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UK Parliament - Blackpool North & Fleetwood

RACE DETAILS

Parents

> United Kingdom > England > North West > North West > Blackpool North & Fleetwood

Office

Parliament

Honorific

Member of Parliament - Abbr: MP

Type

General Election

Filing Deadline

April 19, 2005 - 12:00pm Central

Polls Open

May 05, 2005 - 01:00am Central

Polls Close

May 05, 2005 - 05:00pm Central

Term Start

May 17, 2005 - 12:00pm

Term End

May 17, 2010 - 11:00am

Contributor

Wishful Thinking

Last Modified

Wishful Thinking June 14, 2005 06:19pm

Data Sources

[Link]

Description

Blackpool North and Fleetwood constituency was formed after the 1995 Boundary Review from the Tory seats of Wyre and Blackpool North, both divisions which had never elected a Conservative MP. In addition, three Labour-tending wards from North had been transferred into South. But Labour's Joan Humble, a former Lancashire county councillor, triumphed over sitting MP, Harold Elletson, by a majority of almost 9,000 votes. This part of the well-known seaside resort contains the northern end of the town and the coastal strip towards Fleetwood and Clevelys. Fleetwood is a fishing and container port with a ferry service to the Isle of Man. Fleetwood previously provided most of the Labour voters in the old Wyre seat. The age profile here is much older than neighbouring Blackpool South, a fifth of the population is over 65. Seventy-six percent of housing is owner-occupied, mostly semi-detached. Employment, like in South, is seasonal and centres mostly on the tourist and service sector - 10%, with a further 12% working in public administration and defence-related industries. The wards on Blackpool Council are mixed: Labour holds three and the Tories three - Warbreck, Norbeck and Bispham, and the Lib Dems one at Anchorsholme. Part of the seat is covered by Wyre Council in whose wards Labour are in a majority - the Conservatives controlling Jubilee and Victoria. Blackpool North and Fleetwood was one of Labour's surprise gains in 1997 - MP Joan Humble has a majority of 5,721.