# Rother Valley (UK Parliament constituency)

Rother Valley is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Jake Richards, a member of the Labour Party.

## History

This constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1918. Unusually in the light of the events of the Labour Party's early 20th-century years, the seat had been represented by a member of that party continuously since the seat was formed. The size of the majorities historically have not been particularly marginal in the elections, until the 2017 general election in which the majority was less than 4,000 votes. Nonetheless, this was still considered a safe seat for the party, until the 2019 general election in which the Conservatives won the seat for the first time. Labour regained the seat at the 2024 general election.

## Boundaries
### Historic

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Handsworth; and Swinton; and the Rural Districts of Kiveton Park; and part of Rotherham.
1950–1983: The Urban Districts of Maltby; and Rawmarsh; and the Rural Districts of Kiveton Park; and Rotherham.
1983–2010: The Borough of Rotherham wards of: Anston and Woodsetts, Aston, Orgreave and Ulley, Brinsworth, Catcliffe and Treeton, Kiveton Park, Maltby, St. John’s and Thurcroft and Whiston.
2010–2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham wards of: Anston and Woodsetts; Dinnington; Hellaby; Holderness; Maltby; Rother Vale; Sitwell; and Wales
Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which slightly altered this constituency for the 2010 general election.

### Current

Following the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency comprises the following:
* The Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham wards of: Anston & Woodsetts; Aston & Todwick; Aughton & Swallownest; Dinnington; Hellaby & Maltby West; Maltby East; Sitwell; Thurcroft & Wickersley South; Wales.
Minor changes to reflect modification of local authority ward boundaries.
Rother Valley constituency covers an area in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham south of Rotherham itself. It is bordered by the constituencies of Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Derbyshire North East, Don Valley, Rotherham, Sheffield South East, and Wentworth and Dearne.

## Constituency profile

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. At the end of 2012 the unemployment rate in the constituency stood as 4.0% of the population claiming jobseekers allowance, compared to the regional average of 4.7%. This was considerably lower than the rate in the Rotherham constituency of 7% and 9.6% male unemployment.
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. 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.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | Thomas Walter Grundy | Labour |
| 1935 | Edward Dunn | Labour |
| 1945 | David Griffiths | Labour |
| 1970 | Peter Hardy | Labour |
| 1983 | Sir Kevin Barron | Labour |
| 2019 | Alexander Stafford | Conservative |
| 2024 | Jake Richards | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jake Richards | 16,023 | 38.5 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Stafford | 15,025 | 36.1 | –10.0 |
| | Reform UK | Tony Harrison | 7,679 | 18.5 | +6.8 |
| | Green | Paul Martin | 1,706 | 4.1 | +1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Taylor | 1,175 | 2.8 | –2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 998 | 2.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,608 | 59.9 | – 4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,460 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.0 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 20,975 | 46.1 |
| | Labour | 14,840 | 32.6 |
| | Brexit Party | 5,314 | 11.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 2,195 | 4.8 |
| | Green | 1,124 | 2.5 |
| | Others | 1,040 | 2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 45,488 | 64.8 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 70,184 |
General election 2019: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alexander Stafford | 21,970 | 45.1 | +4.8 |
| | Labour | Sophie Wilson | 15,652 | 32.1 | –16.0 |
| | Brexit Party | Allen Cowles | 6,264 | 12.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Taylor | 2,553 | 5.2 | +2.9 |
| | Green | Emily West | 1,219 | 2.5 | +0.7 |
| | Independent | Nigel Short | 1,040 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,318 | 13.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,698 | 65.1 | –0.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +10.4 | |
General election 2017: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Barron | 23,821 | 48.1 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | Bethan Eddy | 19,939 | 40.3 | +17.0 |
| | UKIP | Lee Hunter | 3,704 | 7.5 | –20.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Katie Pruszynski | 1,155 | 2.3 | –1.9 |
| | Green | Paul Martin | 869 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,882 | 7.8 | –7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,595 | 65.8 | +2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | –6.3 | |
General election 2015: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Barron | 20,501 | 43.6 | +2.7 |
| | UKIP | Allen Cowles | 13,204 | 28.1 | +22.5 |
| | Conservative | Gareth Streeter | 10,945 | 23.3 | −5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Teal | 1,992 | 4.2 | −13.1 |
| | English Democrat | Sharon Pilling | 377 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,297 | 15.5 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,019 | 63.3 | −0.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.9 | |
General election 2010: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Barron | 19,147 | 40.9 | −10.6 |
| | Conservative | Lynda Donaldson | 13,281 | 28.4 | +5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Wesley Paxton | 8,111 | 17.3 | +1.2 |
| | BNP | William Blair | 3,616 | 7.7 | +2.8 |
| | UKIP | Tina Dowdall | 2,613 | 5.6 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,866 | 12.5 | −23.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,768 | 64.2 | +6.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -8.0 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Barron | 21,871 | 55.4 | −6.7 |
| | Conservative | Colin Phillips | 7,647 | 19.4 | −2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Phil Bristow | 6,272 | 15.9 | +3.4 |
| | BNP | Nick Cass | 2,020 | 5.1 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Gordon Brown | 1,685 | 4.3 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,224 | 36.0 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,495 | 58.1 | +4.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.2 | |
General election 2001: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Barron | 22,851 | 62.1 | −5.5 |
| | Conservative | James Duddridge | 7,969 | 21.7 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Win Knight | 4,603 | 12.5 | +0.9 |
| | UKIP | David Cutts | 1,380 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,882 | 40.4 | −10.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,803 | 53.2 | −14.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Barron | 31,184 | 67.6 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | Steven Stanbury | 7,699 | 16.7 | −10.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stan Burgess | 5,342 | 11.6 | −1.1 |
| | Referendum | Stephen Cook | 1,932 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,485 | 50.9 | +17.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,157 | 67.3 | −7.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1992: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Barron | 30,977 | 60.5 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | G. Toby A.W. Horton | 13,755 | 26.9 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin A. Smith | 6,483 | 12.7 | −5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,222 | 33.6 | +2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,215 | 75.0 | −0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.1 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Barron | 28,292 | 56.4 | +9.9 |
| | Conservative | Paul Rayner | 12,502 | 24.9 | −3.2 |
| | SDP | John Boddy | 9,240 | 18.4 | −7.0 |
| | Workers Revolutionary | Michael Driver | 145 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,790 | 31.5 | +13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,179 | 75.6 | +3.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1983: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Kevin Barron | 21,781 | 46.5 |
| | Conservative | John Derrick | 13,156 | 28.1 |
| | SDP | John Boddy | 11,903 | 25.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,625 | 18.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,840 | 71.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Hardy | 45,986 | 62.2 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | R. Barber | 19,984 | 27.0 | +9.1 |
| | Liberal | C. Sykes | 7,937 | 10.7 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26,002 | 35.2 | −14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 73,907 | 74.6 | +2.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Hardy | 44,670 | 67.3 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative | Gary Waller | 11,893 | 17.9 | −8.7 |
| | Liberal | Geoffrey Reid | 9,828 | 14.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32,777 | 49.4 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 66,391 | 72.2 | −6.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Hardy | 52,532 | 73.4 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Gary Waller | 19,058 | 26.6 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33,474 | 46.8 | +3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 71,590 | 78.6 | +8.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Hardy | 44,322 | 71.8 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative | Tony Durant | 17,418 | 28.2 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26,904 | 43.6 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61,740 | 70.6 | −2.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Griffiths | 43,634 | 76.82 | +2.40 |
| | Conservative | J Michael Clarke | 13,167 | 23.18 | −2.40 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30,467 | 53.64 | +4.80 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,801 | 73.46 | +3.93 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.40 | |
General election 1964: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Griffiths | 43,101 | 74.4 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Raymond Whitley Hadfield | 14,813 | 25.6 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28,288 | 48.8 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,914 | 77.4 | −5.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Griffiths | 43,962 | 74.1 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative | William Albert V Hoskins | 15,369 | 25.9 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28,593 | 48.2 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,331 | 82.8 | +4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Griffiths | 39,968 | 75.6 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | William Albert V Hoskins | 12,916 | 24.4 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27,052 | 51.2 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,884 | 78.8 | −7.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Griffiths | 41,990 | 75.7 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | Ronald Hall | 13,470 | 24.3 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28,520 | 51.4 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,460 | 86.3 | −1.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Griffiths | 42,222 | 76.6 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | William Robert Ackrill Breare | 12,887 | 23.4 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29,335 | 53.2 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,109 | 87.4 | +12.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Griffiths | 44,449 | 75.2 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | J. Howard Bull | 14,669 | 24.8 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29,830 | 50.4 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,118 | 75.2 | +1.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Edward Dunn | 33,271 | 72.0 | +9.7 |
| | Conservative | Alwyne Gervase Olliver | 12,907 | 28.0 | −9.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,364 | 44.0 | +19.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,178 | 73.8 | −3.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1931: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Walter Grundy | 26,185 | 62.3 | −14.0 |
| | Conservative | Alwyne Gervase Olliver | 15,812 | 37.7 | +14.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,373 | 24.6 | −28.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,997 | 77.5 | −0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Walter Grundy | 30,405 | 76.3 | +11.0 |
| | Unionist | Cecil Pike | 9,460 | 23.7 | −11.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,945 | 52.6 | +22.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,865 | 77.8 | +1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +11.0 | |
General election 1924: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Walter Grundy | 18,750 | 65.3 | −3.3 |
| | Unionist | Frances R. Wade | 9,985 | 34.7 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,765 | 30.6 | −6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,735 | 75.9 | +11.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1923: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Walter Grundy | 15,967 | 68.6 | N/A |
| | Unionist | Frances R. Wade | 7,323 | 31.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,644 | 37.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,865 | 64.0 | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1922: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Walter Grundy | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Rother Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Walter Grundy | 9,917 | 55.1 | |
| C | National Democratic | Ernest George Bearcroft | 4,894 | 27.2 | |
| | Liberal | Albert Edward Mann Turner | 3,177 | 17.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,023 | 27.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,988 | 56.3 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||