# Ashfield (UK Parliament constituency)

Ashfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It is in the English county of Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, to the northwest of the city of Nottingham, in the Erewash Valley along the border with neighbouring county Derbyshire.
Ashfield was part of the Red Wall, a group of constituencies in the Midlands and Northern England which formerly almost always voted for the Labour Party, until many of them switched to the Conservative Party in the 2019 general election. In the 2016 referendum on membership of the European Union, Ashfield voted 70% in favour of Brexit.
Since 2019, its Member of Parliament (MP) has been Lee Anderson, who was first elected as a Conservative, but switched to Reform UK in 2024, winning reelection later that year.

## Constituency profile

The seat contains the market towns of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Huthwaite. Coal mining was formerly a significant part of the local economy. Electoral Calculus categorises the seat as having socially conservative views and economically soft-left views alongside strong support for Brexit. Around 57% of the constituency is deprived, slightly higher than the national average of 52%, according to the site. The average age is 50.8, at least 80% of the local population owns a car, whilst 68% own a home, and the gross household income is £35,124.

## Boundaries
### Historic

1955–1974: The Urban Districts of Eastwood, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and Sutton-in-Ashfield, and in the Rural District of Basford the parishes of Annesley, Bestwood Park, Brinsley, Felley, Linby, Newstead, Papplewick, and Selston.
1974–1983: The Urban Districts of Hucknall, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and Sutton-in-Ashfield, and in the Rural District of Basford the parishes of Annesley, Felley, and Selston.
1983–2010: The District of Ashfield wards of Jacksdale, Kirkby-in-Ashfield Central, Kirkby-in-Ashfield East, Kirkby-in-Ashfield West, Selston, Sutton-in-Ashfield Central, Sutton-in-Ashfield East, Sutton-in-Ashfield North, Sutton-in-Ashfield West, Underwood, and Woodhouse, and the Borough of Broxtowe wards of Brinsley, Eastwood East, Eastwood North, and Eastwood South.
2010–2024: The District of Ashfield wards of Jacksdale, Kirkby-in-Ashfield Central, Kirkby-in-Ashfield East, Kirkby-in-Ashfield West, Selston, Sutton-in-Ashfield Central, Sutton-in-Ashfield East, Sutton-in-Ashfield North, Sutton-in-Ashfield West, Underwood, and Woodhouse, and the Borough of Broxtowe wards of Brinsley, Eastwood North and Greasley Beauvale, and Eastwood South.

### Current

Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, and reflecting the local government boundary review in the District of Mansfield which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency is composed of the following with effect from the 2024 general election:
* The District of Ashfield wards of: Abbey Hill; Annesley & Kirkby Woodhouse; Ashfields; Carsic; Central & New Cross; Huthwaite & Brierley; Jacksdale; Kingsway; Kirkby Cross & Portland; Larwood; Leamington; St. Mary’s; Selston; Skegby; Stanton Hill & Teversal; Summit; Sutton Junction & Harlow Wood; The Dales; Underwood.
* Parts of the District of Mansfield wards of: Lindhurst; Pleaseley; Rufford; Sherwood.$^1$
The parts in the Borough of Broxtowe were transferred to the Broxtowe constituency and the parts in Mansfield District were transferred from the Mansfield constituency.

## History

Until the Conservatives gained the seat at the 2019 general election, it had almost always been a Labour Party seat since its creation for the 1955 general election. The Ashfield constituency has been served by a former Secretary of State, Geoff Hoon, and, since its creation until 2019, for only two years has been served by one member of another party, Tim Smith of the Conservative Party, from 1977 to 1979. Ashfield's 2019 result indicates quite a large Conservative majority. In 2010, the seat had a marginal majority of only 192 votes over the Liberal Democrats, but that was increased to 8,820 in 2015 after a collapse in the Liberal Democrat vote, with the Conservatives finishing in second place. In 2017, there was another narrow margin of victory for Labour after an 8.9% swing to the Conservatives, who squeezed most of the fairly substantial UKIP vote from two years earlier, and also a large vote for the Ashfield Independents candidate of nearly 10%, but Labour on that occasion did just enough to hang on by just over 400 votes. In 2019, the Ashfield Independents candidate Jason Zadrozny, who had come close to winning the seat for the Liberal Democrats nine years earlier, came second with a substantial vote, and the Conservatives took the seat despite achieving fewer votes and a smaller percentage of the total vote than in 2017. When the MP Lee Anderson left the Tories to become an independent and then subsequently join Reform UK, he contested it once again in the 2024 election, managing to win it for the party due to their message resounding with the predominantly pro-Brexit electorate and Anderson having the advantage of incumbency.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1955 | Will Warbey | Labour |
| 1966 | David Marquand | Labour |
| 1977 by-election | Tim Smith | Conservative |
| 1979 | Frank Haynes | Labour |
| 1992 | Geoff Hoon | Labour |
| 2010 | Gloria De Piero | Labour |
| 2019 | Lee Anderson | Conservative |
| February 2024 | Lee Anderson | Independent |
| March 2024 | Lee Anderson | Reform UK |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform UK | Lee Anderson | 17,062 | 42.8 | +37.8 |
| | Labour | Rhea Keehn | 11,554 | 29.0 | +3.4 |
| | Ashfield Ind. | Jason Zadrozny | 6,276 | 15.7 | −11.2 |
| | Conservative | Debbie Soloman | 3,271 | 8.2 | −31.0 |
| | Green | Alexander Coates | 1,100 | 2.8 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Holmes | 619 | 1.6 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,509 | 13.8 | 2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,881 | 58.1 | 4.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68,929 | | |
| | Reform UK gain from Conservative | Reform UK gain from Conservative | Swing | 24.1 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 16,838 | 39.2 |
| | Ashfield Independents | 11,535 | 26.9 |
| | Labour | 10,986 | 25.6 |
| | Brexit Party | 2,137 | 5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 890 | 2.1 |
| | Green Party | 563 | 1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | 5,303 | 12.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 42,949 | 61.5 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 69,819 |
General election 2019: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lee Anderson | 19,231 | 39.3 | 2.4 |
| | Ashfield Ind. | Jason Zadrozny | 13,498 | 27.6 | 18.4 |
| | Labour | Natalie Fleet | 11,971 | 24.4 | 18.2 |
| | Brexit Party | Martin Daubney | 2,501 | 5.1 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rebecca Wain | 1,105 | 2.3 | 0.4 |
| | Green | Rose Woods | 674 | 1.4 | 0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,733 | 11.7 | 10.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,980 | 62.6 | 1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,204 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 7.9 | |
General election 2017: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gloria De Piero | 21,285 | 42.6 | 1.6 |
| | Conservative | Tony Harper | 20,844 | 41.7 | 19.3 |
| | Ashfield Ind. | Gail Turner | 4,612 | 9.2 | New |
| | UKIP | Ray Young | 1,885 | 3.8 | 17.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bob Charlesworth | 969 | 1.9 | 12.9 |
| | Green | Arran Rangi | 398 | 0.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 441 | 0.9 | 17.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,993 | 64.0 | 5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,076 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 8.9 | |
General election 2015: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gloria De Piero | 19,448 | 41.0 | 7.3 |
| | Conservative | Helen Harrison | 10,628 | 22.4 | 0.2 |
| | UKIP | Simon Ashcroft | 10,150 | 21.4 | 19.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Smith | 7,030 | 14.8 | 18.5 |
| | Justice for Men and Boys | Mike Buchanan | 153 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,820 | 18.6 | 18.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,409 | 61.5 | 0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 77,091 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.6 | |
The Liberal Democrats had again selected Jason Zadrozny as their prospective parliamentary candidate for the 2015 general election, but he was suspended by the party and removed as a candidate just weeks before the election after being arrested; he was later cleared. He was replaced by Philip Smith.
General election 2010: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gloria De Piero | 16,239 | 33.7 | 15.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jason Zadrozny | 16,047 | 33.3 | 19.5 |
| | Conservative | Garry Hickton | 10,698 | 22.2 | 2.2 |
| | BNP | Edward Holmes | 2,781 | 5.8 | New |
| | English Democrat | Tony Ellis | 1,102 | 2.3 | New |
| | UKIP | Terry Coleman | 933 | 1.9 | New |
| | Independent | Eddie Smith | 396 | 0.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 192 | 0.4 | 23.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,196 | 62.3 | 5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 77,379 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 17.2 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoff Hoon | 20,433 | 48.6 | 9.5 |
| | Conservative | Giles Inglis-Jones | 10,220 | 24.3 | 0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Wendy Johnson | 5,829 | 13.9 | 2.6 |
| | Ashfield Ind. | Roy Adkins | 2,292 | 5.5 | New |
| | Independent | Kate Allsop | 1,900 | 4.5 | New |
| | Veritas | Sarah Hemstock | 1,108 | 2.6 | New |
| | Independent | Eddie Grenfell | 269 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,213 | 24.3 | 9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,051 | 57.3 | 3.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 73,321 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 4.7 | |
General election 2001: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoff Hoon | 22,875 | 58.1 | 7.0 |
| | Conservative | Julian Leigh | 9,607 | 24.4 | 4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Smith | 4,428 | 11.3 | 1.6 |
| | Independent | Charlie Harby | 1,471 | 3.7 | New |
| | Socialist Alliance | George Watson | 589 | 1.5 | New |
| | Socialist Labour | Katrina R. Howse | 380 | 1.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,268 | 33.7 | 11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,350 | 53.6 | 16.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 73,428 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.6 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoff Hoon | 32,979 | 65.1 | 10.2 |
| | Conservative | Mark Simmonds | 10,251 | 20.3 | 12.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William E. Smith | 4,882 | 9.7 | 2.8 |
| | Referendum | Martin I. Betts | 1,896 | 3.8 | New |
| | BNP | Steven E. Belshaw | 595 | 1.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,728 | 44.8 | 21.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,603 | 70.0 | 10.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,299 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 11.3 | |
General election 1992: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoff Hoon | 32,018 | 54.9 | 13.2 |
| | Conservative | Laurence Robertson | 19,031 | 32.6 | 1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James S. Turton | 7,291 | 12.5 | 12.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,987 | 22.3 | 14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,340 | 80.4 | 3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 75,075 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.1 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Haynes | 22,812 | 41.7 | 0.0 |
| | Conservative | Barry Coleman | 18,412 | 33.6 | 2.9 |
| | Liberal | Frances Stein | 13,542 | 24.7 | 2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,400 | 8.1 | 2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,756 | 77.2 | 2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 70,937 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.5 | |
General election 1983: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Haynes | 21,859 | 41.7 | 11.1 |
| | Conservative | Roderick Seligman | 15,772 | 30.7 | 9.7 |
| | Liberal | Frances Stein | 13,812 | 26.8 | 20.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,087 | 11.0 | 1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,443 | 74.8 | 5.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,791 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.7 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Haynes | 33,116 | 52.8 | 10.6 |
| | Conservative | Tim Smith | 25,319 | 40.4 | 18.1 |
| | Liberal | Hampton Flint | 3,914 | 6.2 | 8.1 |
| | National Front | W. Annable | 397 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,797 | 12.4 | 28.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,746 | 80.6 | 5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 77,878 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 14.4 | |
By-election 1977: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tim Smith | 19,616 | 43.1 | 20.8 |
| | Labour | Michael Cowan | 19,352 | 42.5 | 20.9 |
| | Liberal | Hampton Flint | 4,380 | 9.6 | 4.7 |
| | National Front | George Herrod | 1,734 | 3.8 | New |
| | Socialist Workers | June Hall | 453 | 1.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 264 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,535 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 20.8 | |
General election October 1974: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Marquand | 35,367 | 63.4 | 4.1 |
| | Conservative | Richard Kemm | 12,452 | 22.3 | 1.1 |
| | Liberal | Hampton Flint | 7,959 | 14.3 | 3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,915 | 41.1 | 5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,778 | 74.7 | 12.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,701 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Marquand | 35,994 | 59.3 | 11.0 |
| | Conservative | Richard Kemm | 14,206 | 23.4 | 6.3 |
| | Liberal | Hampton Flint | 10,534 | 17.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,788 | 35.9 | 0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,734 | 82.0 | 11.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,064 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Marquand | 32,372 | 68.2 | 5.4 |
| | Conservative | Richard Kemm | 15,089 | 31.8 | 5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,283 | 36.4 | 11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,461 | 70.2 | 3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,681 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.4 | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Marquand | 33,477 | 73.6 | 0.8 |
| | Conservative | E.T. Gibbons | 11,991 | 26.4 | 0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,486 | 47.8 | 2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,468 | 73.3 | 3.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 62,030 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Warbey | 34,841 | 72.8 | 2.1 |
| | Conservative | T.L. Wright | 12,989 | 27.2 | 2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,852 | 45.7 | 4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,830 | 77.2 | 4.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 61,960 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Warbey | 35,432 | 70.7 | 1.2 |
| | Conservative | Julian G.W. Sandys | 14,690 | 29.3 | 1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,742 | 41.4 | 2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,122 | 82.0 | 5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 61,139 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Ashfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Warbey | 32,905 | 71.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Alan S. Plane | 12,836 | 28.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,069 | 43.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,741 | 76.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 59,820 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |