# Leeds Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Leeds Central was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The constituency first existed from 1885 until it was abolished in 1955. It was recreated in 1983.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished again. Subject to boundary changes involving the loss of most Leeds city centre to the newly created constituency of Leeds Central and Headingley, the seat will be reformed as Leeds South, to be first contested in the 2024 general election.

## Boundaries

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Leeds wards of Mill Hill and West, and parts of the wards of Brunswick and Central.
1918–1950: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Central, Mill Hill, South, and West, and parts of the wards of Brunswick, Headingley, and North West.
1950–1951: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Armley and New Wortley, Blenheim, Central, Holbeck North, Mill Hill, and South and Westfield.
1951–1955: The County Borough of Leeds wards of Blenheim, City, Wellington, and Westfield.
1983–1997: The City of Leeds wards of Beeston, City and Holbeck, Richmond Hill, and University.
1997–2010: As above plus Hunslet.
2010–2024: The City of Leeds wards of Beeston and Holbeck, Burmantofts and Richmond Hill, City and Hunslet, Hyde Park and Woodhouse, and Middleton Park.
Following the Leeds City Council ward boundary changes prior to the 2018 election, the majority of the City and Hunslet ward became the new Hunslet and Riverside ward, whilst Leeds city centre was included in the new Little London and Woodhouse ward. Hyde Park became part of a new Headingley and Hyde Park ward, shared with the Leeds North West constituency.

## Constituency profile

The business and retail centre of Leeds was at the constituency's heart. A relatively affluent hub having a large minority of its housing forming by luxury, well-served apartments or streets of grand middle-class Victorian houses, the seat has sporadic deprivation, typified by certain densely packed rows of terraced houses, home to many Labour-inclined and often low-income voters. Two large, well-ranked universities in the city centre, the professional services sector and a 21st-century increase in technology businesses has brought prosperity to the younger generations of the city. The older generations of the city have lived through the closure of many mass consumer product manufacturing and materials processing businesses in Leeds throughout the mid-20th century. Leeds' two universities produce a significant student electorate. Middleton in the south of the seat has a golf course, a miniature railway and an upcoming urban mountain bike trail centre within the boundaries.

## History
### First creation

The constituency was created in 1885 by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, and was first used in the general election of that year *the large Leeds seat had previously been represented by two MPs (1832–1868) and three MPs (1868–1885)). From 1885 it was represented by five single-member constituencies: Leeds Central, Leeds East, Leeds North, Leeds South and Leeds West. The constituencies of Morley, Otley and Pudsey were also created in 1885. The constituency was abolished in 1955. After the 1955 general election: Leeds was represented by Leeds East (created 1885, abolished 1918, recreated 1955), Leeds North East (created 1918), Leeds North West (created 1950), Leeds South (created 1885), and Leeds South East (created 1918). There were also constituencies of Batley and Morley (created 1918) and Pudsey (created 1885, replaced by Pudsey and Otley 1918–1950).

### Second creation
#### Revival

The constituency was re-created for the 1983 general election.

#### Results of the winning party

The seat has been won by the Labour Party's candidate since 1983. Benn, elected in 1999 on the demise of Fatchett, has achieved an absolute majority (plurality of votes) in three of five elections for Leeds Central. The 2015 result made the seat the 40-safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.

#### Opposition parties

Conservative runner-up, Wilson, in 2015 failed to reflect the positive national swing and fell to 17.3% of the votes cast. A candidature of UKIP, not present in 2010, saw a total share of the vote, hence positive swing, of 15.7% and thus third position.. Green Party running, not present in 2010, resulted in a 7.9% polling and fourth-place, its candidate retained his deposit. The fifth-placed Liberal Democrat forfeited her deposit..

#### Turnout

In general elections, turnout ranged from 87.9% in 1910 to 41.7% in 2001. In its 1999 by-election the constituency experienced the lowest voter turnout post-war of 19.6%.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1885–1955

Leeds prior to 1885
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1885 | Gerald Balfour | Conservative |
| 1906 | Robert Armitage | Liberal |
| 1922 | Arthur Willey | Conservative |
| 1923 by-election | Sir Charles Wilson | Conservative |
| 1929 | Richard Denman | Labour |
| 1931 | Richard Denman | National Labour |
| 1945 | George Porter | Labour |
| 1955 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

### MPs 1983–2024

Leeds South and Leeds South East prior to 1983
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | Derek Fatchett | Labour |
| 1999 by-election | Hilary Benn | Labour |
| 2024 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

## Election results 1983–2024
### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Derek Fatchett | 18,706 | 47.9 | |
| | Liberal | Peter Wrigley | 10,484 | 26.9 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Ashley-Brown | 9,181 | 23.6 | |
| | BNP | G. Cummins | 331 | 0.9 | |
| | Communist | J.M. Rogers | 314 | 0.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,222 | 21.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,030 | 61.7 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
General election 1987: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Derek Fatchett | 21,270 | 55.6 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative | David Schofield | 9,765 | 25.5 | +2.0 |
| | SDP | Karen Lee | 6,853 | 17.9 | −9.0 |
| | Communist | William Innis | 355 | 0.9 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,505 | 30.1 | +9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,019 | 64.8 | +3.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Derek Fatchett | 23,673 | 62.2 | +6.6 |
| | Conservative | TC Holdroyd | 8,653 | 22.7 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Pratt | 5,713 | 15.0 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,020 | 39.5 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,039 | 61.3 | −3.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.7 | |
General election 1997: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Derek Fatchett | 25,766 | 69.6 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative | Edward Wild | 5,077 | 13.7 | −9.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Freeman | 4,164 | 11.3 | −3.7 |
| | Referendum | Philip Myers | 1,042 | 2.8 | New |
| | Socialist Labour | Mick Rix | 656 | 1.8 | New |
| | Socialist Alternative | Chris Hill | 304 | 0.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,689 | 55.9 | +16.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,009 | 54.7 | −6.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +8.2 | |
1999 Leeds Central by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hilary Benn | 6,361 | 48.2 | −21.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Wild | 4,068 | 30.8 | +19.6 |
| | Conservative | Edward Wild | 1,618 | 12.3 | −1.4 |
| | Green | David Blackburn | 478 | 3.6 | New |
| | UKIP | Raymond Northgreaves | 353 | 2.7 | New |
| | Leeds Left Alliance | Chris Hill | 258 | 2.0 | New |
| | Independent | Julian Fitzgerald | 51 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,293 | 17.4 | −38.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,187 | 19.6 | −35.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2001: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hilary Benn | 18,277 | 66.9 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | Victoria Richmond | 3,896 | 14.3 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stewart Arnold | 3,607 | 13.2 | +1.9 |
| | UKIP | David Burgess | 775 | 2.8 | New |
| | Socialist Alliance | Stephen Johnston | 751 | 2.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,381 | 52.6 | −3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,306 | 41.7 | −12.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 2005: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hilary Benn | 17,526 | 60.0 | −6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ruth Coleman | 5,660 | 19.4 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | Brian Cattell | 3,865 | 13.2 | −1.1 |
| | BNP | Mark Collett | 1,201 | 4.1 | New |
| | UKIP | Peter Sewards | 494 | 1.7 | −1.1 |
| | Independent | Mick Dear | 189 | 0.6 | New |
| | Independent | Oluwole Taiwo | 126 | 0.4 | New |
| | Alliance for Change | Julian Fitzgerald | 125 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,866 | 40.6 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,186 | 46.4 | +4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2010: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hilary Benn | 18,434 | 49.3 | −10.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Taylor | 7,789 | 20.8 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative | Alan Lamb | 7,541 | 20.2 | +7.5 |
| | BNP | Kevin Meeson | 3,066 | 8.2 | +4.1 |
| | Independent | Dave Procter | 409 | 1.1 | New |
| | Independent | We Beat The Scum One-Nil | 155 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,645 | 28.5 | –9.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,394 | 57.8 | +13.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −4.8 | |
General election 2015: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hilary Benn | 24,758 | 55.0 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative | Nicola Wilson | 7,791 | 17.3 | −2.9 |
| | UKIP | Luke Senior | 7,082 | 15.7 | New |
| | Green | Michael Hayton | 3,558 | 7.9 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Emma Spriggs | 1,529 | 3.4 | −17.4 |
| | TUSC | Liz Kitching | 330 | 0.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,967 | 37.7 | +9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,048 | 55.1 | –2.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 2017: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hilary Benn | 33,453 | 70.2 | +15.2 |
| | Conservative | Gareth Davies | 9,755 | 20.5 | +3.2 |
| | UKIP | Bill Palfreman | 2,056 | 4.3 | −11.4 |
| | Green | Ed Carlisle | 1,189 | 2.5 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Nash | 1,063 | 2.2 | −1.2 |
| | CPA | Alex Coetzee | 157 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,698 | 49.7 | +12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,673 | 53.2 | −1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.0 | |
General election 2019: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hilary Benn | 30,413 | 61.7 | −8.5 |
| | Conservative | Peter Fortune | 11,143 | 22.6 | +2.1 |
| | Brexit Party | Paul Thomas | 2,999 | 6.1 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jack Holland | 2,343 | 4.8 | +2.6 |
| | Green | Ed Carlisle | 2,105 | 4.3 | +1.8 |
| | SDP | William Clouston | 281 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,270 | 39.1 | −10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,284 | 54.2 | +1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.3 | |

## Election results 1885–1955
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Balfour | 4,589 | 51.8 | |
| | Liberal | John Barran | 4,275 | 48.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 314 | 3.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,864 | 79.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,135 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1886: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Balfour | 4,225 | 50.1 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal | James Kitson | 4,212 | 49.9 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13 | 0.2 | −3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,437 | 75.8 | −3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,135 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.7 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Balfour | 4,448 | 50.6 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal | John Lawson Walton | 4,335 | 49.4 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 113 | 1.2 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,783 | 86.0 | +10.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,215 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
General election 1895: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Balfour | 4,631 | 53.8 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal | Leifchild Jones | 3,977 | 46.2 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 654 | 7.6 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,608 | 83.1 | −2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,353 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.2 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Balfour | 4,144 | 57.7 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal | Samuel Montagu | 3,042 | 42.3 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,102 | 15.4 | +7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,186 | 73.2 | −9.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,820 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.9 | |
General election 1906: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Armitage | 4,188 | 57.3 | +15.0 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Balfour | 3,119 | 42.7 | −15.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,069 | 14.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,307 | 82.2 | +9.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,893 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +15.0 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Armitage | 3,987 | 54.2 | −3.1 |
| | Conservative | John Gordon | 3,366 | 45.8 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 621 | 8.4 | −6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,353 | 87.9 | +5.7 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -3.1 | |
General election December 1910: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Armitage | 3,519 | 52.6 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | John Gordon | 3,169 | 47.4 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 350 | 5.2 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,688 | 79.9 | −8.0 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -2.6 | |
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: Robert Armitage
General election 1918: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Liberal | Robert Armitage | 11,474 | 70.6 | +18.0 |
| | Independent | * Ernest Terry | 2,634 | 16.2 | New |
| | Co-operative Party | Joseph Smith | 2,146 | 13.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,840 | 54.4 | +49.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,254 | 37.4 | −42.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 43,496 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
* Terry was supported by the three local branches of National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, National Federation of Discharged and Demobilized Sailors and Soldiers and Comrades of the Great War.

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Arthur Willey | 14,137 | 50.0 | New |
| | Labour | Henry Slesser | 7,844 | 27.8 | New |
| | Liberal | Robert Armitage | 6,260 | 22.2 | −58.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,293 | 22.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,241 | 66.1 | +28.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 42,738 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
1923 Leeds Central by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Charles Wilson | 13,085 | 47.6 | −2.4 |
| | Labour | Henry Slesser | 11,359 | 41.4 | +13.6 |
| | Liberal | Gilbert Stone | 3,026 | 11.0 | −11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,726 | 6.2 | −16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,470 | 64.3 | −1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 42,738 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −8.0 | |
General election 1923: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Charles Wilson | 14,853 | 56.2 | +6.2 |
| | Labour | Henry Slesser | 11,574 | 43.8 | +16.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,279 | 12.4 | −9.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,427 | 60.1 | −6.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 43,972 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −4.9 | |
General election 1924: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Charles Wilson | 16,182 | 59.6 | +3.4 |
| | Labour | E. J. C. Neep | 10,975 | 40.4 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,207 | 19.2 | +6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,157 | 61.0 | +0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 44,532 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +3.4 | |
General election 1929: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Denman | 17,322 | 44.6 | +4.2 |
| | Unionist | Charles Wilson | 15,958 | 41.0 | −18.6 |
| | Liberal | Myer Jack Landa | 5,607 | 14.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,364 | 3.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,887 | 68.9 | +7.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 56,417 | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +11.4 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Labour | Richard Denman | 26,496 | 71.36 | New |
| | Labour | Moss Turner-Samuels | 10,633 | 28.64 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,863 | 42.72 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,129 | 66.20 | |
| | National Labour gain from Labour | National Labour gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Labour | Richard Denman | 17,747 | 56.43 | −14.9 |
| | Labour | Fred Lindley | 13,701 | 43.57 | +14.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,046 | 12.86 | −29.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,448 | 61.44 | −4.8 |
| | National Labour hold | National Labour hold | Swing | −14.9 | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Porter | 13,370 | 57.14 | |
| | Conservative | Charles Denman | 8,011 | 34.24 | New |
| | Liberal | Basil Mayer Sandelson | 2,017 | 8.62 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,359 | 22.90 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,398 | 63.43 | |
| | Labour gain from National Labour | Labour gain from National Labour | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Porter | 24,030 | 60.75 | +3.6 |
| | Conservative | William Barford | 13,351 | 33.75 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal | Victor Delepine | 2,176 | 5.50 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,679 | 27.00 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,557 | 78.26 | +14.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.1 | |
General election 1951: Leeds Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Porter | 23,967 | 62.35 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | William Barford | 14,475 | 37.65 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,492 | 24.70 | −2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,442 | 77.10 | −1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −1.2 | |