Knowsley (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2010 onwards

Knowsley

Borough constituency
for the House of Commons

Interactive map of boundaries from 2024

Location within North West England

County| Merseyside
Electorate| 71,228 (2023) [1]
Major settlements| Huyton, Kirkby, Knowsley, Roby
Current constituency
Created| 2010
Member of Parliament| Anneliese Midgley (Labour)
Seats| One
Created from| Knowsley South,
Knowsley North and Sefton East

Knowsley is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Anneliese Midgley of the Labour Party.[n 2] .

## Constituency profile

[edit]

The constituency mainly consists of low-income social housing and former social housing built to decant the residents displaced by post-war slum clearance in Liverpool. It includes Huyton to the south (once represented by Prime Minister Harold Wilson) and Kirkby to the north. Between them is the green space of Knowsley Hall and Park, the ancestral home of the Earls of Derby and the site of Knowsley Safari Park. In 2010, The Guardian summarised the area as "One of the most deprived areas in the country. The new parliamentary constituency folds in Knowsley North and Knowsley South."[2]

The constituency voted to leave the European Union in 2016.

## History

[edit]

Created for the 2010 general election (during the Boundary Commission for England's Fifth periodic review of Westminster constituencies[3]), it was believed to present the safest seat in the country, with an estimated Labour majority of 24,333 votes.[4] The area returned the second highest share of the vote seen by a candidate for the Labour Party, of 70.9%, behind the 72.0% achieved in Liverpool Walton. The same ranking of results nationally by percentage majority occurred in 2015,[5] when it became the safest seat in the country in absolute terms, beating East Ham by 403 votes.[6]

It ranked foremost by party majority in 2017, where it was followed directly by East Ham and 28 other seats won by Labour candidates, after which followed North East Hampshire.[6] It achieved the highest majority for any British Member of Parliament since the advent of universal suffrage, with Labour winning with a majority of 42,214 votes, surpassing the 36,230-vote majority held by then-Conservative Prime Minister John Major in his Huntingdon constituency in 1992.

On its creation, the seat was won by George Howarth, who had served as MP for the predecessor seats of Knowsley North (1986–1997) and Knowsley North and Sefton East (1997–2010). On his retirement for the 2024 general election, he was succeeded by Anneliese Midgley on a reduced majority over Reform UK of 50.9%.

## Boundaries

[edit]

The constituency covers a large part of the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, the main settlements being Huyton and Kirkby. It replaced most of the previous Knowsley South constituency, as well as the parts of Knowsley North and Sefton East in the Knowsley borough. Distant parts from the centre of the metropolitan borough were covered by the new St Helens South and Whiston and Garston and Halewood constituencies.

The seat is composed of the following electoral wards:

2010-2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley wards of Cherryfield, Kirkby Central, Longview, Northwood, Page Moss, Park, Prescot West, Roby, St Bartholomews, St Gabriels, St Michaels, Shevington, Stockbridge, Swanside, and Whitefield.

2024-present: The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley wards of Cherryfield, Northwood, Prescot North, Roby, St Gabriels, St Michaels, Shevington, Stockbridge, and Whitefield.[7]

Allowing for changes to ward names and boundaries, the constituency was reduced in size to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the Page Moss and Swanside wards to Liverpool West Derby.

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election  | Member[8] | Party

|
|

| 2010 | George Howarth | Labour
| 2024 | Anneliese Midgley | Labour

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 2020s

[edit]

General election 2024: Knowsley[9][10] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Anneliese Midgley | 24,243  | 67.3  | −12.3
| Reform UK | Alexander Hitchmough  | 5,924  | 16.4  | +10.1
| Green | Graham Wickens  | 2,772  | 7.7  | +5.7
| Conservative | Sherrie McDaid  | 1,496  | 4.2  | −4.5
| Liberal Democrats | Kate Tipton  | 1,232  | 3.4  | +0.9
| Workers Party | Graham Padden  | 245  | 0.7  | N/A
| SDP | Patricia Jameson  | 135  | 0.4  | N/A
Majority  | 18,319  | 50.9  | −21.8
Registered electors | 71,964  |  |
Turnout | 36,135  | 50.2  | −15.2
Rejected ballots  | 88  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing | −13.5  |

### Elections in the 2010s

[edit]

General election 2019: Knowsley [11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | George Howarth | 44,374  | 80.8  | –4.5
| Conservative | Rushi Millns  | 4,432  | 8.1  | –1.2
| Brexit Party | Tim McCullough  | 3,348  | 6.1  | New
| Green | Paul Woodruff  | 1,262  | 2.3  | +1.4
| Liberal Democrats | Joe Slupsky  | 1,117  | 2.0  | –0.1
| Liberal | Ray Catesby  | 405  | 0.7  | New
Majority  | 39,942  | 72.7  | –3.3
Turnout | 54,938  | 65.4  | –2.4
| Labour hold | Swing | –4.6  |

This was the largest numerical Labour majority at the 2019 general election.[12]

General election 2017: Knowsley[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | George Howarth | 47,351  | 85.3  | +7.2
| Conservative | James Spencer  | 5,137  | 9.3  | +2.7
| UKIP | Neil Miney  | 1,285  | 2.3  | –7.5
| Liberal Democrats | Carl Cashman  | 1,189  | 2.1  | –0.8
| Green | Steve Baines  | 521  | 0.9  | –1.6
Majority  | 42,214  | 76.0  | +7.7
Turnout | 55,483  | 67.8  | +3.7
| Labour hold | Swing | +2.3  |
General election 2015: Knowsley[14][15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | George Howarth | 39,628  | 78.1  | +7.2
| UKIP | Louise Bours | 4,973  | 9.8  | +7.2
| Conservative | Alice Bramall  | 3,367  | 6.6  | −2.4
| Liberal Democrats | Carl Cashman  | 1,490  | 2.9  | −10.5
| Green | Vikki Gregorich  | 1,270  | 2.5  | New
Majority  | 34,655  | 68.3  | +10.8
Turnout | 50,728  | 64.1  | +8.0
| Labour hold | Swing | 0.0  |
General election 2010: Knowsley[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | George Howarth*  | 31,650  | 70.9  | −0.9
| Liberal Democrats | Flo Clucas  | 5,964  | 13.4  | −0.4
| Conservative | David Dunne  | 4,004  | 9.0  | −2.3
| BNP | Steven Greenhalgh  | 1,895  | 4.2  | +2.2
| UKIP | Anthony Rundle  | 1,145  | 2.6  | New
Majority  | 25,686  | 57.5  | −0.5
Turnout | 44,654  | 56.1  | +2.3
| Labour hold | Swing | -0.2  |

* Served as an MP in the 2005–2010 Parliament

## See also

[edit]

* List of parliamentary constituencies in Merseyside

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ A borough 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

[edit]

1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
2. ^ "Knowsley". guardian.co.uk.
3. ^ "Knowsley Boundary Commission for England". Archived from the original on 2 November 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
4. ^ "Altered Constituencies Data". The Guardian. 22 January 2010.
5. ^ "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
6. ^ a b Baker, Carl; Hawkins, Oliver; Audickas, Lukas; Bate, Alex; Cracknell, Richard; Apostolova, Vyara; Dempsey, Noel; McInnes, Roderick; Rutherford, Tom; Uberoi, Elise (29 January 2019). "General Election 2017: full results and analysis". parliament.uk. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
7. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
8. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "K" (part 2)
9. ^ "Knowsley Constituency declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Knowsley Council. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
10. ^ "Knowsley - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
11. ^ "Statement of persons nominated 2019" (PDF).
12. ^ http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8749/CBP-8749.pdf [bare URL PDF]
13. ^ "General Election 2017: who is standing for election". Liverpool Echo. 11 May 2017.
14. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
15. ^ "Knowsley". BBC News. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
16. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Knowsley UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
* Knowsley UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

* v
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Constituencies in North West England (73)

Labour (62)|

* Altrincham and Sale West
* Ashton-under-Lyne
* Barrow and Furness
* Birkenhead
* Blackley and Middleton South
* Blackpool North and Fleetwood
* Blackpool South
* Bolton North East
* Bolton South and Walkden
* Bolton West
* Bootle
* Bury North
* Bury South
* Carlisle
* Chester North and Neston
* Congleton
* Crewe and Nantwich
* Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
* Heywood and Middleton North
* Hyndburn
* Knowsley
* Lancaster and Wyre
* Leigh and Atherton
* Liverpool Garston
* Liverpool Riverside
* Liverpool Walton
* Liverpool Wavertree
* Liverpool West Derby
* Macclesfield
* Makerfield
* Manchester Central
* Manchester Rusholme
* Manchester Withington
* Mid Cheshire
* Morecambe and Lunesdale
* Oldham East and Saddleworth
* Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton
* Pendle and Clitheroe
* Penrith and Solway
* Preston
* Ribble Valley
* Rochdale
* Rossendale and Darwen
* Salford
* Sefton Central
* South Ribble
* Southport
* St Helens North
* St Helens South and Whiston
* Stalybridge and Hyde
* Stockport
* Stretford and Urmston
* Wallasey
* Warrington North
* Warrington South
* West Lancashire
* Whitehaven and Workington
* Widnes and Halewood
* Wigan
* Wirral West
* Worsley and Eccles
* Wythenshawe and Sale East

Independent (4)|

* Blackburn
* Burnley
* Gorton and Denton
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Conservative (3)|

* Chester South and Eddisbury
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* Tatton

Liberal Democrats (3)|

* Cheadle
* Hazel Grove
* Westmorland and Lonsdale

Speaker (1)|

* Chorley

Authority control databases: People |

* UK Parliament

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