# Thirsk and Malton (UK Parliament constituency)

Thirsk and Malton is a constituency in North Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Kevin Hollinrake, a Conservative.

## Constituency profile

As well as the eponymous towns of Thirsk and Malton, the seat also includes Pickering and most of the North York Moors (its southern part), a mixed rugged crags and hillside National Park; its coastline in the seat at Filey is where the Moors meets the sea, with picturesque bays near to Scarborough. Electoral Calculus describes the seat as "Strong Right", characterised by support for socially conservative values and Brexit.

## History

The constituency was first created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 as a county division of the North Riding of Yorkshire. It continued in existence until the 1983 general election, when it was largely replaced by Ryedale following the reorganisation of local government in 1974. Under the Fifth periodic review of Westminster constituencies, coming into effect for the 2010 general election, Ryedale was abolished and Thirsk and Malton re-established.

### Political history

Under both periods of its existence, the constituency has been a safe Conservative seat, although the Ryedale seat (replacing Thirsk and Malton from 1983 to 2010) was taken by Elizabeth Shields for the Liberal Party, following a by-election in 1986, held following the death of MP John Spence, and she held it for one year until the 1987 general election.
Robin Turton was the Minister of Health (head of department in that era) from December 1955 to January 1957. He also became father of the House and was among the longest-serving MPs for a single constituency, representing his seat for 44 years and 9 months.
Anne McIntosh, a Conservative, was elected for Vale of York in 1997 and then in Thirsk and Malton in 2010, having defeated fellow MP John Greenway in the Conservative selection. From 2010 until 2015 she chaired the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. In 2014, she was deselected as the Conservative candidate with Kevin Hollinrake elected as MP in 2015.

## Boundaries
### Historic

1918–1950: The Urban District of Malton, the Rural Districts of Easingwold, Flaxton, Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Thirsk, and Wath, and part of the Rural District of Pickering.
1950–1974: The Urban District of Malton, the Rural Districts of Bedale, Easingwold, Flaxton, Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Thirsk, and Wath, and part of the Rural District of Pickering.
1974–1983: The Urban District of Malton, and the Rural Districts of Bedale, Easingwold, Flaxton, Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Thirsk, and Wath.
The constituency was abolished for 1983 general election and re-established by the Fifth periodic review of Westminster constituencies, coming into effect for the 2010 general election.
2010–2024: The District of Ryedale, the District of Hambleton wards of Easingwold, Helperby, Huby and Sutton, Shipton, Sowerby, Stillington, Thirsk, Thorntons, Tollerton, Topcliffe, White Horse, and Whitestonecliffe, and the Borough of Scarborough wards of Filey and Hertford.

### Current

Under the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:
* The District of Hambleton wards of: Bagby & Thorntons; Bedale; Sowerby & Topcliffe; Tanfield; Thirsk.
* The District of Ryedale.
* The Borough of Scarborough wards of: Filey; Hunmanby.
On 1 April 2023, before the new boundaries came into effect, the Borough of Scarborough and Districts of Hambleton and Ryedale were abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of North Yorkshire. Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
* The District of North Yorkshire electoral districts of: Amotherby & Ampleforth; Aiskew & Leeming; Bedale; Helmsley & Sinnington; Filey; Hillside & Raskelf (majority); Hunmanby & Sherburn; Kirkbymoorside & Dales; Malton; Norton; Pickering; Sheriff Hutton & Derwent; Sowerby & Topcliffe; Thirsk; Thornton Dales & Wolds.
In order to bring its electorate within the permitted range, the south-western part of the constituency, including Easingwold, was included in the newly created constituency of Wetherby and Easingwold. To partly compensate, Bedale and Tanfield were added from Richmond (Yorks) – renamed Richmond and Northallerton.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1885–1983

Thirsk and Malton prior to 1885
| Year | Member | Party |
| 1885 | Lewis Payn Dawnay | Conservative |
| 1892 | Sir John Lawson | Conservative |
| 1906 | Charles Duncombe | Conservative |
| 1915 | Sir Edmund Turton | Unionist |
| 1929 | Sir Robin Turton | Conservative |
| 1974 | John Spence | Conservative |
| 1983 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

### MPs since 2010

Ryedale prior to 2010
| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 2010 | Anne McIntosh | Conservative |
| | 2015 | Kevin Hollinrake | Conservative |

## Elections from 2010
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kevin Hollinrake | 19,544 | 39.2 | −23.3 |
| | Labour | Lisa Banes | 11,994 | 24.1 | +6.3 |
| | Reform UK | Mark Robinson | 8,963 | 18.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Mason | 5,379 | 10.8 | −1.7 |
| | Green | Richard McLane | 2,986 | 6.0 | +1.5 |
| | Yorkshire | Luke Brownlee | 931 | 1.9 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,550 | 15.1 | −29.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,797 | 63.4 | −4.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 78,484 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −14.8 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 32,624 | 62.5 |
| | Labour | 9,287 | 17.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 6,502 | 12.5 |
| | Green | 2,348 | 4.5 |
| | Others | 1,437 | 2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 52,198 | 68.1 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 76,623 |
General election 2019: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kevin Hollinrake | 35,634 | 63.0 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | David Yellen | 10,480 | 18.5 | −7.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Di Keal | 6,774 | 12.0 | +5.1 |
| | Green | Martin Brampton | 2,263 | 4.0 | +2.0 |
| | Yorkshire | John Hall | 881 | 1.6 | New |
| | Independent | Steve Mullins | 245 | 0.4 | New |
| | Independent | Gordon Johnson | 184 | 0.3 | New |
| | SDP | Michael Taylor | 127 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25,154 | 44.5 | +10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,588 | 69.9 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.2 | |
General election 2017: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kevin Hollinrake | 33,572 | 60.0 | +7.4 |
| | Labour | Alan Avery | 14,571 | 26.1 | +10.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Di Keal | 3,859 | 6.9 | −2.1 |
| | UKIP | Toby Horton | 1,532 | 2.7 | −12.2 |
| | Green | Martin Brampton | 1,100 | 2.0 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal | John Clark | 753 | 1.3 | −0.9 |
| | Independent | Philip Tate | 542 | 1.0 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,001 | 33.9 | −3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,929 | 71.1 | +3.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.6 | |
General election 2015: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kevin Hollinrake | 27,545 | 52.6 | −0.3 |
| | Labour | Alan Avery | 8,089 | 15.4 | +1.8 |
| | UKIP | Toby Horton | 7,805 | 14.9 | +8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Di Keal | 4,703 | 9.0 | −14.3 |
| | Green | Chris Newsam | 2,404 | 4.6 | New |
| | Liberal | John Clark | 1,127 | 2.2 | −1.5 |
| | Independent | Philip Tate | 692 | 1.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,456 | 37.2 | +7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,365 | 67.6 | +17.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
General election 2010: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anne McIntosh | 20,167 | 52.9 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Howard Keal | 8,886 | 23.3 | +4.5 |
| | Labour | Jonathan Roberts | 5,169 | 13.6 | −9.8 |
| | UKIP | Toby Horton | 2,502 | 6.6 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal | John Clark | 1,418 | 3.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,281 | 29.6 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,142 | 50.0 | −15.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.4 | |
Thirsk and Malton was originally scheduled to be contested for the first time at the general election on 6 May 2010. However, the death of UKIP candidate John Boakes from a suspected heart attack, announced on 22 April 2010, caused the poll in the constituency to be postponed until 27 May 2010. Under the Electoral Administration Act, UKIP were allowed to select a replacement candidate, but new nominations by other parties were not permitted. The constituent parties of the Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition government formed in the aftermath of the general election fielded competing candidates.
In January 2014, Conservative Anne McIntosh — the MP at the time — was not re-selected by the local party. McIntosh originally announced she would stand as an independent, but withdrew in March 2015.

## Election results 1885–1983
### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1885: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lewis Payn Dawnay | 5,966 | 57.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Edmund Turton | 4,503 | 43.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,463 | 14.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,469 | 82.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,637 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1886: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lewis Payn Dawnay | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Lawson | 5,890 | 62.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Harold Reckitt | 3,541 | 37.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,349 | 25.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,431 | 77.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,220 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1895: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Lawson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Lawson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1906: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Duncombe | 5,848 | 53.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal | John J Brigg | 5,044 | 46.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 804 | 7.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,892 | 84.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,888 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Duncombe | 6,382 | 55.1 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal | John J Brigg | 5,197 | 46.9 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,185 | 10.2 | 2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 | |
General election December 1910: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Duncombe | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Unionist: Edmund Turton
* Liberal: George Nicholls
1915 Thirsk and Malton by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Edmund Turton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
General election 1918: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Edmund Turton | 9,656 | 69.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Samuel S Lockwood | 4,317 | 30.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,339 | 38.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | N/A |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Edmund Turton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
General election 1923: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Edmund Turton | 11,545 | 62.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal | William Haughton Sessions | 6,939 | 37.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,606 | 25.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,484 | | N/A |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
General election 1924: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Edmund Turton | 13,564 | 65.7 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal | William Haughton Sessions | 7,072 | 34.3 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,492 | 31.4 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,636 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
General election 1929: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Robert Turton | 16,084 | 59.2 | −6.5 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Sunley | 11,069 | 40.8 | +6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,015 | 18.5 | −13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,153 | 73.7 | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +6.5 | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1935: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Election in the 1940s

General Election 1939–40:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: Robert Turton
General election 1945: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | 20,483 | 60.15 | N/A |
| | Common Wealth | Edward Moeran | 13,572 | 39.85 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,911 | 20.29 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 65.55 | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | 26,324 | 65.41 | |
| | Labour | Ivan Ernest Geffen | 11,480 | 28.53 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Harry Aldam | 2,441 | 6.07 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,844 | 36.88 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 81.51 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1951: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | 27,854 | 72.26 |
| | Labour | Arnold John Parkinson | 10,692 | 27.74 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,162 | 44.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.41 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1955: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | 25,467 | 69.11 |
| | Labour | George R Mitton | 11,382 | 30.89 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,085 | 38.22 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 73.39 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1959: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | 27,413 | 69.00 |
| | Labour | Jeremy Bray | 12,318 | 31.00 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,095 | 37.99 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 75.65 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1964: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | 28,272 | 66.39 |
| | Labour | Daniel Lorden Hussey | 14,315 | 33.61 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,957 | 32.77 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 73.81 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1966: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | 25,089 | 61.59 |
| | Labour | Richard A Wilson | 15,647 | 38.41 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,442 | 23.18 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 70.27 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Robert Turton | 30,892 | 66.86 |
| | Labour | Jonathan Bradshaw | 15,309 | 33.14 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,583 | 33.73 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 72.34 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election February 1974: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Spence | 27,580 | 53.44 |
| | Liberal | Michael Brooks | 13,172 | 25.52 |
| | Labour | MD Coupe | 10,855 | 21.03 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,408 | 27.92 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 81.46 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election October 1974: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Spence | 24,779 | 53.24 |
| | Liberal | Rodney Kent | 10,917 | 23.46 |
| | Labour | RK Illingworth | 10,842 | 23.30 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,862 | 29.79 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 72.88 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1979: Thirsk and Malton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Spence | 32,520 | 59.15 |
| | Labour | EJ Roberts | 11,924 | 21.69 |
| | Liberal | Rex North | 10,533 | 19.16 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,596 | 37.46 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 76.46 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |