# Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)

Leigh was a constituency in Greater Manchester represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.
From 2019 to 2024, Leigh was held by James Grundy of the Conservative Party. Before this, the seat was represented by Andy Burnham of the Labour Party, who served as the MP from 2001, and Shadow Home Secretary in Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet until October 2016. Burnham stood down following his victory at the 2017 Greater Manchester mayoral election, and was succeeded by the Labour and Co-operative Party's Jo Platt who was MP from 2017 to 2019. Burnham, who was re-elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2021 with an increased majority, still resides in the Leigh constituency.
The constituency was abolished as a result of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies. With the addition of the town of Atherton, it was reformed as Leigh and Atherton, and was first contested in the 2024 general election.

## Constituency profile

Leigh was a marginal seat in the south of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and on the border with Warrington, with virtually all wards held by the Labour Party at local level, although also containing the more Conservative-inclined area of Lowton East. In line with the wider borough of Wigan it voted by a majority to Leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum, but has slightly lower levels of deprivation than the town of Wigan itself, and is mostly made of skilled working-class families in residential areas, with some light industry, all factors in the swing towards the Conservatives in 2019. Leigh, Tyldesley and Golborne are former mill and mining towns undergoing urban regeneration. Pennington Flash in between Lowton and Leigh is an important local nature reserve and area of natural regeneration in a former mining area.

## Boundaries

Following the review of parliamentary representation in Greater Manchester in 2009, the Boundary Commission for England recommended alterations to constituencies in the Wigan area. The electoral wards used in the altered Leigh constituency were:
* Astley, Mosley Common, Atherleigh, Golborne and Lowton West, Leigh East, Leigh South, Leigh West, Lowton East and Tyldesley, all from the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan.

## History

The constituency was created in the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 as a result of the South West Lancashire constituency being divided into eight single member seats. Between 1922 and December 2019, candidates belonging to the Labour Party had continuously served the seat, which for the political party made it one of their longest held constituencies. One recent Labour incumbent was Andy Burnham, Shadow Home Secretary from September 2015 to October 2016.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1885 | Caleb Wright | Liberal |
| 1895 | C. P. Scott | Liberal |
| 1906 | Sir John Brunner | Liberal |
| January 1910 | Peter Raffan | Liberal |
| 1922 | Henry Twist | Labour |
| 1923 | John Tinker | Labour |
| 1945 | Harold Boardman | Labour |
| 1979 | Lawrence Cunliffe | Labour |
| 2001 | Andy Burnham | Labour |
| 2017 | Jo Platt | Labour Co-op |
| 2019 | James Grundy | Conservative |
| 2024 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Grundy | 21,266 | 45.3 | +9.5 |
| | Labour Co-op | Jo Platt | 19,301 | 41.1 | −15.1 |
| | Brexit Party | James Melly | 3,161 | 6.7 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Clayton | 2,252 | 4.8 | +2.8 |
| | Independent | Ann O'Bern | 551 | 1.2 | New |
| | UKIP | Leon Peters | 448 | 0.9 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,965 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,979 | 60.9 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +12.3 | |
The 2019 result saw the largest 2017 majority for a party overturned in the country. It also saw the largest fall in the UKIP vote share.
General election 2017: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jo Platt | 26,347 | 56.2 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | James Grundy | 16,793 | 35.8 | +13.2 |
| | UKIP | Mark Bradley | 2,783 | 5.9 | −13.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Kilpatrick | 951 | 2.0 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,554 | 20.4 | −10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,874 | 61.5 | +4.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −5.4 | |
General election 2015: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andy Burnham | 24,312 | 53.9 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Louisa Townson | 10,216 | 22.6 | +1.7 |
| | UKIP | Les Leggett | 8,903 | 19.7 | +16.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bill Winlow | 1,150 | 2.5 | −15.7 |
| | TUSC | Stephen Hall | 542 | 1.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,096 | 31.3 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,123 | 59.4 | −2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.0 | |
General election 2010: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andy Burnham | 21,295 | 48.0 | −15.3 |
| | Conservative | Shazia Awan | 9,284 | 20.9 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Blackburn | 8,049 | 18.2 | −2.1 |
| | BNP | Gary Chadwick | 2,724 | 6.1 | New |
| | UKIP | Mary Lavelle | 1,535 | 3.5 | New |
| | Independent | Norman Bradbury | 988 | 2.2 | New |
| | Independent | Terry Dainty | 320 | 0.7 | New |
| | Christian | Ryan Hessell | 137 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,011 | 27.1 | −20.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,332 | 62.0 | +10.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −4.9 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andy Burnham | 23,097 | 63.3 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Laurance Wedderburn | 5,825 | 16.0 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dave Crowther | 4,962 | 13.6 | +0.8 |
| | Community Action | Ian Franzen | 2,185 | 6.0 | New |
| | Legalise Cannabis | Thomas Hampson | 415 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,272 | 47.3 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,484 | 50.3 | +0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
General election 2001: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andy Burnham | 22,783 | 64.5 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Oxley | 6,421 | 18.2 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ray Atkins | 4,524 | 12.8 | +1.6 |
| | Socialist Labour | William Kelly | 820 | 2.3 | New |
| | UKIP | Chris Best | 750 | 2.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,362 | 46.3 | −7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,298 | 49.7 | −16.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.5 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Lawrence Cunliffe | 31,652 | 68.9 | +7.6 |
| | Conservative | Edward Young | 7,156 | 15.6 | −9.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Hough | 5,163 | 11.2 | −1.4 |
| | Referendum | Roy Constable | 1,949 | 4.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,496 | 53.3 | +17.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,920 | 65.7 | −9.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +8.8 | |
General election 1992: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lawrence Cunliffe | 32,225 | 61.3 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Egerton | 13,398 | 25.5 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Bleakley | 6,621 | 12.6 | −2.5 |
| | Natural Law | Adrian Tayler | 320 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,827 | 35.8 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,564 | 75.0 | +0.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.7 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lawrence Cunliffe | 30,064 | 58.6 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative | Louis Brown | 13,458 | 26.3 | −0.5 |
| | SDP | Steven Jones | 7,743 | 15.1 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,606 | 32.3 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,265 | 74.1 | +1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1983: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lawrence Cunliffe | 25,477 | 51.2 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Paul Johnstone | 13,163 | 26.8 | −9.7 |
| | SDP | David Eccles | 10,468 | 21.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,314 | 24.6 | +7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,108 | 72.2 | −4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lawrence Cunliffe | 27,736 | 54.1 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative | David Lawrence Shaw | 18,713 | 36.5 | +10.7 |
| | Liberal | Michael Godwin | 4,796 | 9.4 | −8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,023 | 17.6 | −12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,245 | 76.9 | +3.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 27,036 | 56.2 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | Maureen Williams | 12,401 | 25.8 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal | Roy D. Pemberton | 8,640 | 18.0 | −6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,635 | 30.4 | +4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,077 | 73.9 | −6.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.0 | |
General election February 1974: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 26,310 | 51.0 | −7.2 |
| | Conservative | William Legge | 12,663 | 24.6 | −8.9 |
| | Liberal | Roy D. Pemberton | 12,594 | 24.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,647 | 26.4 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,567 | 80.0 | +9.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 26,625 | 58.2 | −10.5 |
| | Conservative | James Peter McGuire | 15,314 | 33.5 | +2.2 |
