Pontefract and Castleford (UK Parliament constituency)
{{Short description|Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1974–2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{coord|53.708|-1.316|display=title|region:GB_scale:50000}}
{{Infobox UK constituency main
|name = Pontefract and Castleford
|parliament = uk
|map1 = PontefractCastleford
|map2 = EnglandWestYorkshire
|map_entity = West Yorkshire
|map_year = 2005
|year = 1974
|abolished = 2010
|type = County
|previous = Pontefract
|next = Normanton, Pontefract & Castleford
|region = England
|county = West Yorkshire
|elects_howmany = One
}}
Pontefract and Castleford was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 2010 general election. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Boundaries
1974–1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Castleford and Pontefract, and the Urban District of Featherstone.
1983–2010: The City of Wakefield wards of Castleford Ferry Fryston, Castleford Glasshoughton, Castleford Whitwood, Knottingley, Pontefract North, and Pontefract South.
The constituency covered the West Yorkshire towns of Pontefract and Castleford. It was a very safe Labour seat, made up of former mining towns and villages. The MP from 1997 until its abolition in 2010, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, is married to former fellow Labour MP, former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls.
=Boundary review=
Following their review of parliamentary representation in West Yorkshire, the number of seats in West Yorkshire were reduced by one due to population decline by the Boundary Commission for England. A new, geographically larger, constituency called Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford was created in 2010 including the whole of this constituency.
Members of Parliament
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan="2"|Election | Member{{Rayment-hc|p|2|date=March 2012}} | Party |
|---|---|---|
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| Feb 1974 | Labour | ||
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| Sir Geoffrey Lofthouse | Labour | ||
| style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| 1997 | Labour | ||
| | 2010
| colspan="2" | Constituency abolished: see Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford |
Elections
=Elections in the 2000s=
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 2005: Pontefract and Castleford{{cite web|title=Election Data 2005|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|accessdate=18 October 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054249/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2005ob.txt|archivedate=15 October 2011|url-status=dead}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Yvette Cooper
|votes = 20,973
|percentage = 63.7
|change = −6.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Simon Jones
|votes = 5,727
|percentage = 17.4
|change = −0.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
|candidate = Wesley Paxton
|votes = 3,942
|percentage = 12.0
|change = +4.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = British National Party
|candidate = Suzy Cass
|votes = 1,835
|percentage = 5.6
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate|
|party = Alliance for Green Socialism
|candidate = Bob Hague
|votes = 470
|percentage = 1.4
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 15,246
|percentage = 46.3
|change = −5.8
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 32,947
|percentage = 53.3
|change = +3.6
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 2001: Pontefract and Castleford{{cite web|title=Election Data 2001|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|accessdate=18 October 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054450/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2001ob.txt|archivedate=15 October 2011|url-status=dead}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Yvette Cooper
|votes = 21,890
|percentage = 69.7
|change = −6.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Pamela Singleton
|votes = 5,512
|percentage = 17.6
|change = +4.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
|candidate = Wesley Paxton
|votes = 2,315
|percentage = 7.4
|change = 0.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = UK Independence Party
|candidate = John Burdon
|votes = 739
|percentage = 2.4
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Trevor Bolderson
|votes = 605
|percentage = 1.9
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Socialist Alliance (England)
|candidate = John Gill
|votes = 330
|percentage = 1.1
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 16,378
|percentage = 52.1
|change = −10.0
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 31,391
|percentage = 49.7
|change = −16.6
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Elections in the 1990s=
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 1997: Pontefract and Castleford{{cite web |title=Election Data 1997 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt |publisher=Electoral Calculus |accessdate=18 October 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054424/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1997.txt |archivedate=15 October 2011 |url-status=dead}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Yvette Cooper
|votes = 31,339
|percentage = 75.7
|change = +5.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Adrian Flook
|votes = 5,614
|percentage = 13.6
|change = −7.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
|candidate = Wesley Paxton
|votes = 3,042
|percentage = 7.4
|change = −1.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Referendum Party
|candidate = Richard Wood
|votes = 1,401
|percentage = 3.4
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 25,725
|percentage = 62.1
|change = +13.1
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 41,396
|percentage = 66.3
|change = −8.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 1992: Pontefract and Castleford{{cite web |title=Election Data 1992 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1992ob.txt |publisher=Electoral Calculus |accessdate=18 October 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054418/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1992ob.txt |archivedate=15 October 2011 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm |title=Politics Resources |date=9 April 1992 |work=Election 1992 |publisher=Politics Resources |accessdate=2010-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724020412/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/ge92index.htm |archive-date=24 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/Documents/elections/previous-election-results/general-election-results/1992-election-results.pdf |title=1992 election results |website=Wakefield Council |access-date=2021-02-27 |archive-date=2022-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215132533/https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/Documents/elections/previous-election-results/general-election-results/1992-election-results.pdf |url-status=live }}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Geoffrey Lofthouse
