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 and 2019.
Boundaries
1918–1950: The County Borough of Rotherham, and the Urban Districts of Greasbrough and Rawmarsh.
1950–1983: The County Borough of Rotherham.[2]
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.[3]
The Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham wards of: Boston Castle; Brinsworth; Dalton & Thrybergh; Greasbrough; Keppel; Rother Vale; Rotherham East; Rotherham West; Wickersley North.[4]
The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies described changes to the constituency as following: Seat expanded to bring its electorate within the permitted range primarily by adding parts of the, to be abolished, constituency of Wentworth and Dearne, including northern parts of Wickersley and the village of Thrybergh.
The constituency consists of Census Output Areas of one local government district: a working population whose income is on average slightly below the national average and close to average reliance upon social housing.[5] At the end of 2012 the unemployment rate in the constituency stood at 7% and 9.6% male unemployment of the population claiming jobseekers allowance, compared to the regional average of 4.7%. This was considerably higher also than the constituencies that share the borough.[6]
The borough contributing to the seat has a relatively high 26.6% of its population without a car compared to 20.1% in Bassetlaw and 30.3% in Sheffield. In terms of extremes of education 29.8% of the population in 2011 were without qualifications, contrasted with 17.4% with level 4 qualifications or above.
In terms of tenure 65.2% of homes are owned outright or on a mortgage as at the 2011 census across the borough.[7] In the 10 years to the April 2011 Census the social rented sector saw a 4.9% reduction and the private rented sector a 5.3% increase; outright ownership saw a 3.8% increase.[7]
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.[13]
^"Constituency data: electorates – House of Commons Library". Parliament UK. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
^Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1985-1972. Chichester, Sussex: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0-900178-09-4.
^2010 post-revision map Greater London and metropolitan areas of England
^"The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 9 Yorkshire and the Humber region.
^"Local statistics – Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
^Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
^ a b"2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
^Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "R" (part 2)
^Robert Winnett (14 October 2010). "Denis MacShane reported to police over expenses claims". Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
^"Expenses probe into MP by Scotland Yard – News". Archived from the original on 17 October 2010.
^"Rotherham results". BBC News.
^"RESULTS FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTION: THURSDAY 4 JULY 2024". Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
^Gutterdige, Nick (7 June 2024). "Conservatives fail to field candidate in Rotherham". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
^"Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
^Bolton, James (15 November 2019). "Rotherham borough candidates confirmed for the 2019 General Election". Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^"Statement of Persons Nominated – Rotherham Constituency". Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
^Party, Yorkshire (24 April 2017). "Mick Bower will be our candidate in Rotherham".
^"Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"Rotherham". BBC News. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
^"Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"UK > England > Yorkshire & the Humber > Rotherham". Election 2010. BBC News. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
^"Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
^"Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"1963 By Election Results". by-elections.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l mCraig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
