 13.5 +1.6
UKIP Moritz Dawkins 1,737 3.7 New
Majority 6,652 14.1 −6.3
Turnout 47,117 62.8 +2.1
Labour hold Swing −3.1
General election 2001: Sherwood[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paddy Tipping 24,900 54.2 −4.3
Conservative Brandon Lewis 15,527 33.8 +5.0
Liberal Democrats Peter Harris 5,473 11.9 +3.3
Majority 9,373 20.4 −9.3
Turnout 45,900 60.7 −14.9
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Sherwood[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paddy Tipping 33,071 58.5 +11.0
Conservative Roland Spencer 16,259 28.8 −14.1
Liberal Democrats Bruce Moult 4,889 8.6 −1.0
Referendum Lee Slack 1,882 3.3 New
BNP Paul Ballard 432 0.8 New
Majority 16,812 29.7 +25.1
Turnout 56,533 75.6 −9.9
Labour hold Swing
General election 1992: Sherwood[29][30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paddy Tipping 29,788 47.5 +9.3
Conservative Andy Stewart 26,878 42.9 −3.0
Liberal Democrats JW Howard 6,039 9.6 −6.4
Majority 2,910 4.6 N/A
Turnout 62,705 85.5 +3.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +6.2

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Sherwood[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andy Stewart 26,816 45.9 +4.9
Labour William Bach 22,321 38.2 −1.5
SDP Stuart Thompstone 9,343 16.0 −3.3
Majority 4,495 7.7 +6.4
Turnout 58,480 81.9 +5.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Sherwood[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andy Stewart 21,595 41.0
Labour William Bach 20,937 39.7
SDP Margaret E. Cooper 10,172 19.3
Majority 658 1.3
Turnout 52,704 76.3
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ^ 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.

References

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. ^ "East Midlands | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  3. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part I.
  4. ^ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
  5. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  6. ^ "2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
  7. ^ The Times Guide to the House of Commons 2019. Glasgow: Times Books. 2020. p. 328. ISBN 978-0-00-839258-1.
  8. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 3)
  9. ^ Sherwood Forest
  10. ^ "Sherwood Forest - General election results 2024". BBC News.
  11. ^ "Parliamentary Selections Tracker".
  12. ^ "Sherwood Forest Constituency".
  13. ^ "Instagram".
  14. ^ https://electionleaflets.org/leaflets/20536/ [bare URL]
  15. ^ "Hucknall councillor announces he will stand to be town's next MP at the general election". hucknalldispatch.co.uk. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Sherwood Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Becky Thomas". Archived from the original on 21 April 2017.
  18. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Sherwood parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  20. ^ "SOPN%20and%20Notice%20of%20Poll_Sherwood_070515.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  21. ^ "Prospective General Election Candidates | Green Party". Green Party Members' Website.
  22. ^ "Dan Mosley". East Midlands Lib Dems. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  23. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  24. ^ "BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Sherwood". news.bbc.co.uk.
  25. ^ http://noneoftheaboveparty.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/introducing-the-candidates-russ-swan/[permanent dead link]
  26. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  30. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  31. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  32. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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53°04′N 1°08′W / 53.07°N 1.13°W / 53.07; -1.13

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