County Bristol Electorate 73,920 (December 2010) European Parliament constituency South West England Number of members 1 | Population 100,809 (2011 census) Created 1950 Member of parliament Charlotte Leslie | |
 | ||
Bristol North West is a constituency to the north and north-west of Bristol city centre represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Charlotte Leslie of the Conservative Party. The constituency is a considered a bellwether, as it has reflected the national result at every general election since October 1974.
Contents
Constituency profile and history
This constituency is a longstanding bellwether, having elected the candidate of the winning party in the nine general elections since October 1974 (inclusive) which elected the Labour Government 1974-1979.
Party positions altered completely in 2010 with the Liberal Democrat candidate, Paul Harrod achieving second place with a slightly larger one party swing, of 11.4%, than winning candidate Charlotte Leslie and saw a fresh Labour Party candidate suffer a large decrease in percentage of the Labour vote of 20.8%. This changed in 2015 with the Conservatives winning the seat with an increased majority of 9.5%, and Labour moving back into second place.
Boundaries
1950-1955: The County Borough of Bristol wards of Avon, Durdham, Horfield, and Westbury-on-Trym.
1955-1983: The County Borough of Bristol wards of Avon, Henbury, Horfield, Southmead, and Westbury-on-Trym.
1983-1997: The City of Bristol wards of Avonmouth, Henbury, Horfield, Kingsweston, Lockleaze, Southmead, and Westbury-on-Trym, and the District of Northavon wards of Filton Charborough, Filton Conygre, Filton Northville, Stoke Gifford North, and Stoke Gifford South.
1997-2010: The City of Bristol wards of Avonmouth, Henbury, Horfield, Kingsweston, Lockleaze, and Southmead, and the District of Northavon wards of Filton Charborough, Filton Conygre, Filton Northville, Patchway Callicroft, Patchway Coniston, Patchway Stoke Lodge, Stoke Gifford North, and Stoke Gifford South.
2010–present: The City of Bristol wards of Avonmouth, Henbury, Henleaze, Horfield, Kingsweston, Lockleaze, Southmead, Stoke Bishop, and Westbury-on-Trym.
The Bristol Channel islands of Flat Holm and Steep Holm are also part of this constituency
Following the review by the Boundary Commission for England into parliamentary representation in the former county of Avon Somerset and Gloucestershire the constituency had boundary changes at the 2010 general election. In particular, the constituency is now wholly contained within the City of Bristol: the areas of Filton, Patchway, Stoke Gifford, Bradley Stoke and Aztec West which are in the South Gloucestershire district were transferred to a new Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency. At the same time, the areas of Stoke Bishop, Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym were gained from Bristol West.
Elections in the 2010s
Going into the 2015 general election, this was the 117th most marginal constituency in Great Britain, the Liberal Democrats requiring a swing from the Conservatives of 3.3% to take the seat (based on the result of the 2010 general election).
In 2015, the Class War Party announced Steve Norman as its candidate, but he failed to stand.