# Leicester West (UK Parliament constituency)

Leicester West is a constituency in Leicestershire. The seat was created in 1974, and existed in a previous form from 1918 to 1950. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by Liz Kendall of the Labour Party since 2010. Kendall currently serves as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under the government of Keir Starmer. Since its creation in 1918 (and its recreation in 1974), the seat has sided with parties from the left wing of politics.

## Boundaries

1918–1950: The County Borough of Leicester wards of Abbey, Newton, St Margaret's, Westcotes, and Wyggeston.
1974–1983: The County Borough of Leicester wards of Abbey, Newton, North Braunstone, St Margaret's, and Westcotes.
1983–2010: The City of Leicester wards of Abbey, Beaumont Leys, Mowmacre, New Parks, North Braunstone, Rowley Fields, St Augustine's, Westcotes, and Western Park.
2010–2024: The City of Leicester wards of Abbey, Beaumont Leys, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, Fosse, New Parks, Westcotes, and Western Park.
2024–present: As above plus Aylestone ward.

## Constituency profile

Leicester West is the whitest of the three Leicester constituencies, and the one with the highest proportion of social housing. Some areas of the seat, such as Braunstone and Beaumont Leys, are made up of large local authority estates, and around 30% of the housing is council- or housing association-owned, the second-highest in the Midlands. The centre of the seat, the Westcotes area, is more inner-city in character and is popular with young professionals and students.
This used to be the safest Labour seat in Leicester; at the 1983 general election it was the only one to remain in Labour hands. However, the high South Asian populations in Leicester South and Leicester East have tended to push them away from the Conservative Party; conversely, while Leicester West is still a safe Labour seat and has been represented by that party since the Second World War, it has become the most marginal of the three Leicester seats. While it did, like the other two Leicester constituencies, see a significant swing to Labour in 2017, Liz Kendall's majority was not a record high for the constituency, unlike with the results in Leicester East and Leicester South. However, Leicester West was the only Leicester seat to remain in Labour hands after the 2024 general election, with Leicester East becoming the sole Conservative gain of the election, and Leicester South won by independent candidate Shockat Adam.
As of 2009, in the depths of the late-2000s recession, the constituency had the fourth-highest level of unemployment in Britain, with 13.8% of residents registered unemployed. Most of the unemployment is concentrated in areas such as Braunstone, which is traditionally one of the most deprived parts of the city.

## History

In 1950, the seat was replaced by the constituencies of Leicester North West and Leicester South West, until 1974. In that period, Leicester North West was represented by Barnett Janner until 1970, and then by his son Greville Janner.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1918–1950

Leicester prior to 1918
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | Joseph Frederick Green | Coalition National Democratic |
| 1922 | Alfred Hill | Labour |
| 1923 | Frederick Pethick-Lawrence | Labour |
| 1931 | Ernest Pickering | Liberal |
| 1935 | Harold Nicolson | National Labour |
| 1945 | Barnett Janner | Labour |
| 1950 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |

### MPs since 1974

Leicester North West and Leicester South West prior to 1974
| Year | Member | Party |
| Feb 1974 | Greville Janner | Labour |
| 1997 | Patricia Hewitt | Labour |
| 2010 | Liz Kendall | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Liz Kendall | 15,798 | 44.6 | −4.7 |
| | Conservative | Max Chauhan | 7,021 | 19.8 | −16.8 |
| | Reform UK | Ian Hayes | 5,666 | 16.0 | +11.5 |
| | Green | Aasiya Bora | 4,089 | 11.6 | +8.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Benjamin Feist | 2,179 | 6.2 | −0.5 |
| | One Leicester | Rahoul Naik | 327 | 0.9 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Steve Score | 317 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,777 | 24.8 | +12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,397 | 48.0 | −5.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,102 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.1 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Liz Kendall | 17,291 | 49.7 | −11.1 |
| | Conservative | Amanda Wright | 13,079 | 37.6 | +6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Bradwell | 1,808 | 5.2 | +3.1 |
| | Brexit Party | Jack Collier | 1,620 | 4.7 | New |
| | Green | Ani Goddard | 977 | 2.8 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,212 | 12.1 | −17.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,775 | 53.6 | −4.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −8.7 | |
General election 2017: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Liz Kendall | 22,823 | 60.8 | +14.3 |
| | Conservative | Jack Hickey | 11,763 | 31.4 | +5.8 |
| | UKIP | Stuart Young | 1,406 | 3.7 | −13.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Bradwell | 792 | 2.1 | −2.3 |
| | Green | Mel Gould | 607 | 1.6 | −3.8 |
| | Independent | David Bowley | 121 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,060 | 29.4 | +8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,512 | 57.9 | +3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.3 | |
General election 2015: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Liz Kendall | 16,051 | 46.5 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | Paul Bessant | 8,848 | 25.6 | −1.6 |
| | UKIP | Stuart Young | 5,950 | 17.2 | +14.7 |
| | Green | Peter Hague | 1,878 | 5.4 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Bradwell | 1,507 | 4.4 | −18.2 |
| | TUSC | Heather Rawling | 288 | 0.8 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,203 | 20.9 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,522 | 54.6 | −0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.8 | |
General election 2010: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Liz Kendall | 13,745 | 38.4 | −12.4 |
| | Conservative | Celia Harvey | 9,728 | 27.2 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Coley | 8,107 | 22.6 | +4.4 |
| | BNP | Gary Reynolds | 2,158 | 6.0 | New |
| | UKIP | Stephen Ingall | 883 | 2.5 | New |
| | Green | Geoff Forse | 639 | 1.8 | −3.0 |
| | Independent | Steven Huggins | 181 | 0.5 | New |
| | TUSC | Steve Score | 157 | 0.4 | New |
| | Pirate | Shaun Dyer | 113 | 0.3 | New |
| | Independent | David Bowley | 108 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,017 | 11.2 | −16.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,819 | 55.2 | +2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −7.6 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patricia Hewitt | 17,184 | 51.7 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Sarah Richardson | 8,114 | 24.4 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Zuffar Haq | 5,803 | 17.5 | +2.2 |
| | Green | Geoff Forse | 1,571 | 4.7 | +1.5 |
| | Socialist Alternative | Steve Score | 552 | 1.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,070 | 27.3 | −1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,224 | 53.3 | +2.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −0.8 | |
General election 2001: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patricia Hewitt | 18,014 | 54.2 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Shaw | 8,375 | 25.2 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Vincent | 5,085 | 15.3 | +1.1 |
| | Green | Matthew Gough | 1,074 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
| | Socialist Labour | Sean Kirkpatrick | 350 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Stephen Score | 321 | 1.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,639 | 29.0 | −2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,219 | 50.9 | −12.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −1.2 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patricia Hewitt | 22,580 | 55.2 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative | Richard Thomas | 9,716 | 23.7 | −14.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Jones | 5,795 | 14.2 | +0.9 |
| | Referendum | William Shooter | 970 | 2.4 | New |
| | Green | Geoff Forse | 586 | 1.4 | +0.3 |
| | Socialist Labour | David Roberts | 452 | 1.1 | New |
| | Socialist Alternative | Josephine Nicholls | 327 | 0.8 | New |
| | BNP | Adrian Belshaw | 302 | 0.7 | New |
| | National Democrats | Clive Potter | 186 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,864 | 31.5 | +23.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,914 | 63.1 | −10.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +11.6 | |
General election 1992: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Greville Janner | 22,574 | 46.8 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | John Guthrie | 18,596 | 38.5 | −3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey F. Walker | 6,402 | 13.3 | −0.2 |
| | Green | Claire D. Wintram | 517 | 1.1 | New |
| | Natural Law | Jenny M. Rosta | 171 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,978 | 8.3 | +5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,260 | 73.7 | +0.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.9 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Greville Janner | 22,156 | 44.5 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | James Cooper | 20,955 | 42.1 | +1.0 |
| | SDP | William Edgar | 6,708 | 13.5 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,201 | 2.4 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,819 | 73.5 | +4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −1.3 | |
General election 1983: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Greville Janner | 20,837 | 44.8 | −8.8 |
| | Conservative | Robert Meacham | 19,125 | 41.1 | +5.7 |
| | SDP | Sumal Fernando | 5,935 | 12.8 | New |
| | BNP | Ray Hill | 469 | 1.0 | New |
| | Workers Revolutionary | B.J. Prangle | 176 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,712 | 3.7 | −14.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,542 | 68.8 | −3.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −7.3 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Greville Janner | 26,032 | 53.60 | +0.69 |
| | Conservative | Alastair Ross Goobey | 17,194 | 35.40 | +5.01 |
| | Liberal | A. Lycett | 4,032 | 8.30 | −3.31 |
| | National Front | P. Ash | 1,308 | 2.69 | −0.75 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,838 | 18.20 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,566 | 72.26 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −4.32 | |
General election October 1974: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Greville Janner | 23,406 | 52.91 | |
| | Conservative | A. Simpson | 13,446 | 30.39 | |
| | Liberal | J. Windram | 5,135 | 11.61 | New |
| | National Front | W. Newcombe | 2,253 | 5.09 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,960 | 22.52 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,240 | 68.43 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Greville Janner | 27,195 | 56.28 | |
| | Conservative | A. Simpson | 18,543 | 38.38 | |
| | National Front | W. Newcombe | 2,579 | 5.34 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,652 | 17.90 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,317 | 75.45 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barnett Janner | 20,563 | 53.34 | |
| | National Labour | Harold Nicolson | 13,348 | 34.63 | |
| | Liberal | Joseph Arnold Kirby | 4,639 | 12.03 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,215 | 18.71 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,550 | 76.80 | |
| | Labour gain from National Labour | Labour gain from National Labour | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Labour | Harold Nicolson | 15,821 | 43.73 | New |
| | Labour | John Morgan | 15,734 | 43.49 | |
| | Liberal | Horace Crawfurd | 4,621 | 12.77 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 87 | 0.24 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,636 | 66.83 | |
| | National Labour gain from Liberal | National Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
General election 1931: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Ernest Pickering | 26,826 | 67.49 | |
| | Labour | Frederick Pethick-Lawrence | 12,923 | 32.51 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,903 | 34.98 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,749 | 74.64 | |
| | Liberal gain from Labour | Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frederick Pethick-Lawrence | 22,635 | 55.3 | +4.1 |
| | Unionist | Paul Emrys-Evans | 10,691 | 26.1 | New |
| | Liberal | Charles William Hartshorn | 7,617 | 18.6 | −30.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,944 | 29.2 | +26.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,943 | 78.3 | +2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 52,318 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +17.2 | |
General election 1924: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frederick Pethick-Lawrence | 16,047 | 51.2 | +6.6 |
| | Liberal | Maurice Alfred Gerothwohl | 15,310 | 48.8 | +18.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 737 | 2.4 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,357 | 76.1 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 41,207 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −6.0 | |
General election 1923: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frederick Pethick-Lawrence | 13,634 | 44.6 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal | Winston Churchill | 9,236 | 30.2 | +3.6 |
| | Unionist | Alfred Instone | 7,696 | 25.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,398 | 14.4 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,566 | 76.0 | +3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 40,244 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.0 | |
General election 1922: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alfred Hill | 12,929 | 45.0 | +21.4 |
| | National Democratic | Joseph Frederick Green | 8,137 | 28.4 | −48.0 |
| | Liberal | Ernest Spero | 7,631 | 26.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,792 | 16.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 28,697 | 72.5 | +6.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 39,604 | | |
| | Labour gain from National Democratic | Labour gain from National Democratic | Swing | +34.7 | |

### Election in the 1910s

General election 1918: Leicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | National Democratic | Joseph Frederick Green | 20,570 | 76.4 | |
| | Labour | Ramsay MacDonald | 6,347 | 23.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,223 | 52.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,917 | 66.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 40,634 | | |
| | National Democratic win (new seat) | National Democratic win (new seat) | National Democratic win (new seat) | National Democratic win (new seat) | National Democratic win (new seat) |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||