# Knowsley South (UK Parliament constituency)

53°25′30″N 2°49′26″W﻿ / ﻿53.425°N 2.824°W﻿ / 53.425; -2.824
Knowsley South was a constituency in Merseyside, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
It existed from 1983 to 2010.

## History

Sean Hughes of the Labour Party held the seat from its creation at the 1983 election until his death in June 1990. The resulting by-election that September was won by Eddie O'Hara, also of the Labour Party. O'Hara then held the seat until its abolition in 2010.
This was a safe Labour seat for the entire period of its existence, with the party's share of the vote exceeding 68% at all six elections in that time.

## Boundaries

1983–1997: The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley wards of Halewood East, Halewood South, Halewood West, Longview, Page Moss, Princess, Roby, St Gabriel's, St Michael's, Swanside, Whiston North, and Whiston South.
1997–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley wards of Halewood East, Halewood South, Halewood West, Longview, Page Moss, Prescot East, Prescot West, Princess, Roby, St Gabriel's, St Michael's, Swanside, Whiston North, and Whiston South.
Knowsley South was created in 1983, replacing the former Huyton seat. The constituency covered the southern part of the metropolitan borough of Knowsley, including Halewood, Huyton, Prescot, Roby and Whiston.
This seat and its neighbour Knowsley North and Sefton East were abolished at the 2010 general election, following the decisions of the Boundary Commission for England. Most of Knowsley South has formed the larger part of a new Knowsley constituency, except for the area around Halewood, which has become part of the new Garston and Halewood seat, and parts of Prescot and Whiston which have become part of St Helens South and Whiston.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| 1983 | Sean Hughes | Labour | Died in office June 1990 |
| 1990 by-election | Eddie O'Hara | Labour | Elected in September 1990 by-election |
| 2010 | constituency abolished: see Knowsley, Garston and Halewood & St Helens South and Whiston | constituency abolished: see Knowsley, Garston and Halewood & St Helens South and Whiston |

## Elections
### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Knowsley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sean Hughes | 25,727 | 53.7 | |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Lamont | 13,958 | 29.2 | |
| | Liberal | Ian Smith | 8,173 | 17.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,769 | 24.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,858 | 70.3 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
General election 1987: Knowsley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sean Hughes | 31,378 | 64.5 | +10.8 |
| | Conservative | Anthony Hall | 10,532 | 21.6 | −7.6 |
| | SDP | Ruth Watmough | 6,760 | 13.9 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,846 | 42.9 | +18.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,670 | 74.1 | +3.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +9.2 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

By-election 1990: Knowsley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eddie O'Hara | 14,581 | 68.8 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative | Leslie T. Byrom | 3,241 | 15.2 | −6.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Catherine V. Hancox | 1,809 | 8.5 | −5.4 |
| | Green | Raymond L. Georgeson | 656 | 3.1 | New |
| | Liberal | Ian Smith | 628 | 3.0 | New |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Screaming Lord Sutch | 197 | 0.9 | New |
| | Corrective Party | Lady Whiplash | 99 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,367 | 53.6 | +10.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,184 | 33.4 | −40.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −5.4 | |
General election 1992: Knowsley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eddie O'Hara | 31,933 | 68.6 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Leslie T. Byrom | 9,922 | 21.3 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Smith | 4,480 | 9.6 | −4.3 |
| | Natural Law | Michelangelo Raiano | 217 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,011 | 47.3 | +4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,552 | 74.7 | +0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
General election 1997: Knowsley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eddie O'Hara | 36,695 | 77.1 | +7.6 |
| | Conservative | Gary R. Robertson | 5,987 | 12.6 | −7.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clifford A. Mainey | 3,954 | 8.3 | −0.7 |
| | Referendum | Andrew Wright | 954 | 2.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30,708 | 64.5 | +15.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,590 | 67.5 | −7.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.8 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2001: Knowsley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eddie O'Hara | 26,071 | 71.3 | −5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David J.G. Smithson | 4,755 | 13.0 | +4.7 |
| | Conservative | Paul L. Jemetta | 4,250 | 11.6 | −1.0 |
| | Socialist Labour | Alan D. Fogg | 1,068 | 2.9 | New |
| | Independent | Mona M. McNee | 446 | 1.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,316 | 58.3 | −6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,590 | 51.8 | −15.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 2005: Knowsley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eddie O'Hara | 24,820 | 68.1 | −3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David J.G. Smithson | 7,132 | 19.6 | +6.6 |
| | Conservative | Andrea Leadsom | 4,492 | 12.3 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,688 | 48.5 | −9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,444 | 51.5 | −0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −4.9 | |