# Amber Valley (UK Parliament constituency)

Amber Valley is a constituency in Derbyshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It has been represented in Parliament by Linsey Farnsworth, a Labour politician, since the 2024 general election.

## History

The constituency was created in 1983, and was held by Phillip Oppenheim of the Conservative Party from its creation until Judy Mallaber of the Labour Party won the seat in 1997. She was narrowly defeated in 2010 by Nigel Mills, a Conservative, who increased his majority in 2015 and 2017. Amber Valley has been a bellwether seat in having been won by the winning party at each general election, since its creation.

## Boundaries
### Historic

1983–1997: The District of Amber Valley wards of Aldercar, Alfreton East, Alfreton West, Codnor, Denby and Horsley Woodhouse, Heage and Ambergate, Heanor and Loscoe, Heanor East, Heanor West, Holbrook and Horsley, Kilburn, Riddings, Ripley, Ripley and Marehay, Shipley Park, Somercotes, Swanwick, and Wingfield, and the Borough of Erewash wards of Breadsall and Morley, Little Eaton, and Stanley.
1997–2010: The Borough of Amber Valley wards of Aldercar, Alfreton East, Alfreton West, Codnor, Crich, Denby and Horsley Woodhouse, Heage and Ambergate, Heanor and Loscoe, Heanor East, Heanor West, Holbrook and Horsley, Kilburn, Riddings, Ripley, Ripley and Marehay, Shipley Park, Somercotes, Swanwick, and Wingfield, and the Borough of Erewash wards of Breadsall and Morley, Little Eaton, and Stanley.
2010–2023: The Borough of Amber Valley wards of Alfreton, Codnor and Waingroves, Heage and Ambergate, Heanor and Loscoe, Heanor East, Heanor West, Ironville and Riddings, Kilburn, Denby and Holbrook, Langley Mill and Aldercar, Ripley, Ripley and Marehay, Shipley Park, Horsley and Horsley Woodhouse, Somercotes, Swanwick, and Wingfield.

### Current

Further to a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Borough of Amber Valley:
* Alfreton; Codnor, Langley Mill & Aldercar; South Wingfield from Crich & South Wingfield ward; Heage & Ambergate; Heanor East; Heanor West & Loscoe; Ironville & Riddings; Kilburn, Denby, Holbrook & Horsley; Ripley; Ripley & Marehay; Smalley, Shipley & Horsley Woodhouse; Somercotes; Swanwick.
The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.

## Constituency profile

The Amber Valley constituency is located in the east of Derbyshire, and covers the market and manufacturing towns of Alfreton, Heanor and Ripley; in a majority of council elections from 1960 to 2012, these were favourably disposed to the Labour Party. The constituency also contains many rural and suburban wards, which during the same period generally had a majority in support of the Conservatives. The constituency stretches from the edge of the Peak District to the northern edge of Derby, which forms another set of neighbourhoods more favourably disposed to the Conservatives.
From 2000 to 2023 the Conservatives controlled Amber Valley Borough Council with the exception of a year from 2014 to 2015 and from 2019 to 2021 when Labour were in power. In 2023, Labour retook control. Prior to this, the council was held by Labour or under no overall control for all but three years from its formation in 1973.
The constituency's generally small majorities and bellwether status since 1983 (being won by the party that nationally holds the most parliamentary seats) means Amber Valley was, by most common measures, a marginal seat, with a reputation for political volatility, with periodic large swings towards both the Conservative and Labour parties.

## Members of Parliament

Belper, Derbyshire South East and Ilkeston prior to 1983
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | Phillip Oppenheim | Conservative |
| 1997 | Judy Mallaber | Labour |
| 2010 | Nigel Mills | Conservative |
| 2024 | Linsey Farnsworth | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Linsey Farnsworth | 15,746 | 37.0 | +10.2 |
| | Reform UK | Alex Stevenson | 12,192 | 28.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Nigel Mills | 10,725 | 25.2 | −38.6 |
| | Green | Matt McGuinness | 2,278 | 5.4 | +2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Smith | 1,590 | 3.7 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,554 | 8.3 | New |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,531 | 59.4 | 5.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 71,546 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 24.4 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 29,118 | 63.8 |
| | Labour | 12,227 | 26.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 2,875 | 6.3 |
| | Green Party | 1,389 | 3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | 16,891 | 37.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 45,609 | 64.6 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 70,625 |
General election 2019: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nigel Mills | 29,096 | 63.8 | 7.3 |
| | Labour | Adam Thompson | 12,210 | 26.8 | 11.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Smith | 2,873 | 6.3 | 3.9 |
| | Green | Lian Pizzey | 1,388 | 3.0 | 1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,886 | 37.0 | 18.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,567 | 65.1 | 2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,976 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.5 | |
General election 2017: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nigel Mills | 25,905 | 56.5 | 12.5 |
| | Labour | James Dawson | 17,605 | 38.4 | 3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Smith | 1,100 | 2.4 | 0.6 |
| | Green | Matt McGuinness | 650 | 1.4 | 1.0 |
| | Independent | Daniel Bamford | 551 | 1.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,300 | 18.1 | 8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,811 | 67.3 | 1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68,065 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.5 | |
General election 2015: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nigel Mills | 20,106 | 44.0 | 5.4 |
| | Labour | Kevin Gillott | 15,901 | 34.8 | 2.6 |
| | UKIP | Stuart Bent | 7,263 | 15.9 | 13.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Smith | 1,360 | 3.0 | 11.4 |
| | Green | John Devine | 1,087 | 2.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,205 | 9.2 | 8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,717 | 65.8 | 0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,510 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.0 | |
Going into the 2015 general election, this was the 24th most marginal constituency in Great Britain, Labour requiring a swing from the Conservatives of 0.6% to take the seat (based on the result of the 2010 general election).
General election 2010: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nigel Mills | 17,746 | 38.6 | 4.7 |
| | Labour | Judy Mallaber | 17,210 | 37.4 | 9.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Snowdon | 6,636 | 14.4 | 2.1 |
| | BNP | Michael Clarke | 3,195 | 7.0 | 4.4 |
| | UKIP | Sue Ransome | 906 | 2.0 | 0.3 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Sam Thing | 265 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 536 | 1.2 | 10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,958 | 65.5 | 1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 70,171 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 6.9 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Judy Mallaber | 21,593 | 45.6 | 6.3 |
| | Conservative | Gillian Shaw | 16,318 | 34.4 | 1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Smith | 6,225 | 13.1 | 0.7 |
| | BNP | Paul Snell | 1,243 | 2.6 | New |
| | Veritas | Alex Stevenson | 1,224 | 2.6 | New |
| | UKIP | Hugh Price | 788 | 1.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,275 | 11.2 | 5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,391 | 62.9 | 2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 75,269 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.8 | |
General election 2001: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Judy Mallaber | 23,101 | 51.9 | 2.8 |
| | Conservative | Gillian Shaw | 15,874 | 35.7 | 2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Smith | 5,538 | 12.4 | 4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,227 | 16.2 | 5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,513 | 60.3 | 15.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 73,798 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.5 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Judy Mallaber | 29,943 | 54.7 | 10.3 |
| | Conservative | Phillip Oppenheim | 18,330 | 33.4 | 13.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roger Shelley | 4,219 | 7.7 | 1.4 |
| | Referendum | Irene McGibbon | 2,283 | 4.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,613 | 21.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,775 | 76.0 | 8.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,116 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 11.7 | |
General election 1992: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phillip Oppenheim | 27,418 | 46.1 | 5.3 |
| | Labour | John Cooper | 26,706 | 44.9 | 10.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Brocklebank | 5,294 | 8.9 | 5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 712 | 1.2 | 15.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,418 | 84.7 | 3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 70,155 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.9 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phillip Oppenheim | 28,603 | 51.4 | 9.7 |
| | Labour | David Bookbinder | 19,103 | 34.4 | 0.9 |
| | Liberal | Stewart Reynolds | 7,904 | 14.2 | 7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,500 | 17.0 | 10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,610 | 81.2 | 4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68,478 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.3 | |
General election 1983: Amber Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phillip Oppenheim | 21,502 | 41.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | David Bookbinder | 18,184 | 35.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Brian Johnson | 10,989 | 21.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Peter Griffiths | 856 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,318 | 6.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,531 | 77.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 66,720 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |