# Pendle (UK Parliament constituency)

Pendle was a constituency in Lancashire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The constituency was newly created for the 1983 general election, being largely formed from the former Nelson and Colne constituency.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. Subject to boundary changes—expanding it into the Borough of Ribble Valley, including the town of Clitheroe—it was reformed as Pendle and Clitheroe, which was first contested at the 2024 general election.

## Boundaries

Since its formation in 1983, the Pendle constituency has been coterminous with the borough of the same name; however the constituency boundaries were redrawn in 1997, due to local government boundary changes in the 1980s.
The major urban centres in Pendle are Nelson and Colne, with smaller towns Barnoldswick and Earby added to existing ones such as Higham and Pendleside and Craven, since boundary changes in the 1970s that brought them into Pendle Borough, Lancashire from Yorkshire.
Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies calling for slight changes in the run-up to the 2010 general election, since which Pendle has the same electoral wards as the Borough:
* Barrowford; Blacko and Higherford; Boulsworth; Bradley; Brierfield; Clover Hill; Coates; Craven; Earby; Foulridge; Higham and Pendleside; Horsfield; Marsden; Old Laund Booth; Reedley; Southfield; Vivary Bridge; Walverden; Waterside; Whitefield

## Constituency profile

Although in 1992 this was not a bellwether, Pendle was a key marginal with the Conservative lead over Labour being similar to the national lead in the 2010 general election. In terms of the local economy, unemployment is lower than the regional average, artisan creations, tourism, manufacturing, transport, food processing, the public sector and agriculture are large sectors.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | John Lee | Conservative |
| 1992 | Gordon Prentice | Labour |
| 2010 | Andrew Stephenson | Conservative |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Stephenson | 24,076 | 54.2 | +5.2 |
| | Labour | Azhar Ali | 17,890 | 40.2 | ―6.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gordon Lishman | 1,548 | 3.5 | +1.4 |
| | Green | Clare Hales | 678 | 1.5 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | John Richardson | 268 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,186 | 14.0 | +12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,460 | 68.1 | ―0.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.5 | |
General election 2017: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Stephenson | 21,986 | 49.0 | +1.8 |
| | Labour | Wayne Blackburn | 20,707 | 46.2 | +11.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gordon Lishman | 941 | 2.1 | ―1.2 |
| | BNP | Brian Parker | 718 | 1.6 | New |
| | Green | Ian Barnett | 502 | 1.1 | ―1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,279 | 2.8 | ―8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,854 | 69.0 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | ―4.8 | |
General election 2015: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Stephenson | 20,978 | 47.2 | +8.3 |
| | Labour | Azhar Ali | 15,525 | 34.9 | +4.0 |
| | UKIP | Michael Waddington | 5,415 | 12.2 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Roach | 1,487 | 3.3 | ―16.9 |
| | Green | Laura Fisk | 1,043 | 2.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,453 | 12.3 | +4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,448 | 68.7 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.15 | |
General election 2010: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Stephenson | 17,512 | 38.9 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Gordon Prentice | 13,927 | 30.9 | ―6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Afzal Anwar | 9,095 | 20.2 | ―3.0 |
| | BNP | James Jackman | 2,894 | 6.4 | +0.2 |
| | UKIP | Graham Cannon | 1,476 | 3.3 | +1.5 |
| | Christian | Richard Masih | 141 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,585 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,045 | 67.8 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +6.6 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gordon Prentice | 15,250 | 37.1 | ―7.5 |
| | Conservative | Jane Ellison | 13,070 | 31.8 | ―2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Shazad Anwar | 9,528 | 23.2 | +9.4 |
| | BNP | Thomas Boocock | 2,547 | 6.2 | +1.2 |
| | UKIP | Graham Cannon | 737 | 1.8 | ―1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,180 | 5.3 | ―5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,132 | 63.4 | +0.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | ―2.7 | |
General election 2001: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gordon Prentice | 17,729 | 44.6 | ―8.7 |
| | Conservative | Rasjid Skinner | 13,454 | 33.9 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Whipp | 5,479 | 13.8 | +2.2 |
| | BNP | Chris Jackson | 1,976 | 5.0 | New |
| | UKIP | Graham Cannon | 1,094 | 2.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,275 | 10.7 | ―12.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,732 | 63.2 | ―11.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gordon Prentice | 25,059 | 53.3 | +9.1 |
| | Conservative | John Midgley | 14,235 | 30.3 | ―10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tony Greaves | 5,460 | 11.6 | ―3.4 |
| | Referendum | Damian Hockney | 2,281 | 4.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,824 | 23.0 | +19.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,035 | 74.6 | ―8.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +9.6 | |
General election 1992: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gordon Prentice | 23,497 | 44.2 | +8.9 |
| | Conservative | John Lee | 21,384 | 40.3 | ―0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Davies | 7,976 | 15.0 | ―9.3 |
| | Anti-Federalist League | Valerie Thome | 263 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,113 | 3.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,120 | 82.9 | +1.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.5 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Lee | 21,009 | 40.4 | ―3.8 |
| | Labour | Sylvia Renilson | 18,370 | 35.3 | +3.0 |
| | Liberal | Gordon Lishman | 12,662 | 24.3 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,639 | 5.1 | ―6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,041 | 81.8 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | ―3.4 | |
General election 1983: Pendle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Lee | 22,739 | 44.2 | |
| | Labour | George Rodgers | 16,604 | 32.3 | |
| | Liberal | Gordon Lishman | 12,056 | 23.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,135 | 11.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,399 | 79.7 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |