Rotherham is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2012 by Sarah Champion of the Labour Party.

Constituency profile

Rotherham is a constituency in South Yorkshire in England. It is centred on the town of Rotherham and also includes the outlying villages of Thorpe Hesley, Thrybergh, Bramley, Brinsworth, Waverley and Treeton.

Rotherham is a large market town that forms part of Sheffield's wider urban area. The Industrial Revolution made the town an important centre for coal mining and later for the production of iron and steel. Deindustrialisation in the late 20th century had a negative effect on the town; today this is one of the country's most deprived constituencies with much of the town falling within the top 10% most-deprived areas in England. Most of the town's residents live in dense flats or terraces built to house industrial workers, although some of the town's outer areas like Waverley, Thorpe Hesley and Bramley are more affluent and contain recent suburban development. House prices in this constituency are generally lower than the rest of Yorkshire and the average price is less than half the overall UK average.

Residents of Rotherham have a similar age profile to the rest of the country, but with a slightly below-average proportion of retirees. They have low levels of income and homeownership and the child poverty rate is high. Residents have very low levels of education and a high proportion work in the health, manufacturing and public sectors. The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is above average. White people made up 84% of the population at the 2021 census. Asians, mostly of Pakistani origin, were the largest ethnic minority group at 10% and were largely concentrated in the neighbourhoods south of the town centre where they made up around a third of residents.

At the local borough council, most of the constituency is represented by the Labour Party with some independent councillors elected in the south of the town. Voters in Rotherham strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 69% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide figure of 52%, making Rotherham one of the top 25 most Brexit-supporting constituencies out of 650 nationwide according to Electoral Calculus.

History This constituency was created in the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.

Rotherham has consistently returned Labour MPs since a by-election in 1933, following the earlier period before 1923 dominated by the Liberal and Conservative parties. The numerical Labour majority in every general election from 1935 onwards has been in five figures, with the exceptions of 2015, 2019 and 2024.

Boundaries

Historic 1885-1918: The Municipal Borough of Rotherham and part of Upper Strafforth and Tickhill petty sessional division, namely the parishes of Aston cum Aughton, Bramley, Brampton en le Morthen, Brinsworth, Catcliffe, Dalton, Denaby, Greasbrough, Hooton Roberts, Kimberworth, Orgreave, Ravenfield, Rawmarsh, Rotherham, Swinton, Thrybergh, Tinsley, Treeton, Ulley, Wallingwells, Whiston and Wickersley.

1918–1950: The County Borough of Rotherham, and the Urban Districts of Greasbrough and Rawmarsh.

1950–1983: The County Borough of Rotherham.

1983–2010: The Borough of Rotherham wards of Boston, Broom, Central, Greasbrough, Herringthorpe, Kimberworth, Park and Thorpe Hesley.

2010–2024: The Rotherham borough electoral wards of Boston Castle, Brinsworth and Catcliffe, Keppel, Rotherham East, Rotherham West, Valley, and Wingfield.2010 post-revision map Greater London and metropolitan areas of England

Current Following the 2023 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: Boston Castle; Brinsworth; Dalton & Thrybergh; Greasbrough; Keppel; Rother Vale; Rotherham East; Rotherham West; Wickersley North.

Seat expanded to bring its electorate within the permitted range primarily by adding parts of the abolished constituency of Wentworth and Dearne, including northern parts of Wickersley and the village of Thrybergh.

It borders Rother Valley, Sheffield South East, Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, Penistone and Stocksbridge, and Rawmarsh and Conisbrough.

Members of Parliament ElectionMemberParty 1885 Arthur Dyke Acland Liberal 1899 by-election William Holland Liberal 1910 by-election Jack Pease Liberal 1917 by-election Arthur Richardson Lib-Lab 1918 Frederic Kelley Conservative 1923 Fred Lindley Labour 1931 George Herbert Conservative 1933 by-election William Dobbie Labour 1950 Jack Jones Labour 1963 by-election Brian O'Malley Labour 1976 by-election Stan Crowther Labour 1992 Jimmy Boyce Labour 1994 by-election Denis MacShaneLabour 2010 Independent 2012 Labour 2012 by-election Sarah Champion Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Laila Cunningham was originally selected as the Conservative candidate for the seat, but withdrew shortly before the nominations deadline. As the party did not field a replacement, it is the only seat in Great Britain, aside from the Speaker's seat of Chorley, in which no Conservative candidate was nominated.

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result Party Vote % Labour 17,699 40.7 Conservative 14,402 33.1 Brexit Party 7,408 17.0 Liberal Democrats 2,717 6.2 Others 1,245 2.9 Green 50 0.1Turnout43,52157.8Electorate75,345

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

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1890s

Caused by Acland's resignation.

Caused by Acland's appointment as Vice President of the Committee of the Council on Education

Elections in the 1880s

See also parliamentary constituencies in South Yorkshire List of parliamentary constituencies in the Yorkshire and the Humber (region)

Notes

References

Sources BBC News, Election 2005 BBC News, Vote 2001 Guardian Unlimited Politics http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/ (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 Rotherham UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK Rotherham UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK Rotherham UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK