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UK Parliament - Wigan

RACE DETAILS

Parents

> United Kingdom > England > North West > North West > Wigan

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 23, 2005 01:28pm

Data Sources

[Link]

Description

Wigan has elected a Labour MP at every general election since 1918. The late Roger Stott, who had held the seat for the party since 1983, recorded his greatest majority in 1997 - 22,643 votes. His successor, Neil Turner held the seat in 2001 with a 13,000 majority. The constituency includes most of the town of Wigan, although Ince, Orrell and parts of the southern suburbs are in the Makerfield constituency. In the north of the seat are the small towns of Shelvington, Standish and Aspull set in some attractive countryside. Wigan is historically a working class seat with above average numbers of skilled workers. The area has been successful in attracting new industry to replace the decline in cotton and closure of coal mines in the neighbouring Leigh constituency. The town has the advantage of being within a triangle of motorways including the M6, M61 and M62 and was one of the first northern towns to realise the tourist potential of its industrial heritage with the Wigan Pier Heritage Centre.