BBC Profile:
The seat changed hands between Labour and the Conservatives during the 1950s and 1970s. In 1979 it was won by Conservative Iain Mills, who held the seat until his death shortly before the 1997 general election. He was succeeded by Caroline Spelman, for the Conservatives, who won with a majority of 582. She currently has a majority of 7,009.

At the election, Meriden will lose parts of Elmdon and St Alphege wards to Solihull, but gain parts of Bickenhall and Blythe wards. Its south-west corner will extend further west, absorbing what was Solihull's part of Bickenhill ward.

After constituency boundary changes Meriden will be formed of nine wards: Bickenhill, Blythe, Castle Bromwich, Chelmsley Wood, Dorridge and Hockley Heath, Kingshurst and Fordbridge, Knowle, Meriden, and Smith's Wood. To find out what might have happened had this boundary change been in force at the last election, see a notional - or estimated - result below.

Situated in the commuter belt between Birmingham and Coventry, Meriden claims to be the geographical heart of England.

Meriden is at the centre of England's transport system, the home of Birmingham International Airport, the intersection of the M6 and M42 and rail links through Birmingham. It contains some of the most affluent residential areas in the West Midlands in the southern half of the constituency around Knowle and Dorridge.

The transformation of Solihull town centre, and the opening of the Touchwood retail complex in

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BBC Profile:
The seat changed hands between Labour and the Conservatives during the 1950s and 1970s. In 1979 it was won by Conservative Iain Mills, who held the seat until his death shortly before the 1997 general election. He was succeeded by Caroline Spelman, for the Conservatives, who won with a majority of 582. She currently has a majority of 7,009.

At the election, Meriden will lose parts of Elmdon and St Alphege wards to Solihull, but gain parts of Bickenhall and Blythe wards. Its south-west corner will extend further west, absorbing what was Solihull's part of Bickenhill ward.

After constituency boundary changes Meriden will be formed of nine wards: Bickenhill, Blythe, Castle Bromwich, Chelmsley Wood, Dorridge and Hockley Heath, Kingshurst and Fordbridge, Knowle, Meriden, and Smith's Wood. To find out what might have happened had this boundary change been in force at the last election, see a notional - or estimated - result below.

Situated in the commuter belt between Birmingham and Coventry, Meriden claims to be the geographical heart of England.

Meriden is at the centre of England's transport system, the home of Birmingham International Airport, the intersection of the M6 and M42 and rail links through Birmingham. It contains some of the most affluent residential areas in the West Midlands in the southern half of the constituency around Knowle and Dorridge.

The transformation of Solihull town centre, and the opening of the Touchwood retail complex in neighbouring Solihull constituency in 2001, helped bolster retail employment across Solihull, while the Blyth Valley Business Park created 3,000 jobs between 2000 and 2006. During 2005/06 there were more signs of renewal: 19 businesses either expanded or relocated, bringing around 550 jobs.

Rallings & Thrasher Notional:
C 22,975 (47.63%)
Lab 15,563 (32.27%)
LD 8,075 (16.74%)
UKIP 1,620 (3.36%)

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