Harrogate (/ˈhærəɡᵻt, -ˌɡeɪt/) was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. As with all constituencies, the constituency elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The constituency was renamed Harrogate and Knaresborough in 1997.
Contents
Constituency profile
An area with little unemployment, a relatively large retired population and large neighbourhoods of high house prices which, until former Chancellor Norman Lamont stood for the first time in the successor seat in The New Labour landslide general election in 1997 was part of a Conservative safe seat since 1910, Harrogate moved the way of other famous spa towns in England such as Bath by returning the Liberal Democrat MP Phil Willis.
Boundaries
1950-1983: The Municipal Borough of Harrogate, the Urban District of Knaresborough, and part of the Rural District of Nidderdale.
1983-1997: The Borough of Harrogate wards of Bilton, Claro, Duchy, East Central, Granby, Harlow, Knaresborough East, Knaresborough West, Marston Moor, Nether Poppleton, New Park, Ouseburn, Pannal, Spofforth, Starbeck, Upper Poppleton, Wedderburn, and West Central.
History
Before 1950 Harrogate had been part of the Ripon constituency. The constituency was created as 'Harrogate' and following boundary changes in 1997 the name was changed to Harrogate and Knaresborough.