Leeds Constituencies - West
The constituency Leeds West was established in 1885.
This is the only Leeds constituency which has retained its name unchanged name since 1885.
Originally a working-class area of back-to-back housing, many of these have been replaced by council houses and multi-storey flats. Lower middle-class private developments were also carried out in the twentieth century. Wool textile manufacture and engineering were the dominant industries with thriving brick-making and fireclay companies also operating. By the end of the twentieth century several light industrial sites had been developed. Politically it has made history in that in 1903 the Labour Party, then the Labour Representation Committee, won its first seat on the council for New Wortley; in 1924 Tom Stamford won the seat for Labour by just 3 votes, the smallest majority ever recorded in the city; and in 1998 David Blackburn became the first Green Party councillor in Leeds.
West in 2015
BOUNDARIES
1885–1918: Armley and Wortley Ward, Holbeck Ward, and New Wortley Ward, and part of Bramley Ward.
1918–1950: Armley and Wortley Ward, and Bramley Ward, and part of New Wortley Ward.
1950–1955: Bramley Ward, Farnley and Wortley Ward, and Upper Armley Ward.
1955–1974: Armley Ward, Bramley Ward, Stanningley Ward, Wellington Ward, and Wortley Ward.
1974–1983: Armley Ward, Bramley Ward, Castleton Ward, Stanningley Ward, and Wortley Ward.
1983–2010: Armley Ward, Bramley Ward, Kirkstall Ward, and Wortley Ward.
2010– : Armley Ward, Bramley and Stanningley Ward, Farnley and Wortley Ward, and Kirkstall Ward.
TURNOUT
For elections after 1929 when universal suffrage had been granted
| Electorate | Turnout | Turnout | ||
| 1929 | 50,916 | 39,788 | 78% | |
| 1931 | 50,907 | 39,055 | 76.72% | |
| 1935 | 53,727 | 37,856 | 70.46% | |
| 1945 | 59,175 | 45,058 | 76.14% | |
| 1949 | 61,123 | 39,761 | 65.1% | by-election |
| 1950 | 47,873 | 41,372 | 86.42% | |
| 1951 | 48,082 | 41,314 | 85.92% | |
| 1955 | 60,202 | 46,587 | 77.38% | |
| 1959 | 60,269 | 47,163 | 78.25% | |
| 1964 | 60,973 | 45,452 | 74.54% | |
| 1966 | 60,176 | 43,336 | 72.02% | |
| 1970 | 63,491 | 41,708 | 65.69% | |
| 1974 | 59,893 | 46,133 | 77.03% | February |
| 1974 | 60,402 | 41,638 | 68.93% | October |
| 1979 | 58,798 | 43,116 | 73.33% | |
| 1983 | 67,538 | 46,617 | 69.02% | |
| 1987 | 66,344 | 48,648 | 73.33% | |
| 1992 | 67,084 | 47,725 | 71.14% | |
| 1997 | 64,194 | 40,220 | 62.65% | |
| 2001 | 64,218 | 32,094 | 50.0% | |
| 2005 | 62,888 | 33,718 | 53.62% | |
| 2010 | 67,453 | 38,752 | 57.45% | |
| 2015 | 64,950 | 38,423 | 59.16% | |
| 2017 | 67,955 | 42,229 | 62.14% | |
| 2019 | 67,727 | 40,281 | 59.48% |
HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
2017 – R. Reeves (Labour) 27,013
LOWEST NUMBER OF VOTES RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1886 H. J. Gladstone (Gladstonian Liberal) 5,226
HIGHEST MAJORITY RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1997 J. D. Battle (Labour) 19,771
LOWEST MAJORITY RECORDED BY A WINNING CANDIDATE
1924 T. W. Stamford (Labour) 3 (three)
RESULTS
1885 - 25th November
West
H. J. Gladstone (Liberal) 6,130
Sir W. Wheelhouse (Conservative) 3,804
1886 - 2nd July
West
H. J. Gladstone (Gladstonian Liberal) 5,226
W. Williams (Conservative) 2,970
1892 - 7th July
West
H. J. Gladstone (Gladstonian Liberal) 5,974
A. Greenwood (Conservative) 5,621
1895 - 17th July
West
H. J. Gladstone ( Liberal) 6,314
Col. J. T. North (Conservative) 6,218
1900 - 4th October
West
H. J. Gladstone ( Liberal) 7,043
T. W. Harding (Liberal Unionist) 6,522
1906 - 15th January
West
H. J. Gladstone ( Liberal) 9,238
S. Samuel (Conservative) 4,608
1910 - 17th January
West
T. E. Harvey (Liberal) 9,969
S. Samuel (Conservative) 6,654
1910 - 5th December
West
T. E. Harvey (Liberal) 8,715
G. W. H. Jones (Conservative) 4,445
Representation of the People Act 1918 – All men over21 and women over 30 enfranchised Redistribution of the Seats Act 1918
1918 - 14th December
West
J. Murray (Coalition Liberal) 12,642
J. Arnott (Labour) 6,020
H. Chapman (Independent) 1,138
D. T. Barnes (Liberal) 619
1922 - 15th November
West
J. Murray (Liberal) 13,391
T. W. Stamford (Labour) 12,487
1923 - 6th December
West
T. W. Stamford (Labour) 11,434
Capt. A. F. G. Renton (Conservative) 9,432
J. Murray (Liberal) 7,200
1924 - 29th October
West
T. W. Stamford (Labour) 13,057 *
Capt. A. F. G. Renton (Conservative) 13,054
H. Brown (Liberal) 4,597
[ * The lowest margin of victory in a Leeds Parliamentary election. ]
Representation of the People Act 1928 – All women over 21 enfranchised
1929 - 30th May
West
T. W. Stamford (Labour) 18,765
G. W. Martin (Conservative) 13,129
R. Cleworth (Liberal) 7,894
1931 - 27th October
West
S. V. T. Adams (Conservative) 24,701 *
T. W. Stamford (Labour) 14,354
[ * National Government candidates. ]
1935 - 14th November
West
S. V. T. Adams (Conservative) 20,545 *
T. W. Stamford (Labour) 17,311
[ * National Government candidates]
1940 [No general election from 1939–1945. Coalition in power during the war.]
1945 - 5th July (main polling day), plus 12th, 19th July. Main result declared 26th July
West
T. W. Stamford (Labour) 26,593 *
S. V. T. Adams (Conservative) 12,457
J. Booth (Liberal) 6,008
[ * Committed suicide 1949. ]
Representation of the People Act 1948 – Abolished plural voting and university seats
1949 - 21st July - by-election
West
T. C. Pannell (Labour) 21,935
B. Mather (Conservative) 17,826
Redistribution of the Seats Act 1949
1950 - 23th February
West
T. C. Pannell (Labour) 21,339
B. Mather (Conservative) 16,824
C. Rhodes (Liberal) 3,209
1951 - 25th October
West
T. C. Pannell (Labour) 22,357
B. Mather (Conservative) 18,957
Boundary Commission 1955
1955 - 26th May
West
T. C. Pannell (Labour) 24,576
J. Hiley (Conservative) 18,312
H. Hudson (Liberal) 3,699
1959 - 8th October
West
T. C. Pannell (Labour) 25,878
D. L. Crouch (Conservative) 21,285
1964 - 15th October
West
T. C. Pannell (Labour) 22,968
I. M. Glover (Conservative) 15,697
D. Pedder (Liberal) 6,787
1966 - 31st March
West
T. C. Pannell (Labour) 24,391
I. M. Glover (Conservative) 13,883
D. Pedder (Liberal) 5,062
Representation of the People Act 1969 – Franchise extended to those over 18 years of age
1970 - 18th June
West
T. C. Pannell (Labour) 21,618
A. Leitch (Conservative) 14,749
P. Armitage (Liberal) 5,341
1974 - 28th February
West
J. Dean (Labour) 19,436
M. Meadowcroft (Liberal) 15,451
D. Hall (Conservative) 11,246
1974 - 10th October
West
J. Dean (Labour) 20,669
M. Meadowcroft (Liberal) 13,062
D. Hall (Conservative) 7,907
1979 - 3rd May
West
J. Dean (Labour) 21,290
H. Simmonds (Conservative) 11,626
C. Greenfield (Liberal) 9,734
J. Duckenfield (National Front) 466
Boundary Commission 1983
1983 - 9th June
West
M. Meadowcroft (Liberal) 17, 908
J. Dean (Labour) 15,860
J. Keeble (Conservative) 12,515
A. Braithwaite (British National ) 334
1987 - 11th June
West
J. D. Battle (Labour) 21,032
M. Meadowcroft ( (Liberal) 16,340
P. D. Allott (Conservative) 11,276
1992 - 8th April
West
J. D. Battle (Labour) 26,310
P. Bartlett (Conservative) 12,482
G. Howard (Liberal Democrat) 4,252
M. Meadowcroft (Liberal) 3,980
A. M. Mander (Green) 569
R. Tenny (National Front) 132
Boundary Commission 1995
1997 - 1st May
West
J. D. Battle (Labour) 26,819
J. Whelan (Conservative) 7,048
N. Amor (Liberal Democrat) 3,622
B. Finley (Referendum) 1,210
D. Blackburn (Green) 896
N. Nowosielski (Liberal) 625
2001 - 7th June
West
J. D. Battle (Labour) 19,943
K. Hopkins (Conservative) 5,008
D. Finlay (Liberal Democrat) 3,350
D. Blackburn (Green) 2,573
B. Finley (United Kingdom Independence) 758
N. Nowosielski (Liberal) 462
2005 - 5th May
West
J. D. Battle (Labour) 18,704
D. Finlay (Liberal Democrat) 5,894
T. A. Metcalfe (Conservative) 4,807
D. Blackburn (Green) 2,519
A. J. Day (British National) 1,166
D. Sewards (United Kingdom Independence) 628
Boundary Commission 2010
2010 - 6th May
West
R. Reeves (Labour) 16,389
R. Coleman (Liberal Democrat) 9,373
J. W. Marjoram (Conservative) 7,641
J. Beverley (British National) 2,377
D. Blackburn (Green) 1,832
J. Miles (United Kingdom Independence) 1,140
2015 - 7th May
West
R. Reeves (Labour) 18,456
A. Pierre-Traves (Conservative) 7,729
A. Murgatroyd (United Kingdom Independence) 7,104
A. Pointon (Green) 3,217
L. Coyle (Liberal Democrat) 1,495
M. West (Cannabis) 217
B. Major (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition) 205
2017 - 8th June
West
R. Reeves (Labour) 27,013
Z. Metcalfe (Conservative) 11,048
M. Thackray (United Kingdom Independence) 1,815
A. Pointon (Green) 1,023
Z. McGregor (Liberal Democrat) 905
E. Jones (Yorkshire) 378
M. Davies (Green Socialist) 47
2019 - 12th December
West
R. Reeves (Labour) 22,186
M. Dormer (Conservative) 11,622
P. Mars (Brexit) 2,685
D. Walker (Liberal Democrat) 1,787
V. Smith (Green) 1,274
I. Cowling (Yorkshire) 650
D. Whetstone (Social Democrat) 46
M. Davies (Green Socialist) 31