Wigan (UK Parliament constituency)
Wigan is a constituency in Greater Manchester, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Lisa Nandy of the Labour Party, who also serves as the Shadow Foreign Secretary.
History
In 1295 and January 1307, Wigan was one of the significant places called upon to send a representative, then known as a 'burgess,’ to the Model Parliament. However, for the remainder of the medieval period, the seat was not summoned to send an official. This changed with Henry VIII's grant of two Members of Parliament to the town, which is believed to have been incorporated as a borough in 1246, after the issue of a charter by Henry III. At the close of the Middle Ages, in the Tudor period, Wigan was one of four boroughs in Lancashire possessing Royal Charters; the others were Lancaster, Liverpool and Preston.Following the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, single-member constituencies were imposed nationwide, meaning the seat saw a reduction of the number of its members.
The death of Roger Stott in office in 1999 made him the fourth Wigan MP in the twentieth century to die in office ; the others were John Parkinson, Ronald Williams and William Foster.
Political history
Wigan is considered a safe seat given that it has been held by the Labour Party since 1918, with solid majorities ranging from 1,018 votes in 1931 to 22,643 votes in 1997.Prominent frontbenchers
Boundaries
1832–1918: The Township of Wigan.- In 1835 Wigan became a Municipal borough, using the then current Parliamentary boundaries of the Township.
- In 1888 Wigan Municipal Borough became the County Borough of Wigan on the same boundaries.
- In 1904 Pemberton Urban District was dissolved, with the area covered by it becoming part of the County Borough of Wigan. However, for Parliamentary purposes, that area remained part of South-West Lancashire, Ince Division until the Parliamentary boundaries were redefined in 1918.
- In 1974 the Country Borough of Wigan was abolished and superseded by the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, covering a far greater area. However, the boundary of the Parliamentary Constituency of Wigan remained unchanged until 1983, when it was expanded to cover the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough.
1997–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan wards of Aspull-Standish, Beech Hill, Langtree, Newtown, Norley, Swinley, Whelley.
- In 2004, new ward boundaries in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan came in to effect. However, the Parliamentary boundaries remained unchanged until they were reviewed and adjusted to line up with the new ward boundaries in 2010.
Constituency profile
The seat is productive and has excellent links to Manchester, as well as close links to the M6, which lies just within its western border. However, over the past century, Wigan has witnessed a fall in manufacturing, particularly in the production of textiles, which have been unable to compete with the Indian subcontinent and the Far East. Another industry which has suffered is coal mining, which had been a large employer in this part of Lancashire up until the mid-20th century.As of May 2018, the rate of JSA and Universal Credit claimants was 3.9%, higher than the national average of 2.8% and regional average of 3.7%, based on a statistical compilation by the House of Commons Library.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1295–1640
| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1295 | William le Teinterer | Henry le Bocher |
| 1306/7 | Simon Payer | John de Mersee |
| 1307-1545 | No Members returned to Parliament | No Members returned to Parliament |
| 1545 | Thomas Chaloner | John Eston |
| 1547 | Alexander Barlowe | Thomas Carus |
| 1552/3 | Alexander Barlowe | Gilbert Gerard |
| 1553 | Alexander Barlowe | Gilbert Gerard |
| 1554 | Alexander Barlowe | William Barnes |
| 1554 | Alexander Barlowe | John Barnes |
| 1555 | Alexander Barlowe | Gilbert Gerard |
| 1558 | Ralph Barton | Thomas Smith |
| 1559 | William Gerard II | Thomas Bromley |
| 1562/3 | William Gerard II | John Ratcliffe |
| 1571 | William Gerard II | Owen Ratcliffe |
| 1572 | Edward Fitton on Queen's Service and repl. 1581 by Richard Molyneux | Edward Elrington |
| 1584 | Thomas Grimsditch | William Gerard III |
| 1586 | William Gerard III | Peter Legh |
| 1588 | Peter Legh | William Leycester |
| 1593 | William Gerard III | Michael Heneage |
| 1597 | Edward Legh | Nicholas Smyth |
| 1601 | Roger Downes | John Pulteney |
| 1604 | Sir William Cooke | Sir John Pulteney |
| 1614 | Sir Gilbert Gerard | Sir Richard Molyneux |
| 1621 | Sir Thomas Gerard, 1st Baronet | Roger Downes |
| 1624 | Sir Anthony St John | Francis Downes |
| 1625 | Francis Downes | Edward Bridgeman |
| 1626 | Sir Anthony St John | Sir William Pooley |
| 1628 | Edward Bridgeman | Sir Anthony St John |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments convened | No Parliaments convened |
MPs 1640–1885
MPs since 1885
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Election box winning candidate with party link|Election box candidate with party link|
Election box majority|
Election box turnout|
Election box hold with party link|
Election box end
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
General Election 1914/15:Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
- Unionist: Reginald Neville
- Labour: Henry Twist
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1880s
- Caused by Knowles' death.
- Caused by the previous election being declared void on petition.
- Caused by Lindsay's elevation to the peerage, becoming Earl of Crawford and Balcarres. This by-election was later voided on petition.
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1860s
- Caused by Lindsay's resignation due to prolonged service in Canada in the British Army.
Elections in the 1850s
- Caused by Thicknesse's death.
Elections in the 1840s
- Caused by Greenall's death.
Elections in the 1830s
- Caused by Potter's resignation
- Caused by Hodson's resignation