# Rossendale and Darwen (UK Parliament constituency)

Rossendale and Darwen is a constituency in Lancashire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Andy MacNae of the Labour Party.

## Boundaries

1983–1997: The Borough of Rossendale, and the Borough of Blackburn wards of Earcroft, Marsh House, North Turton, Sudell, Sunnyhurst, and Whitehall.
1997–2010: All the wards of the Borough of Rossendale except the Greenfield and Worsley wards, and the Borough of Blackburn wards of Earcroft, Marsh House, North Turton, Sudell, Sunnyhurst, and Whitehall.
2010–2024: The Borough of Rossendale wards of Cribden, Eden, Facit and Shawforth, Goodshaw, Greensclough, Hareholme, Healey and Whitworth, Helmshore, Irwell, Longholme, Stacksteads, and Whitewell, and the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen wards of Earcroft, East Rural, Fernhurst, Marsh House, North Turton with Tockholes, Sudell, Sunnyhurst, and Whitehall.
Darwen Ward Changes At the 2018 local elections the Darwen electoral wards were changed and renamed. They are now known as Darwen West, Darwen East, Darwen South and West Pennine. The parliamentary boundaries also included parts of the new Blackburn South and Lower Darwen, and Ewood wards.
2024–present: Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:
* The Borough of Blackburn with Darwen wards of: Blackburn South & Lower Darwen; Darwen East; Darwen South; Darwen West; West Pennine.
* The Borough of Rossendale wards of: Cribden; Eden; Facit and Shawforth; Goodshaw; Greensclough; Hareholme; Healey and Whitworth; Helmshore; Irwell; Longholme; Stacksteads; Whitewell.
Minor changes to align with the revised ward boundaries in Blackburn with Darwen.
Following a local government boundary review in Rossendale which came into effect in May 2024, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
* The Borough of Blackburn with Darwen wards of: Blackburn South & Lower Darwen; Darwen East; Darwen South; Darwen West; West Pennine.
* The Borough of Rossendale wards or part wards of: Bacup; Britannia & Lee Mill; Goodshaw & Cribden; Greenfield & Eden (part); Hareholme & Waterfoot; Helmshore (most); Longholme; Whitewell & Stacksteads; Whitworth.

## Constituency profile

The constituency consists of Census Output Areas of two local government districts with similar characteristics: a working population whose income is close to the national average but varying reliance upon social housing in relative terms to the national average. At the end of 2012 the unemployment rate in the constituency stood as 3.5% of the population claiming jobseekers allowance, compared to the regional average of 4.2%.
The borough of Rossendale that contributes to the bulk of the population has a 21.5% of its population without a car, whereas this is 30.5% in Blackburn and outside of the seat in Burnley is 32.3%. A relatively high 24% of Rossendale's population were in 2001 without qualifications and a high 25.1% were with level 4 qualifications or above. A higher share, 28.7% of Blackburn's population lacked qualifications, however 19.8% of its population had Level 4 qualifications or above.
In terms of tenure 69.6% of homes are owned outright or on a mortgage as at the 2011 census across the Rossendale district; this compares to a similar 63.7% across Blackburn. Whereas in Ribble Valley to the north 76.6% of homes fall within this category, in Leeds the figure is 58.2% and in Manchester just 37.8%.

## History

This constituency was created in 1983 and has alternated between the two largest parties' MPs during this time; since 1997 the constituency has been a bellwether of the national result.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | David Trippier | Conservative |
| 1992 | Janet Anderson | Labour |
| 2010 | Jake Berry | Conservative |
| 2024 | Andy MacNae | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andy MacNae | 18,247 | 40.9 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative | Jake Berry | 12,619 | 28.3 | −28.0 |
| | Reform UK | Daniel Matchett | 9,695 | 21.7 | +21.3 |
| | Green | Bob Bauld | 2,325 | 5.2 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rowan Fitton | 1,241 | 2.8 | −1.4 |
| | Workers Party | Tayub Ali | 491 | 1.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,628 | 12.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,618 | 59.8 | −7.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +16.2 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jake Berry | 27,570 | 56.5 | +5.7 |
| | Labour | Alyson Barnes | 18,048 | 37.0 | ―7.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Valentine | 2,011 | 4.1 | +1.0 |
| | Green | Sarah Hall | 1,193 | 2.4 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,522 | 19.5 | +13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,822 | 67.1 | ―2.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.5 | |
Election box candidate with party link
General election 2017: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jake Berry | 25,499 | 50.8 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Alyson Barnes | 22,283 | 44.4 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sean Bonner | 1,550 | 3.1 | +1.5 |
| | Green | John Payne | 824 | 1.6 | ―0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,216 | 6.4 | ―5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,156 | 69.2 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | ―2.6 | |
General election 2015: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jake Berry | 22,847 | 46.6 | +4.8 |
| | Labour | Will Straw | 17,193 | 35.1 | +2.9 |
| | UKIP | Clive Balchin | 6,862 | 14.0 | +10.6 |
| | Green | Karen Pollard-Rylance | 1,046 | 2.1 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Afzal Anwar | 806 | 1.6 | ―16.5 |
| | Independent | Kevin Scranage | 122 | 0.2 | New |
| | TUSC | Simon Thomas | 103 | 0.2 | New |
| | Northern | Shaun Hargreaves | 45 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,654 | 11.5 | +2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,024 | 66.4 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.0 | |
General election 2010: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jake Berry | 19,691 | 41.8 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Janet Anderson | 15,198 | 32.2 | ―10.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Sheffield | 8,541 | 18.1 | +3.2 |
| | UKIP | David Duthie | 1,617 | 3.4 | +1.8 |
| | National Front | Kevin Bryan | 1,062 | 2.3 | New |
| | English Democrat | Michael Johnson | 663 | 1.4 | New |
| | Impact | Tony Melia | 243 | 0.5 | New |
| | Independent | Mike Siveri | 113 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,493 | 9.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,128 | 64.6 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +8.9 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Janet Anderson | 19,073 | 42.9 | ―5.9 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Adams | 15,397 | 34.6 | ―1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Carr | 6,670 | 15.0 | +0.3 |
| | BNP | Anthony Wentworth | 1,736 | 3.9 | New |
| | Green | Kenneth McIver | 821 | 1.8 | New |
| | UKIP | David Duthie | 740 | 1.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,676 | 8.3 | ―4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,437 | 61.5 | +2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | ―1.9 | |
General election 2001: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Janet Anderson | 20,251 | 49.0 | ―4.6 |
| | Conservative | George Lee | 15,281 | 36.7 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Dunning | 6,079 | 14.7 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,970 | 12.7 | ―8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,358 | 58.7 | ―14.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | ―4.3 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Janet Anderson | 27,470 | 53.6 | +9.7 |
| | Conservative | Patricia Buzzard | 16,521 | 32.3 | ―11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Dunning | 5,435 | 10.6 | ―0.7 |
| | Referendum | Roy Newstead | 1,108 | 2.2 | New |
| | BNP | Andrew Wearden | 674 | 1.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,949 | 21.3 | +21.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,208 | 73.0 | ―10.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +10.6 | |
General election 1992: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Janet Anderson | 28,028 | 43.9 | +5.6 |
| | Conservative | David Trippier | 27,908 | 43.7 | ―2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Connor | 7,226 | 11.3 | ―3.8 |
| | Green | James Gaffney | 596 | 0.9 | New |
| | Natural Law | Peter Gorrod | 125 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 63,883 | 83.0 | +2.7 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +4.2 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Trippier | 28,056 | 46.6 | ―0.4 |
| | Labour | Janet Anderson | 23,074 | 38.3 | +6.5 |
| | Liberal | Peter John Hulse | 9,097 | 15.1 | ―6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,982 | 8.3 | ―6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,227 | 80.3 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | ―3.5 | |
General election 1983: Rossendale and Darwen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Trippier | 27,214 | 47.0 | |
| | Labour | Christopher Robinson | 18,393 | 31.8 | |
| | Liberal | Michael Taylor | 12,246 | 21.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,821 | 15.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,853 | 77.8 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |