# Don Valley (UK Parliament constituency)

Don Valley was a constituency in South Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Nick Fletcher of the Conservative Party.
Further to the completion of the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was subject to boundary changes which included gain of the Isle of Axholme in the Borough of North Lincolnshire and the loss of Conisbrough to the new constituency of Rawmarsh and Conisbrough. As a consequence, it was renamed Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, and was first contested at the 2024 general election.

## Constituency profile

Created in 1918, Don Valley is a former coal mining area which elected only Labour MPs from 1922 to 2019. The seat recorded a strong Brexit vote (69%) in the 2016 referendum.

## Boundaries

1918—1950: The Urban Districts of Mexborough and Tickhill, and the Rural Districts of Doncaster and Thorne.
1950—1983: The Urban Districts of Adwick-le-Street, Bentley with Arksey, and Tickhill, and the Rural District of Doncaster.
1983—1997: The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster wards of Conisbrough, Edlington and Warmsworth, Mexborough, Richmond, Rossington, South East, and Southern Parks.
1997—2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster wards of Conisbrough, Edlington and Warmsworth, Hatfield, Rossington, South East, and Southern Parks.
2010—2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster wards of Conisbrough and Denaby, Edlington and Warmsworth, Finningley, Hatfield, Rossington, Thorne, and Torne Valley.
The current constituency consists of the southern Borough of Doncaster, from Hatfield and the Humberhead Peatlands Nature Reserve in the north and northeast, through Branton, Auckley, and Rossington, to the Torne Valley electoral ward which consists of Wadworth, Tickhill, Braithwell, and in the west Conisbrough.
In boundary changes which took effect at the 2010 election, Sprotbrough was moved to Doncaster North, while in the east the town of Thorne was moved from Doncaster North into Don Valley.

## Members of Parliament

Doncaster prior to 1918
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | James Walton | Coalition National Democratic |
| 1922 | Thomas Williams | Labour |
| 1959 | Richard Kelley | Labour |
| 1979 | Michael Welsh | Labour |
| 1983 | Martin Redmond | Labour |
| 1997 | Caroline Flint | Labour |
| 2019 | Nick Fletcher | Conservative |
| 2024 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Election results 1918–2024
### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | National Democratic | James Walton | 6,095 | 46.2 | |
| | Liberal | Hastings Lees-Smith | 3,868 | 29.3 | |
| | Labour | Edward Hough | 3,226 | 24.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,227 | 16.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,189 | 45.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 28,724 | | |
| | National Democratic win (new seat) | National Democratic win (new seat) | National Democratic win (new seat) | National Democratic win (new seat) | National Democratic win (new seat) |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 9,903 | 47.0 | 22.5 |
| | National Democratic | James Walton | 5,797 | 27.6 | 18.6 |
| | Liberal | John Henry Freeborough | 5,332 | 25.4 | 3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,106 | 19.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,032 | 65.4 | 19.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 32,175 | | |
| | Labour gain from National Democratic | Labour gain from National Democratic | Swing | 20.6 | |
General election 1923: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 12,898 | 60.4 | 13.4 |
| | Unionist | John Wells Reynolds | 8,451 | 39.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,447 | 20.8 | 1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,349 | 62.2 | 3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 34,339 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1924: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 14,598 | 53.9 | 6.5 |
| | Unionist | John Wells Reynolds | 12,463 | 46.1 | 6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,135 | 7.8 | 13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,421 | 72.8 | 10.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 37,184 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 6.5 | |
General election 1929: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 31,466 | 73.3 | 19.4 |
| | Unionist | Walter Liddall | 11,467 | 26.7 | 19.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,999 | 46.6 | 38.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,933 | 69.7 | 3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 61,604 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 19.4 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 27,599 | 58.6 | 14.7 |
| | Conservative | Samuel Hardwick | 19,506 | 41.4 | 14.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,093 | 17.2 | 29.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,105 | 71.2 | 1.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 33,220 | 68.9 | 10.3 |
| | Conservative | John Arbuthnot | 14,961 | 31.1 | 10.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,259 | 37.8 | 20.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,181 | 70.0 | 1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 40,153 | 71.7 | 2.8 |
| | Conservative | J. J. A. N. Ross | 15,832 | 28.3 | 2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,321 | 43.4 | 5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,985 | 73.2 | 3.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 39,789 | 74.0 | 2.3 |
| | Conservative | Douglas Graham | 12,982 | 24.1 | 4.2 |
| | Communist | Samuel Taylor | 1,007 | 1.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26,807 | 49.9 | 6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,778 | 87.7 | 14.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 39,687 | 74.1 | 0.1 |
| | Conservative | David S B Hopkins | 13,862 | 25.9 | 1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25,825 | 48.2 | 1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,549 | 85.9 | 1.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Williams | 38,433 | 73.7 | 0.4 |
| | Conservative | Jack Victor Thornton | 13,701 | 26.3 | 0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,732 | 47.4 | 0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,134 | 81.2 | 4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1959: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Kelley | 40,935 | 70.9 | 2.8 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Dodsworth | 16,787 | 29.1 | 2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,148 | 41.8 | 5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,722 | 83.8 | 2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Kelley | 42,452 | 71.9 | 1.0 |
| | Conservative | David Philip Jeffcock | 16,593 | 28.1 | 1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25,859 | 43.8 | 2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,045 | 80.8 | 3.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1966: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Kelley | 43,973 | 74.9 | 3.0 |
| | Conservative | Richard Storey | 14,738 | 25.1 | 3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29,235 | 49.8 | 6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,711 | 78.3 | 2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Kelley | 42,496 | 69.5 | 5.4 |
| | Conservative | Timothy Walter G Jackson | 18,673 | 30.5 | 5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,823 | 39.0 | 10.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61,169 | 73.1 | 5.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Kelley | 48,737 | 70.1 | 0.6 |
| | Conservative | P. J. Le Bosquet | 20,792 | 29.9 | 0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27,945 | 40.2 | 1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 69,529 | 79.1 | 6.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Kelley | 41,187 | 63.3 | 6.8 |
| | Conservative | Peter J. Le Bosquet | 13,767 | 21.1 | 8.8 |
| | Liberal | E. Simpson | 10,161 | 15.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27,420 | 42.2 | 2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65,115 | 73.6 | 5.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1979: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Welsh | 39,603 | 55.6 | 7.7 |
| | Conservative | Roger Freeman | 22,243 | 31.2 | 10.1 |
| | Liberal | E. Simpson | 8,238 | 11.6 | 4.0 |
| | Workers Party | I. Connelly | 720 | 1.0 | New |
| | Workers Revolutionary | T. McCabe | 398 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,360 | 24.4 | 17.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 71,202 | 74.7 | 1.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Redmond | 23,036 | 45.1 | 10.5 |
| | Conservative | Brenda Utting | 16,570 | 32.4 | 1.2 |
| | Liberal | Donald Lange | 11,482 | 22.5 | 10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,466 | 12.7 | 11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,088 | 69.9 | 4.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1987: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Redmond | 29,200 | 53.1 | 8.0 |
| | Conservative | Charles Gallagher | 17,733 | 32.3 | 0.1 |
| | Liberal | Wilfrid Whitaker | 8,027 | 11.9 | 10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,467 | 20.8 | 8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,960 | 73.8 | 3.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Redmond | 32,008 | 55.0 | 1.9 |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Paget-Brown | 18,474 | 31.7 | 0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | M Jevons | 6,920 | 11.9 | 0.0 |
| | Green | TS Platt | 803 | 1.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,534 | 23.3 | 2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,205 | 76.3 | 2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.2 | |
General election 1997: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Caroline Flint | 25,376 | 58.3 | 3.3 |
| | Conservative | Clare H. Gledhill | 10,717 | 24.6 | 7.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Johnston | 4,238 | 9.7 | 2.2 |
| | Referendum | Paul R. Davis | 1,379 | 3.2 | New |
| | Socialist Labour | Nigel Ball | 1,024 | 2.4 | New |
| | Green | Stephen Platt | 493 | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| | ProLife Alliance | Claire D. Johnson | 330 | 0.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,659 | 33.7 | 10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,557 | 66.4 | 9.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2001: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Caroline Flint | 20,009 | 54.6 | 3.7 |
| | Conservative | James Browne | 10,489 | 28.6 | 4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Smith | 4,089 | 11.2 | 1.5 |
| | Independent | Terry Wilde | 800 | 2.2 | New |
| | UKIP | David Cooper | 777 | 2.1 | New |
| | Socialist Labour | Nigel Ball | 466 | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,520 | 26.0 | 7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,630 | 54.8 | 11.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 2005: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Caroline Flint | 19,418 | 52.7 | 1.9 |
| | Conservative | Adam Duguid | 10,820 | 29.4 | 0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stewart Arnold | 6,626 | 18.0 | 6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,598 | 23.3 | 2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,864 | 55.1 | 0.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.3 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2010: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Caroline Flint | 16,472 | 37.9 | 18.6 |
| | Conservative | Matt Stephens | 12,877 | 29.7 | 2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edwin Simpson | 7,422 | 17.1 | 0.6 |
| | BNP | Erwin Toseland | 2,112 | 4.9 | New |
| | UKIP | William Shaw | 1,904 | 4.4 | New |
| | English Democrat | Bernie Aston | 1,756 | 4.0 | New |
| | Independent | Martin Williams | 887 | 2.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,595 | 8.2 | 15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,430 | 59.3 | 4.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 2015: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Caroline Flint | 19,621 | 46.2 | 8.3 |
| | Conservative | Carl Jackson | 10,736 | 25.3 | 4.4 |
| | UKIP | Guy Aston | 9,963 | 23.5 | 19.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rene Paterson | 1,487 | 3.5 | 13.6 |
| | TUSC | Steve Williams | 437 | 1.0 | New |
| | English Democrat | Louise Dutton | 242 | 0.6 | 3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,885 | 20.9 | 12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,486 | 59.6 | 0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 2017: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Caroline Flint | 24,351 | 53.0 | 6.8 |
| | Conservative | Aaron Bell | 19,182 | 41.7 | 16.4 |
| | Yorkshire | Stevie Manion | 1,599 | 3.5 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Smith | 856 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,169 | 11.3 | 9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,988 | 62.2 | 2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 4.8 | |
General election 2019: Don Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nick Fletcher | 19,609 | 43.2 | 1.5 |
| | Labour | Caroline Flint | 15,979 | 35.2 | 17.8 |
| | Brexit Party | Paul Whitehurst | 6,247 | 13.7 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Alcock | 1,907 | 4.2 | 2.3 |
| | Green | Kate Needham | 872 | 1.9 | New |
| | Yorkshire | Chris Holmes | 823 | 1.8 | 1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,630 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,437 | 60.3 | 1.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 8.1 | |