# Calder Valley (UK Parliament constituency)

Calder Valley (/ˈkɔːldər, ˈkɒl-/) is a constituency in West Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Josh Fenton-Glynn of the Labour Party.
The constituency has a long record as a bellwether of national results in British elections. In every election since its creation for the 1983 general election, it has voted for an MP belonging to the largest party in the Commons; this record stretches back to February 1974 and 1960 for its main predecessors, Sowerby and Brighouse and Spenborough respectively.

## Constituency profile

The constituency covers most of the upland metropolitan district of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, including the town of Todmorden which was formerly split in half between Lancashire and Yorkshire. Hebden Bridge and Todmorden are known for their bohemian culture and are more Labour-leaning, whereas Elland and Brighouse tend to vote Conservative, making the seat marginal overall.

## Boundaries

1983–2024: Since the constituency's creation in 1983, it comprised the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale wards of Brighouse, Calder, Elland, Greetland and Stainland, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe, Luddendenfoot, Rastrick, Ryburn, and Todmorden.
2024–present: Same as above apart from the loss of part of the Ryburn ward (polling districts MB, MC and MD) to Halifax in order to bring the electorate within the permitted range as part of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.

## History

The constituency was created in 1983, primarily from the former seat of Sowerby as well as parts of Brighouse and Spenborough. Historically a bellwether seat between Labour and the Conservatives, at the 2010 general election the seat became the closest three-way marginal in the north of England, with less than 1,000 votes between the Labour candidate in second place and the Liberal Democrat candidate in third, although with a significant Conservative majority. The seat's three-way marginal status did not last; the Labour vote increased significantly in both 2015 and 2017 while the Liberal Democrat vote collapsed dramatically over the same period. The seat has followed national trends, albeit with a disadvantage to the Conservatives when compared to the national swing, and is still considered a bellwether seat.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | Sir Donald Thompson | Conservative |
| 1997 | Christine McCafferty | Labour |
| 2010 | Craig Whittaker | Conservative |
| 2024 | Josh Fenton-Glynn | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Josh Fenton-Glynn | 22,046 | 44.4 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Vanessa Lee | 13,055 | 26.3 | −25.1 |
| | Reform UK | Donald Walmsley | 7,644 | 15.4 | N/A |
| | Green | Kieran Turner | 3,701 | 7.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Donal O'Hanlon | 2,587 | 5.2 | +0.1 |
| | Yorkshire | James Vasey | 404 | 0.8 | N/A |
| | SDP | Jim McNeill | 171 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,991 | 18.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,608 | 64.1 | −10.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 77,364 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 13.6 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 28,991 | 51.4 |
| | Labour | 23,884 | 42.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 2,858 | 5.1 |
| | Others | 721 | 1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 56,454 | 74.3 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 75,987 |
General election 2019: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Craig Whittaker | 29,981 | 51.9 | +5.8 |
| | Labour | Josh Fenton-Glynn | 24,207 | 41.9 | −3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Javed Bashir | 2,884 | 4.9 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal | Richard Phillips | 721 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,774 | 10.0 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,793 | 72.9 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
General election 2017: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Craig Whittaker | 26,790 | 46.1 | +2.5 |
| | Labour | Josh Fenton-Glynn | 26,181 | 45.1 | +9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Battye | 1,952 | 3.4 | −1.6 |
| | UKIP | Paul Rogan | 1,466 | 2.6 | −8.5 |
| | Independent | Robert Holden | 1,034 | 1.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Kieran Turner | 631 | 1.1 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 609 | 1.0 | −7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,054 | 73.4 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −3.6 | |
General election 2015: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Craig Whittaker | 23,354 | 43.6 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Josh Fenton-Glynn | 18,927 | 35.4 | +8.4 |
| | UKIP | Paul Rogan | 5,950 | 11.1 | +8.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alisdair McGregor | 2,666 | 5.0 | −20.2 |
| | Green | Jenny Shepherd | 2,090 | 3.9 | +2.2 |
| | Yorkshire First | Rod Sutcliffe | 389 | 0.7 | N/A |
| | World Peace Through Song | Joe Stead | 165 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,427 | 8.2 | −4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,541 | 68.9 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.1 | |
General election 2010: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Craig Whittaker | 20,397 | 39.4 | +3.6 |
| | Labour | Steph Booth | 13,966 | 27.0 | −11.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hilary Myers | 13,037 | 25.2 | +6.3 |
| | BNP | John Gregory | 1,823 | 3.5 | −0.4 |
| | UKIP | Greg Burrows | 1,173 | 2.3 | N/A |
| | Green | Kate Sweeny | 858 | 1.7 | −1.2 |
| | Independent | Tim Cole | 194 | 0.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Barry Greenwood | 175 | 0.3 | N/A |
| | English Democrat | Paul Rogan | 157 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,431 | 12.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,780 | 67.3 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +7.6 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christine McCafferty | 18,426 | 38.6 | −4.1 |
| | Conservative | Liz Truss | 17,059 | 35.7 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Ingleton | 9,027 | 18.9 | +2.9 |
| | BNP | John Gregory | 1,887 | 4.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Paul Palmer | 1,371 | 2.9 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,367 | 2.9 | −3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,770 | 67.0 | +4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −1.8 | |
General election 2001: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christine McCafferty | 20,244 | 42.7 | −3.4 |
| | Conservative | Susan Robson-Catling | 17,150 | 36.2 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Taylor | 7,596 | 16.0 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Steven Hutton | 1,034 | 2.2 | +1.3 |
| | UKIP | John Nunn | 729 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Legalise Cannabis | Philip Lockwood | 672 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,094 | 6.5 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,425 | 63.0 | −12.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.3 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christine McCafferty | 26,050 | 46.1 | +8.7 |
| | Conservative | Donald Thompson | 19,795 | 35.1 | −10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Pearson | 8,322 | 14.7 | −1.4 |
| | Referendum | Anthony Mellor | 1,380 | 2.4 | N/A |
| | Green | Vivienne Smith | 488 | 0.9 | −0.1 |
| | BNP | Christian Jackson | 431 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,255 | 11.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,466 | 75.4 | −6.7 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.5 | |
General election 1992: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Donald Thompson | 27,753 | 45.4 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | David Chaytor | 22,875 | 37.4 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Pearson | 9,842 | 16.1 | −7.0 |
| | Green | Vivienne Smith | 622 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,878 | 8.0 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61,092 | 82.1 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.1 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Donald Thompson | 25,892 | 43.5 | −0.2 |
| | Labour | David Chaytor | 19,847 | 33.4 | +6.4 |
| | Liberal | David Shutt | 13,761 | 23.1 | −6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,045 | 10.1 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,500 | 81.1 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −3.3 | |
General election 1983: Calder Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Donald Thompson | 24,439 | 43.7 | |
| | Liberal | David Shutt | 16,440 | 29.4 | |
| | Labour | Patricia Holmes | 15,108 | 27.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,999 | 14.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,987 | 78.5 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |