Crewe and Nantwich | |
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County constituency for theHouse of Commons | |
![]() Interactive map of boundaries from 2024 | |
![]() Boundary of Crewe and Nantwich in North West England | |
County | Cheshire |
Electorate | 76,236 (2023)[1] |
Major settlements | Crewe,Nantwich |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1983 |
Member of Parliament | Connor Naismith (Labour) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Crewe,Nantwich |
Crewe and Nantwich is aconstituency inCheshire represented in theHouse of Commons of theUK Parliament. It was created in 1983; since 2024 itsMember of Parliament (MP) has beenConnor Naismith of theLabour Party.
The constituency was created for the1983 general election following the major reorganisation of local authorities under theLocal Government Act 1972, which came into effect on 1 April 1974. It combined parts of the abolished separate constituencies ofCrewe andNantwich and reunited the towns ofCrewe andNantwich in one constituency.
The seat is marginal as Crewe tends to vote Labour, and Nantwich and the surrounding Cheshire villages are more Conservative-inclined. Its residents are slightly poorer than the UK average.[2]
The seat had been amarginal seat since 2008, as its winner's majority had not exceeded 11.8% of the vote since the 18.9% majority won in that year. A swing seat, it has changed hands three times since 2008. Its 2017 general election result was the eighth-closest result, a winning margin of 48 votes.[3] In 2019, the Conservative candidate secured a 15.7% majority. The2024 General Election saw a 20.7% majority in favour ofLabour.
On its formation for the1983 general election, the Labour MPGwyneth Dunwoody, who had served for the previous constituency ofCrewe, came close to losing her second seat in 1983 (she had earlier lost herExeter seat in1970), when she scraped in by just 290 votes. Dunwoody increased her majorities at the general elections of1987,1992 and1997. Her majority was slightly reduced at the2001 and2005 general elections. She died on 17 April 2008, after 34 years representing the seat and its predecessor, leading to aby-election held on 22 May 2008 which was won by theConservative candidateEdward Timpson.[4][5][6][7] The Labour candidate, Dunwoody's daughterTamsin, came a distant second. Having previously enjoyed a considerable lead in support over the Conservatives (as indicated in Gwyneth Dunwoody's over 7,000 majority in 2005), the Labour government had lost support due to the onset of theGreat Recession andGordon Brown’s relatively weak image as a leader.
The by-election produced the first Conservative MP for the seat and nationally the first gain for a Conservative Party candidate at a parliamentary by-election since theMitcham and Morden by-election in 1982 during theFalklands War, and the first from Labour since theIlford North by-election of 1978.
Timpson held the seat until2017, where Labour'sLaura Smith gained it with a narrow majority of just 48 votes, the closest margin in the seat's history and the second-narrowest Labour gain of the election (behindKensington, at 20 votes). In the2019 general election the Conservatives regained the seat with a majority of 8,508 on a swing of 7.9% to the Conservatives, withKieran Mullan becoming the new MP. Edward Timpson became the Conservatives' 2019 candidate forEddisbury, replacingAntoinette Sandbach, who lost the whip earlier that year due to her opposition to ano-deal Brexit; Timpson regained the seat for the Conservatives.
The2024 general election sawLabour’sConnor Naismith regain the seat from theConservatives on a swing of 16.1% toLabour.
1983–1997: The Borough of Crewe and Nantwich wards of Acton, Alexandra, Audlem, Barony Weaver, Bunbury, Combermere, Coppenhall, Delamere, Grosvenor, Maw Green, Minshull, Peckforton, Queens Park, Ruskin Park, St Barnabas, St John's, Shavington, Waldron, Wellington, Weston Park, Willaston East, Willaston West, Wistaston, Wrenbury, and Wybunbury[8]
1997–2010: The Borough of Crewe and Nantwich wards of Alexandra, Barony Weaver, Coppenhall, Delamere, Grosvenor, Haslington, Maw Green, Queens Park, Ruskin Park, St Barnabas, St John's, Shavington, Waldron, Wellington, Weston Park, Willaston East, Willaston West, Wistaston, and Wybunbury[9]
2010–2024: The Borough of Cheshire East wards of Crewe Central, Crewe East, Crewe North, Crewe St Barnabas, Crewe South, Crewe West, Haslington, Leighton (most), Nantwich North & West, Nantwich South & Stapeley, Shavington, Willaston & Rope, Wistaston, and Wybunbury.
2024–present: The Borough of Cheshire East wards of Crewe Central, Crewe East, Crewe North, Crewe St Barnabas, Crewe South, Crewe West, Haslington, Leighton, Nantwich North & West, Nantwich South & Stapeley, Shavington, Willaston & Rope, and Wistaston.[10]
Election | Member[11] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Gwyneth Dunwoody | Labour | |
2008 by-election | Edward Timpson | Conservative | |
2017 | Laura Smith | Labour | |
2019 | Kieran Mullan | Conservative | |
2024 | Connor Naismith | Labour |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Connor Naismith | 20,837 | 44.1 | +4.9 | |
Conservative | Ben Fletcher | 11,110 | 23.5 | −27.3 | |
Reform UK | Matt Wood | 9,602 | 20.3 | +17.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Matt Theobald | 2,286 | 4.8 | −0.3 | |
Green | Te Ata Browne | 2,151 | 4.6 | +2.7 | |
Putting Crewe First | Brian Silvester | 588 | 1.2 | N/A | |
Workers Party | Phillip Lane | 373 | 0.8 | N/A | |
Monster Raving Loony | Lord Psychobilly Tractor | 250 | 0.5 | N/A | |
Rejected ballots | 140 | ||||
Majority | 9,727 | 20.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 47,197 | 60.2 | –5.6 | ||
Registered electors | 78,423 | ||||
Labourgain fromConservative | Swing | ![]() |
Changes are from notional results of the 2019 election, using the new boundaries.[15]
2019notional result[16] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Vote | % | |
Conservative | 25,511 | 50.8 | |
Labour | 19,695 | 39.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | 2,573 | 5.1 | |
Brexit Party | 1,317 | 2.6 | |
Green | 951 | 1.9 | |
Others | 149 | 0.3 | |
Turnout | 50,196 | 65.8 | |
Electorate | 76,236 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Kieran Mullan | 28,704 | 53.1 | +6.1 | |
Labour | Laura Smith | 20,196 | 37.4 | −9.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Matthew Theobald | 2,618 | 4.8 | +2.4 | |
Brexit Party | Matt Wood | 1,390 | 2.6 | N/A | |
Green | Te Ata Browne | 975 | 1.8 | N/A | |
Libertarian | Andrew Kinsman | 149 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 8,508 | 15.7 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 54,032 | 67.3 | −2.4 | ||
Conservativegain fromLabour | Swing | +7.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Laura Smith | 25,928 | 47.1 | +9.4 | |
Conservative | Edward Timpson | 25,880 | 47.0 | +2.0 | |
UKIP | Michael Stanley | 1,885 | 3.4 | −11.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Crowther | 1,334 | 2.4 | −0.4 | |
Majority | 48 | 0.1 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 55,027 | 69.7 | +2.3 | ||
Labourgain fromConservative | Swing | +3.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Timpson | 22,445 | 45.0 | −0.8 | |
Labour | Adrian Heald | 18,825 | 37.7 | +3.7 | |
UKIP | Richard Lee | 7,252 | 14.5 | +11.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Roy Wood | 1,374 | 2.8 | −12.2 | |
Majority | 3,620 | 7.3 | −4.5 | ||
Turnout | 49,896 | 67.4 | +1.5 | ||
Conservativehold | Swing | −2.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Timpson | 23,420 | 45.8 | +12.9 | |
Labour | David Williams | 17,374 | 34.0 | −14.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Roy Wood | 7,656 | 15.0 | −3.7 | |
UKIP | James Clutton | 1,414 | 2.8 | N/A | |
BNP | Phil Williams | 1,043 | 2.0 | N/A | |
Independent | Mike Parsons | 177 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 6,046 | 11.8 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 51,084 | 65.9 | −2.0 | ||
Conservativegain fromLabour | Swing | +17.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Edward Timpson | 20,539 | 49.5 | +16.9 | |
Labour | Tamsin Dunwoody | 12,679 | 30.6 | −18.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Shenton | 6,040 | 14.6 | −4.0 | |
UKIP | Mike Nattrass | 922 | 2.2 | N/A | |
Green | Robert Smith | 359 | 0.9 | N/A | |
English Democrat | David Roberts | 275 | 0.7 | N/A | |
Monster Raving Loony | The Flying Brick | 236 | 0.6 | N/A | |
Independent | Mark Walklate | 217 | 0.5 | N/A | |
Cut Tax on Diesel and Petrol | Paul Thorogood | 118 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Independent | Gemma Garrett | 113 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 7,860 | 18.9 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 41,498 | 58.2 | −1.8 | ||
Conservativegain fromLabour | Swing | +17.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwyneth Dunwoody | 21,240 | 48.8 | −5.5 | |
Conservative | Eveleigh Moore-Dutton | 14,162 | 32.6 | +2.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Paul Roberts | 8,083 | 18.6 | +5.1 | |
Majority | 7,078 | 16.2 | −6.7 | ||
Turnout | 43,485 | 60.0 | −0.2 | ||
Labourhold | Swing | -3.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwyneth Dunwoody | 22,556 | 54.3 | −3.9 | |
Conservative | Donald Potter | 12,650 | 30.4 | +3.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Cannon | 5,595 | 13.5 | +1.8 | |
UKIP | Roger Croston | 746 | 1.8 | N/A | |
Majority | 9,906 | 23.9 | −7.3 | ||
Turnout | 41,547 | 60.2 | −13.7 | ||
Labourhold | Swing | −3.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwyneth Dunwoody | 29,460 | 58.2 | +10.6 | |
Conservative | Michael Loveridge | 13,662 | 27.0 | −11.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Cannon | 5,940 | 11.7 | −0.8 | |
Referendum | Peter Astbury | 1,543 | 3.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 15,798 | 31.2 | +26.8 | ||
Turnout | 50,605 | 73.9 | −8.0 | ||
Labourhold | Swing | +13.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwyneth Dunwoody | 28,065 | 45.7 | +1.7 | |
Conservative | Brian Silvester | 25,370 | 41.3 | −0.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Gwyn Griffiths | 7,315 | 11.9 | −2.0 | |
Green | Natalie Wilkinson | 651 | 1.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 2,695 | 4.4 | +2.5 | ||
Turnout | 61,401 | 81.9 | +2.6 | ||
Labourhold | Swing | +1.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwyneth Dunwoody | 25,457 | 44.0 | +2.9 | |
Conservative | Angela Browning | 24,365 | 42.1 | +1.5 | |
SDP | Kenneth Roberts | 8,022 | 13.9 | −4.4 | |
Majority | 1,092 | 1.9 | +1.4 | ||
Turnout | 57,844 | 79.3 | +4.6 | ||
Labourhold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gwyneth Dunwoody | 22,031 | 41.1 | ||
Conservative | Patrick Rock | 21,741 | 40.6 | ||
SDP | John Pollard | 9,820 | 18.3 | ||
Majority | 290 | 0.5 | |||
Turnout | 53,592 | 74.7 | |||
Labourwin (new seat) |
Tory candidate Edward Timpson won 7,860 more votes than his Labour rival, overturning a 7,000 Labour majority at the general election – a 17.6% swing