Manchester Central (UK Parliament constituency)


Manchester Central is a constituency created in 1974 represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2012 by Lucy Powell of the Labour Party and Co-operative Party.

Constituency profile

The seat covers the city centre and fringe areas such as Hulme and Ancoats which have undergone extensive regeneration since the 1990s; as well as more deprived areas to the east, including Moston, Beswick and Ardwick.
This constituency has always been a safe Labour seat. The current MP Lucy Powell won the seat in a by-election in November 2012 on a turnout of just 18%, the lowest since the Second World War. Contrasting to this, 12 candidates stood, considerably more than the six who stood in the 1979 by-election.

History

;Creation
The main forerunner to the seat was Manchester Cheetham, entirely taken into this area; three of five wards of former seat Manchester Exchange completed the first set of boundaries of the seat. The seat has been held by the Labour Party since 1945.
;Political history
Labour candidates have won Manchester Central by a decidedly non-marginal majority since its 1974 creation. The current MP Lucy Powell won the seat at a by-election in November 2012 on a turnout of 18%; the lowest since the Second World War.
;Results of other parties
The 2015 general election saw greater-than-national-average swing of +3.4% to the Green Party candidate, achieving third place. Followed next by UKIP in 2015 by number of votes cast ; its second place of 1979 was through its best polling to date of 22.1% of the vote. The maximal second place to date was 2010, through Liberal Democrat candidate, Marc Ramsbottom, taking 26.6% of the vote.
;Turnout
Turnout has changed from a national low within the 2010 general election to 55.1% of electors. The greatest turnout was in 1987, with 63.9%.

Boundaries

1974–1983: The County Borough of Manchester wards of Beswick, Cheetham, Collegiate Church, Harpurhey, High Oldham, Miles Platting, New Cross, and St Peter's.
1983–1997: The City of Manchester wards of Ardwick, Beswick and Clayton, Bradford, Central, Cheetham, Hulme, and Newton Heath.
1997–2010: As above, less Cheetham, plus Moss Side, and Whalley Range.
2010–2018: The City of Manchester wards of Ancoats & Clayton, Ardwick, Bradford, City Centre, Hulme, Miles Platting & Newton Heath, Moss Side, and Moston using the 2004-2018 boundaries.
2018–: The City of Manchester wards of Ancoats and Beswick, Ardwick, Charlestown Clayton and Openshaw, Deansgate, Fallowfield, Hulme, Miles Platting & Newton Heath, Moss Side, Moston, Piccadilly and Whalley Range.

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

''This was the lowest turnout for any constituency in the whole of the United Kingdom

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s