Rother Valley is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Jake Richards, a member of the Labour Party.
Constituency profile
Rother Valley is a constituency in South Yorkshire in England, forming part of the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham. It is named after the River Rother, which forms part of its western boundary. If taken together with the connected village of Anston, Dinnington is the constituency's largest town, with a population of around 21,000. Other settlements include the town of Maltby and the villages of Aston cum Aughton, Wales, Kiveton Park, Thurcroft, Whiston and Wickersley.
This constituency covers the towns, villages and rural areas to the east of Sheffield and Rotherham. This is traditionally a coal mining region; the settlements here were historically small farming communities but grew rapidly during the Edwardian era after coal was discovered in the area. The decline of the mining industry in the late 20th century affected Rother Valley; Dinnington, Maltby and Thurcroft remain highly-deprived today with most residents living in small terraced or semi-detached properties built to house industrial workers. The rural parts of the constituency are wealthier and Whiston functions as an affluent suburb of Rotherham. This gives the constituency an average level of wealth overall. House prices across the constituency are generally similar to the rest of Yorkshire but lower than the UK average.
Rother Valley has a below-average young adult population and a high proportion of retirees. Residents have below-average rates of income but high levels of homeownership. The child poverty rate is higher than the UK-wide rate. Residents have low levels of education and a high proportion work in the manufacturing, education and construction industries. The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is low. White people made up 95% of the population at the 2021 census.
At the local borough council, most of the constituency is represented by Conservatives. Some Labour Party councillors were elected in Aston cum Aughton, and Wales and Kiveton Park elected independents. Voters in Rother Valley strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 66% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide figure of 52%.
History This constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1918. Unusually in the light of the events of the Labour Party's early 20th-century years, the seat had been represented by a member of that party continuously since the seat was formed. The size of the majorities historically have not been particularly marginal in the elections, until the 2017 general election in which the majority was less than 4,000 votes. Nonetheless, this was still considered a safe seat for the party, until the 2019 general election in which the Conservatives won the seat for the first time. Labour regained the seat at the 2024 general election.
Boundaries
Historic
1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Handsworth; and Swinton; and the Rural Districts of Kiveton Park; and part of Rotherham.
1950–1983: The Urban Districts of Maltby; and Rawmarsh; and the Rural Districts of Kiveton Park; and Rotherham.
1983–2010: The Borough of Rotherham wards of: Anston and Woodsetts, Aston, Orgreave and Ulley, Brinsworth, Catcliffe and Treeton, Kiveton Park, Maltby, St. John’s and Thurcroft and Whiston.
2010–2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham wards of: Anston and Woodsetts; Dinnington; Hellaby; Holderness; Maltby; Rother Vale; Sitwell; and Wales
Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which slightly altered this constituency for the 2010 general election.
Current Following the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency comprises the following:
The Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham wards of: Anston & Woodsetts; Aston & Todwick; Aughton & Swallownest; Dinnington; Hellaby & Maltby West; Maltby East; Sitwell; Thurcroft & Wickersley South; Wales.
Minor changes to reflect modification of local authority ward boundaries.
Rother Valley constituency covers an area in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham south of Rotherham itself. It is bordered by the constituencies of Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Derbyshire North East, Don Valley, Rotherham, Sheffield South East, and Wentworth and Dearne.
Members of Parliament ElectionMemberParty 1918 Thomas Walter Grundy Labour 1935 Edward Dunn Labour 1945 David Griffiths Labour 1970 Peter Hardy Labour 1983 Kevin Barron Labour 2019 Alexander Stafford Conservative 2024 Jake Richards Labour
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
2019 notional result Party Vote %Conservative 20,975 46.1Labour 14,840 32.6 Brexit Party 5,314 11.7Liberal Democrats 2,195 4.8Green 1,124 2.5Others 1,040 2.3Turnout45,48864.8Electorate70,184
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
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
See also Parliamentary constituencies in South Yorkshire Parliamentary constituencies in Yorkshire and the Humber
Notes
References
Sources BBC News, Election 2005 BBC News, Vote 2001
Election results from 1951 to the present F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918 – 1949 F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1950 – 1970
External links Rother Valley UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK Rother Valley UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK Rother Valley UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK