Loughborough is a constituency in Leicestershire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Jeevun Sandher of the Labour Party. The constituency is considered a bellwether, as it has reflected the national result at every general election since February 1974.
Constituency profile Loughborough is a constituency in Leicestershire. It is centred on the town of Loughborough, which has a population of around 66,000. Other settlements include the small market town of Shepshed and the villages of Quorn and Barrow upon Soar. Loughborough is a market town known for its university, which has around 19,000 students. The university is notable for its focus on sports, making the town home to many athletes. The town of Loughborough has average levels of wealth and the surrounding villages and rural areas are generally affluent. House prices are higher than the rest of the East Midlands but below the national average.
In general, residents of the constituency are young and well-educated. Rates of homeownership and household income are average. A high proportion of residents work in professional occupations, with many in the education and manufacturing sectors. The child poverty rate is average and a low percentage of residents claim unemployment benefits. White people made up 83% of the population at the 2021 census. Asians were 11% of residents, with Indians being the largest Asian group. Most of Loughborough is represented by Labour Party councillors at the local council level. Some Conservatives were elected in Shepshed and the villages; at the county council, which held elections in 2025, these areas elected Reform UK representatives. An estimated 52% of voters in the constituency supported remaining in the European Union in the 2016 referendum, marginally higher than the nationwide figure of 48%.
Boundaries Historic 1885–1918: The Sessional Division of Loughborough (except the parishes of Cossington, Seagrave, and Sileby), and parts of the Sessional Divisions of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Leicester.
1918–1950: The Borough of Loughborough, the Urban Districts of Ashby-de-la-zouch, Ashby Woulds, and Shepshed, the Rural Districts of Castle Donington and Loughborough, and the Rural District of Ashby-de-la-Zouch except the parish of Bardon.
1950–1955: The Borough of Loughborough, the Urban Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ashby Woulds, and Shepshed, and the Rural Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Castle Donington.
1955–1974: The Borough of Loughborough, the Urban Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ashby Woulds, and Shepshed, the Rural District of Ashby-de-la-Zouch as constituted by the County of Leicester (Coalville Urban District) Confirmation Order 1953, and the Rural District of Castle Donington.
1974–1983: The Borough of Loughborough, the Urban Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ashby Woulds, and Shepshed, the Rural District of Ashby-de-la-Zouch as altered by the West Midland Counties Order 1965, and the Rural District of Castle Donington as altered by the East Midland Counties Order 1965 and the County of Leicester (Coalville Urban District) Confirmation Order 1969.
1983–1997: The Borough of Charnwood wards of Ashby, Barrow upon Soar and Quorndon, Birstall Goscote, Birstall Greengate, Birstall Netherhall, Birstall Riverside, Birstall Stonehill, Garendon, Hastings, Hathern, Lemyngton, Nanpantan, Mountsorrel and Rothley, Outwoods, Sileby, Southfields, Storer, The Wolds, Thurcaston, Woodhouse and Swithland, and Woodthorpe.
1997–2010: The Borough of Charnwood wards of Ashby, Barrow upon Soar and Quorndon, Garendon, Hastings, Hathern, Lemyngton, Nanpantan, Outwoods, Shepshed East, Shepshed West, Sileby, Southfields, Storer, The Wolds, and Woodthorpe.
2010–2024: The Borough of Charnwood wards of Barrow and Sileby West, Loughborough Ashby, Loughborough Dishley and Hathern, Loughborough Garendon, Loughborough Hastings, Loughborough Lemyngton, Loughborough Nanpantan, Loughborough Outwoods, Loughborough Shelthorpe, Loughborough Southfields, Loughborough Storer, Quorn and Mountsorrel Castle, Shepshed East, Shepshed West, Sileby, and The Wolds.
Current Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was reduced to bring the electorate within the permitted range with the transfer of Sileby ward (as it existed on 1 December 2020) to the newly created constituency of Melton and Syston.
Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Borough of Charnwood from the 2024 general election:
Barrow upon Soar; Dishley, Hathern & Thorpe Acre; Loughborough Ashby; Loughborough East; Loughborough Nanpantan, Loughborough Outwoods & Shelthorpe; Loughborough Southfields; Loughborough Storer; Loughborough Woodthorpe; Quorn & Mountsorrel Castle, Shepshed East, Shepshed West; The Wolds; and a small part of Sileby & Seagrave.
History Loughborough was originally part of a larger constituency, Leicestershire, which was split into two districts in the Reform Act 1832.
In the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 Leicestershire was divided into five parts, Eastern (Melton), Mid [or] (Loughborough), Western (Bosworth) and Southern (Harborough), each returning one member; the last part was a borough constituency for Leicester, which returned two MPs.
In 1983 the Leicestershire coalfield, an area loyal to Labour, was removed from the constituency and replaced by much of the Soar Valley, a rural area that tended to vote Conservative. Opencast coal mining is still relevant to the west of the seat only at Measham, one of the few high-profile excavations planned by Coalfield Resources PLC (formerly UK Coal). In 1995 the Soar Valley was moved to the newly created Charnwood constituency, approximately reinstating the pre-1983 version of the seat.
The last time that Loughborough was not represented by an MP from a governing political party was prior to the February 1974 general election; since that time the constituency has been a bellwether.
Members of Parliament North Leicestershire prior to 1885
Election Member Party 1885 Edward Johnson-Ferguson Liberal 1886 Edwin de Lisle Conservative 1892 Edward Johnson-Ferguson Liberal 1900 Maurice Levy Liberal 1918 Oscar Guest Coalition Liberal Jan 1922 National Liberal Nov 1922 Edward Spears National Liberal 1923 Liberal 1924 Frank Rye Conservative 1929 Ernest Winterton Labour 1931 Lawrence Kimball Conservative 1945 Mont Follick Labour 1955 John Cronin Labour 1979 Stephen Dorrell Conservative 1997 Andy Reed Labour Co-operative 2010 Nicky Morgan Conservative 2019 Jane Hunt Conservative2024Jeevun SandherLabour
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
2019 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 26,088 50.6 Labour 19,997 38.8 Liberal Democrats 3,935 7.6 Green 1,342 2.6 Others 235 0.5Turnout51,59769.8Electorate73,902
Elections in the 2010s
2005 notional result Party Vote % Labour 19,261 41.2 Conservative 17,445 37.3 Liberal Democrats 8,354 17.9 UKIP 1,112 2.4 Others 588 1.3Turnout46,76063.0Electorate74,192
Elections in the 2000s The 2005 general election saw Andy Reed returned with a decreased majority after his share of the vote dropped by 8.3%. Loughborough was the 126th target seat of the Conservative Party and their share of the vote increased slightly but the Liberal Democrats had the largest increase. The swing of 5.0% from Labour to Conservative was higher than the national swing of 3.0% and turnout was above average.
Elections in the 1990s
1992 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 23,412 46.8 Labour 19,920 39.8 Liberal Democrats 5,635 11.3 Others 1,081 2.2Turnout50,04876.8Electorate65,156
Elections in the 1980s
1979 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 27,186 52.0 Labour 17,103 32.7 Liberal 7,496 14.3 Others 477 0.9Turnout52,262Electorate
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
Elections in the 1880s
See also List of parliamentary constituencies in Leicestershire and Rutland
Notes
References
Sources
UK Genealogy Archives – History BBC News: Loughborough constituency – History and Boundaries Andy Reed MP | Loughborough Constituency – Boundaries British Parliamentary Election results 1983–1997 – Elections (1983–1992) UK General Elections since 1832 – Elections (1951–1979) McCalmont, Frederick Haynes, Stenton Michael, Vincent, John Russell. McCalmont's parliamentary poll book: British election results. () F. W. S. Craig. British Parliamentary Election Results 1950–1973. () F. W. S. Craig. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949. ()
External links BBC News: Voters 'concerned' at crime rise Labour in Loughborough Loughborough Conservatives Loughborough Liberal Democrats Map showing original Loughborough constituency (1895) Loughborough UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK Loughborough UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK Loughborough UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK