Derbyshire Dales (UK Parliament constituency)

Derbyshire Dales
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Boundary of Derbyshire Dales in the East Midlands
CountyDerbyshire
Electorate71,435 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsAshbourne, Bakewell, Matlock, Darley Dale, Wirksworth
Current constituency
Created2010
Member of ParliamentJohn Whitby (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromWest Derbyshire

Derbyshire Dales (/ˈdɑːrbiʃɪər, -ʃər, deɪlz/ DAR-bee-sheer, -⁠shər) is a constituency[a] that has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by John Whitby of the Labour Party. The constituency was created for the 2010 general election.[b]

Constituency profile

Derbyshire Dales is a large, rural constituency located in Derbyshire which mostly falls within the Peak District National Park. The largest town in the constituency is Matlock, which has a population of around 12,000 and serves as the county town.[2] Other settlements in the constituency include the small towns of Ashbourne, Bakewell, Wirksworth and Darley Dale and the large village of Hilton. The area is popular with tourists, especially in Bakewell and the spa resort of Matlock Bath. The constituency is generally affluent, particularly so in Bakewell and Hilton.[3]

On average, residents of the constituency are older and more religious than the rest of the country. Household income is high, and residents are more likely to be degree-educated and work in professional occupations. At the 2021 census, White people made up 97% of the population.[4] Local politics (district and county) are mixed; Matlock is represented by Liberal Democrat councillors, the south of the constituency around Ashbourne elected Conservatives, Wirksworth has Labour Party representatives and Greens were elected in the more rural north. The Ashbourne and Hilton areas also have Reform UK representation at the county council. An estimated 52% of voters in the constituency supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, identical to the nationwide figure.[4]

History

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Derbyshire, the Boundary Commission for England created a new constituency of Derbyshire Dales which is almost coterminous with the previous seat of West Derbyshire. At the first four elections of its existence, it elected Conservative MPs by safe margins, with the fifth such election seeing Labour gain the seat for the first time since 1945.

Boundaries

2010–2024

The District of Derbyshire Dales, and the Borough of Amber Valley wards of Alport, Crich and South West Parishes.

2024–

Following 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 Borough of Amber Valley wards of Alport and Crich1 (South West Parishes ward transferred to Mid Derbyshire)
  • the District of Derbyshire Dales
  • the District of South Derbyshire wards of Hilton and Hatton (transferred from South Derbyshire)[5]

1 Further to a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023,[6][7] the area in the Borough of Amber Valley comprises parts of the wards of Alport & South West Parishes and Crich & South Wingfield.[8]

Members of Parliament

West Derbyshire prior to 2010

Election Member[9] Party
2010 Sir Patrick McLoughlin Conservative
2019 Sarah Dines Conservative
2024 John Whitby Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Derbyshire Dales[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Whitby 17,759 34.6 +10.5
Conservative Sarah Dines 17,409 34.0 −25.0
Reform UK Edward Oakenfull[c] 7,728 15.1 New
Liberal Democrats Robert Court 4,860 9.5 −3.3
Green Kelda Boothroyd 2,830 5.5 +1.4
Independent Rachel Elnaugh-Love 369 0.7 New
True and Fair Party Helen Wetherall 317 0.6 New
Majority 350 0.6
Turnout 51,272 69.9 −5.6
Registered electors 73,317
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +17.7

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Derbyshire Dales[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sarah Dines 29,356 58.7 −1.3
Labour Claire Raw 11,975 23.9 −7.2
Liberal Democrats Robert Court 6,627 13.2 +6.9
Green Matthew Buckler 2,058 4.1 +2.1
Majority 17,381 34.8 +5.9
Turnout 50,016 77.9 +0.9
Conservative hold Swing +2.9
General election 2017: Derbyshire Dales[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick McLoughlin 29,744 60.0 +7.6
Labour Andy Botham 15,417 31.1 +8.4
Liberal Democrats Andrew Hollyer 3,126 6.3 −2.1
Green Matthew Buckler 1,002 2.0 −2.6
Humanity Robin Greenwood 282 0.6 +0.3
Majority 14,327 28.9 −0.8
Turnout 49,571 77.0 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing −0.4
General election 2015: Derbyshire Dales[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick McLoughlin 24,805 52.4 +0.3
Labour Andy Botham 10,761 22.7 +3.3
UKIP John Young 5,508 11.6 +7.8
Liberal Democrats Ben Fearn 3,965 8.4 −14.1
Green Ian Wood 2,173 4.6 +2.9
Humanity Amila Y'Mech 149 0.3 +0.2
Majority 14,044 29.7 +0.1
Turnout 47,361 74.6 +0.8
Conservative hold Swing −1.6
General election 2010: Derbyshire Dales[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick McLoughlin 24,378 52.1 +5.6
Liberal Democrats Joe Naitta 10,512 22.5 −1.9
Labour Colin Swindell 9,061 19.4 −6.3
UKIP Ian Guiver 1,779 3.8 +1.3
Green Josh Stockell 772 1.7 New
Monster Raving Loony Nick The Flying Brick 228 0.5 New
Humanity Amila Y'Mech 50 0.1 New
Majority 13,866 29.6
Turnout 46,780 73.8 +6.3
Conservative hold Swing +3.7

See also

Notes

  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.
  3. ^ After nominations for the 2024 general election closed, Reform UK withdrew support for Edward Oakenfull on the 29 June, after reports of "offensive or racist comments"[12]

References

  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  2. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Matlock Town Parish (1170212812)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Seat Details - Derbyshire Dales". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part I.
  6. ^ LGBCE. "Amber Valley | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  7. ^ "The Amber Valley (Electoral Changes) Order 2022".
  8. ^ "New Seat Details - Derbyshire Dales". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 1)
  10. ^ Coyle, Simon (4 July 2024). "Derbyshire Dales general election 2024 results in full". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Derbyshire Dales - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  12. ^ Morton, Becky (29 June 2024). "Reform UK drops three candidates over offensive comments". BBC News. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Candidates for Derbyshire Dales". Democracy Club. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  16. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

53°09′N 1°39′W / 53.15°N 1.65°W / 53.15; -1.65

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