| | Ratepayers | Joseph Knowles | 3,776 | 8.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,311 | 27.7 | −9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,715 | 71.0 | −3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 29,552 | 68.7 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | Robert R Hipkiss | 13,490 | 31.3 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,062 | 37.4 | +2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,042 | 74.3 | −3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 30,102 | 67.5 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Neville Montague B Brown | 14,478 | 32.5 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,624 | 35.0 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,580 | 77.6 | −4.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 31,672 | 65.2 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | William Cameron | 16,897 | 34.8 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,775 | 30.4 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,569 | 82.4 | −17.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 30,098 | 62.4 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | John Bryan Leck | 18,142 | 37.6 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,956 | 24.8 | −2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,240 | 80.0 | −6.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 33,881 | 63.4 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | Henry Donald Moore | 19,585 | 36.6 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,296 | 26.8 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,466 | 86.0 | −1.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 34,320 | 63.5 | −6.3 |
| | Conservative | John W Whiteley | 19,720 | 36.5 | +6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,600 | 27.0 | −12.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,040 | 87.4 | +6.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harold Boardman | 32,447 | 69.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Eric Heriot Hill | 14,029 | 30.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,418 | 39.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,476 | 81.0 | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joe Tinker | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1931: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Joe Tinker | 23,965 | 52.32 |
| | Conservative | Peter Eckersley | 21,837 | 47.68 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,128 | 4.64 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,802 | 87.38 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joe Tinker | 25,635 | 57.0 | +5.5 |
| | Unionist | Claude Herbert Grundy | 10,942 | 24.3 | −24.2 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Hardy | 8,435 | 18.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,693 | 32.7 | +29.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,012 | 88.3 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 50,982 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +14.9 | |
General election 1924: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joe Tinker | 17,262 | 51.5 | +8.5 |
| | Unionist | Edwin Owen | 16,247 | 48.5 | +21.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,015 | 3.0 | −9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,509 | 88.2 | +1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 38,010 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −6.7 | |
General election 1923: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joe Tinker | 13,989 | 43.0 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal | Robert Burrows | 9,854 | 30.3 | +9.2 |
| | Unionist | Herbert Metcalfe (magistrate) | 8,664 | 26.7 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,135 | 12.7 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,507 | 86.5 | −3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 37,597 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −5.6 | |
General election 1922: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Henry Twist | 15,006 | 45.0 | −1.4 |
| | Unionist | Herbert Metcalfe | 11,279 | 33.9 | New |
| | Liberal | Joseph Ashworth | 7,012 | 21.1 | −32.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,727 | 11.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,297 | 89.9 | +23.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 37,050 | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | +15.6 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter Raffan | 12,892 | 53.6 | −1.6 |
| | Labour | Richard Owen Jones | 11,146 | 46.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,746 | 7.2 | −3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,038 | 66.9 | −20.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,912 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.6 | |
General Election 1914–15
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected:
* Liberal: Peter Raffan
* Unionist: Frank Hatchard
* Labour: Thomas Greenall
General election December 1910: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter Raffan | 6,790 | 55.2 | +15.0 |
| | Conservative | William Thomas Oversby | 5,507 | 44.8 | +9.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,283 | 10.4 | +5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,297 | 86.9 | −6.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,150 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.6 | |
General election January 1910: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Peter Raffan | 5,325 | 40.2 | −17.9 |
| | Conservative | F Cuthbert Smith | 4,646 | 35.1 | −6.8 |
| | Labour | Thomas Greenall | 3,268 | 24.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 679 | 5.1 | −11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,239 | 93.6 | +1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,150 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −5.6 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Brunner | 7,175 | 58.1 | +7.5 |
| | Conservative | Donald MacMaster | 5,169 | 41.9 | −7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,006 | 16.2 | +15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,344 | 92.3 | +5.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,380 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +7.5 | |
General election 1900: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | C. P. Scott | 5,239 | 50.6 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | William Walter Augustine Fitzgerald | 5,119 | 49.4 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 1.2 | −5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,358 | 87.0 | −2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,907 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.9 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | C. P. Scott | 5,130 | 53.5 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative | William Walter Augustine Fitzgerald | 4,453 | 46.5 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 677 | 7.0 | −3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,583 | 89.0 | −1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,763 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.6 | |
General election 1892: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Caleb Wright | 4,899 | 55.1 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | William Charles Jones | 3,995 | 44.9 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 904 | 10.2 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,894 | 90.4 | +3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,839 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.7 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Caleb Wright | 4,297 | 57.8 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | William Myers | 3,134 | 42.2 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,163 | 15.6 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,431 | 86.7 | −5.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,572 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.7 | |
General election 1885: Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Caleb Wright | 4,621 | 58.5 | |
| | Conservative | Lees Knowles | 3,275 | 41.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,346 | 17.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,896 | 92.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,572 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |