BBC Profile:
Since 1935 constituents have elected just three different MPs in the area, all of them representatives of the Labour party. First World War veteran Captain Fred Bellenger served as Member from 1935 until his death in 1968.

Despite winning the subsequent by-election by just 740 votes, Bellenger's successor Joe Ashton went on to serve Bassetlaw for over 30 years, until his retirement in 2001. Ashton survived the party's worst year nationally since the war, winning a majority of over 4,000 in 1983. After his final election in 1997 his majority stood at over 17,000.

In 2005 John Mann won the seat for Labour with a majority of more than 10,000 votes, recording a rare swing towards the party.

At the election, boundary changes are substantial, with the town of Retford moving to the constituency from the Newark seat. In addition, the wards of Meden and Birklands move to the Mansfield constituency. 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.

The most northerly constituency in Nottinghamshire, Bassetlaw shares much in common with its near neighbours in South Yorkshire. Both areas were, until the early 1990s, heavily reliant on the coal mining industry.

The largest employment sector in the area is food manufacture, signalled by strong odours emitted from the factories. The largest and best-known is Premier Foods in Worksop, producer of brands such as Batchelor

[More...]

BBC Profile:
Since 1935 constituents have elected just three different MPs in the area, all of them representatives of the Labour party. First World War veteran Captain Fred Bellenger served as Member from 1935 until his death in 1968.

Despite winning the subsequent by-election by just 740 votes, Bellenger's successor Joe Ashton went on to serve Bassetlaw for over 30 years, until his retirement in 2001. Ashton survived the party's worst year nationally since the war, winning a majority of over 4,000 in 1983. After his final election in 1997 his majority stood at over 17,000.

In 2005 John Mann won the seat for Labour with a majority of more than 10,000 votes, recording a rare swing towards the party.

At the election, boundary changes are substantial, with the town of Retford moving to the constituency from the Newark seat. In addition, the wards of Meden and Birklands move to the Mansfield constituency. 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.

The most northerly constituency in Nottinghamshire, Bassetlaw shares much in common with its near neighbours in South Yorkshire. Both areas were, until the early 1990s, heavily reliant on the coal mining industry.

The largest employment sector in the area is food manufacture, signalled by strong odours emitted from the factories. The largest and best-known is Premier Foods in Worksop, producer of brands such as Batchelors and Oxo. Wilkinson also owns a huge distribution centre south of the town.

The north and west of the constituency, stretching towards Chesterfield and South Yorkshire, was traditionally a coal mining area. As in other nearby seats, most of the pits were closed in the early 1990s. However, Bassetlaw did manage to retain jobs in one of its largest mines, at Welbeck.

While still relatively small, there is a growing tourism industry based around the remaining parts of Sherwood Forest. Manufacturing firms remain the biggest employer.

Rallings & Thrasher Notional:
Lab 24,413 (52.98%)
C 16,157 (35.07%)
LD 5,507 (11.95%)

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