|votes = 33,546
|percentage = 69.9
|change = +3.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Anthony George Mortimer Rockall
|votes = 10,051
|percentage = 20.9
|change = −0.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
|candidate = David Lawrence Ryan
|votes = 4,410
|percentage = 9.2
|change = −2.1
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 23,495
|percentage = 49.0
|change = +3.3
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 48,007
|percentage = 74.3
|change = +0.8
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing = +1.6
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Elections in the 1980s=
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 1987: Pontefract and Castleford{{cite web|title=Election Data 1987|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1987.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|accessdate=18 October 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054243/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1987.txt|archivedate=15 October 2011|url-status=dead}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Geoffrey Lofthouse
|votes = 31,656
|percentage = 66.9
|change = +9.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Julian Malins
|votes = 10,051
|percentage = 21.2
|change = −4.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = SDP-Liberal Alliance
|candidate = Michael Taylor
|votes = 5,334
|percentage = 11.3
|change = −5.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Red Front (UK)
|candidate = Daniel McFarlane-Lees
|votes = 295
|percentage = 0.6
|change = New
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 21,626
|percentage = 45.7
|change = +14.4
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 47,315
|percentage = 73.5
|change = +7.1
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 1983: Pontefract and Castleford{{cite web|title=Election Data 1983|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1983.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|accessdate=18 October 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054231/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1983.txt|archivedate=15 October 2011|url-status=dead}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Geoffrey Lofthouse
|votes = 24,990
|percentage = 57.1
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Barry Howell
|votes = 11,299
|percentage = 25.8
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = SDP-Liberal Alliance
|candidate = Douglas Dale
|votes = 7,452
|percentage = 17.1
|change =
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 13,691
|percentage = 31.3
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 43,741
|percentage = 67.4
|change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Elections in the 1970s=
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election 1979: Pontefract and Castleford
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Geoffrey Lofthouse
|votes = 30,566
|percentage = 68.1
|change = −2.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Hugo Page
|votes = 10,665
|percentage = 23.8
|change = +7.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = Leslie Marsh
|votes = 3,616
|percentage = 8.0
|change = −4.3
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 19,901
|percentage = 44.3
|change = −9.9
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 44,837
|percentage = 73.9
|change = +2.8
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |
|title=1978 Pontefract and Castleford by-election
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Geoffrey Lofthouse
|votes = 19,508
|percentage = 65.8
|change = −4.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Hugo Page
|votes = 8,080
|percentage = 27.3
|change = +11.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = Leslie Marsh
|votes = 2,054
|percentage = 6.9
|change = −5.4
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 11,428
|percentage = 38.5
|change = −15.7
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 29,642
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing = −7.9
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election October 1974: Pontefract and Castleford
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Joseph Harper
|votes = 30,208
|percentage = 70.4
|change = −4.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = I. Bloomer
|votes = 6,966
|percentage = 16.2
|change = −6.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Liberal Party (UK)
|candidate = S. Galloway
|votes = 5,259
|percentage = 12.3
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Workers Revolutionary Party (UK)
|candidate = T. Parsons
|votes = 457
|percentage = 1.1
|change = −1.1
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 23,242
|percentage = 54.2
|change = +2.4
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 42,890
|percentage = 71.1
|change = −6.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |
|title=General election February 1974: Pontefract and Castleford
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Labour Party (UK)
|candidate = Joseph Harper
|votes = 34,409
|percentage = 74.8
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Conservative Party (UK)
|candidate = Richard Needham
|votes = 10,605
|percentage = 23.1
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Workers Revolutionary Party (UK)
|candidate = B. Lavery
|votes = 991
|percentage = 2.2
|change =
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 23,804
|percentage = 51.8
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 46,005
|percentage = 77.1
|change =
}}
{{Election box new seat win|
|winner = Labour Party (UK)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
See also
Notes and references
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/13301.html Pontefract and Castleford UK Parliament constituency] (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
{{Constituencies in Yorkshire and the Humber}}
Category:Parliamentary constituencies in West Yorkshire (historic)
Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1974
Category:Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom disestablished in 2010