# Grantham and Stamford (UK Parliament constituency)

Grantham and Stamford was a constituency in Lincolnshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1997 to 2024.
Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency was abolished for the 2024 general election, with the majority of the electorate being included in the new seat of Grantham and Bourne. Stamford was included in the re-established Rutland and Stamford constituency.

## Boundaries

1997–2010: The District of South Kesteven wards of All Saints, Aveland, Barrowby, Belmont, Bourne East, Bourne West, Casewick, Devon, Earlesfield, Forest, Glen Eden, Grantham St John's, Greyfriars, Harrowby, Hillsides, Isaac Newton, Lincrest, Morkery, Peascliffe, Ringstone, St Anne's, St George's, St Mary's, St Wulfram's, Stamford St John's, and Toller.
2010–2024: The District of South Kesteven wards of All Saints, Aveland, Belmont, Bourne East, Bourne West, Earlesfield, Forest, Glen Eden, Grantham St John's, Green Hill, Greyfriars, Harrowby, Hillsides, Isaac Newton, Lincrest, Morkery, Ringstone, St Anne's, St George's, St Mary's, St Wulfram's, Stamford St John's, Thurlby, Toller, and Truesdale.
Following a Boundary Commission review for the 2010 election, the constituency's boundary with the Sleaford and North Hykeham constituency saw more wards ceded to the latter seat and all of Truesdale was united into this seat, which before was shared with South Holland and The Deepings. The recommendation saw an estimated electorate size of 73,336. The new boundary did not include Barrowby, Sedgebrook, Great Gonerby or Belton but did include Baston and Langtoft.

## Constituency profile

The constituency covered the towns Grantham and Stamford in Lincolnshire with surrounding villages. Most of the area was formerly in the Stamford and Spalding constituency. It was a large rural seat in southern Lincolnshire. Grantham and Stamford are at the extreme north and south of the seat, with a large swathe of agricultural countryside between them, dotted with small rural villages. The only other large settlement in the seat is the rapidly growing town of Bourne, situated at the west of the Lincolnshire Fens. Food processing and agriculture are the major industries.
Politically, Grantham is associated with former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was born and raised in the town. However, the town of Grantham itself probably has the biggest Labour Party support of the constituency. The rural part of the seat and the historical town of Stamford outweigh any Labour votes in Grantham, and it is normally a safe Conservative seat. The history of Conservative representation was briefly interrupted between 2007 and 2010 when the sitting Conservative MP, Quentin Davies defected to Labour, as well as 2019 when an MP, Nick Boles, left the Conservative Party.
Workless claimants were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.8% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.

## Local government

The whole constituency lies within the area served by Lincolnshire County Council and South Kesteven District Council.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1997 | Quentin Davies | Conservative |
| June 2007 | Quentin Davies | Labour |
| 2010 | Nick Boles | Conservative |
| April 2019 | Nick Boles | Independent |
| 2019 | Gareth Davies | Conservative |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Grantham and Stamford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gareth Davies | 36,794 | 65.7 | +3.7 |
| | Labour | Kathryn Salt | 10,791 | 19.3 | −7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Harrish Bisnauthsing | 6,153 | 11.0 | +5.5 |
| | Green | Anne Gayfer | 2,265 | 4.0 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 26,003 | 46.4 | +10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,003 | 68.7 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.4 | |
General election 2017: Grantham and Stamford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nick Boles | 35,090 | 62.0 | +9.2 |
| | Labour | Barrie Fairbairn | 14,996 | 26.5 | +9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anita Day | 3,120 | 5.5 | −0.6 |
| | UKIP | Marietta King | 1,745 | 3.1 | −14.4 |
| | Independent | Tariq Mahmood | 860 | 1.5 | −0.4 |
| | Green | Becca Thackray | 782 | 1.4 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,094 | 35.5 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,593 | 69.2 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
General election 2015: Grantham and Stamford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nick Boles | 28,399 | 52.8 | +2.5 |
| | UKIP | Marietta King | 9,410 | 17.5 | +14.5 |
| | Labour | Barrie Fairbairn | 9,070 | 16.9 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Harrish Bisnauthsing | 3,263 | 6.1 | −16.1 |
| | Green | Aidan Campbell | 1,872 | 3.5 | New |
| | Independent | Ian Selby | 1,017 | 1.9 | New |
| | Lincolnshire Independent | Jan Hansen | 724 | 1.3 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,989 | 35.3 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,755 | 66.2 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 2010: Grantham and Stamford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nick Boles | 26,552 | 50.3 | +3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Harrish Bisnauthsing | 11,726 | 22.2 | +5.7 |
| | Labour | Mark Bartlett | 9,503 | 18.0 | −13.2 |
| | BNP | Christopher Robinson | 2,485 | 4.7 | New |
| | UKIP | Anthony Wells | 1,604 | 3.0 | −0.2 |
| | Lincolnshire Independent | Mark Horn | 929 | 1.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,826 | 28.1 | +12.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,799 | 68.0 | +5.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.2 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Grantham and Stamford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Quentin Davies | 22,109 | 46.9 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | Ian Selby | 14,664 | 31.1 | −5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patrick O'Connor | 7,838 | 16.6 | +2.2 |
| | UKIP | Stuart Rising | 1,498 | 3.2 | 0.0 |
| | English Democrat | Benedict Brown | 774 | 1.6 | New |
| | Organisation of Free Democrats | John Andrews | 264 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,445 | 15.8 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,147 | 63.6 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.0 | |
General election 2001: Grantham and Stamford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Quentin Davies | 21,329 | 46.1 | +3.3 |
| | Labour | John Robinson | 16,811 | 36.3 | −1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jane Carr | 6,665 | 14.4 | +1.9 |
| | UKIP | Marilyn Swain | 1,484 | 3.2 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,518 | 9.8 | +4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,289 | 61.3 | −12.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Grantham and Stamford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Quentin Davies | 22,672 | 42.8 | |
| | Labour | Peter Denning | 19,980 | 37.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Sellick | 6,612 | 12.5 | |
| | Referendum | Marilyn Swain | 2,721 | 5.1 | |
| | UKIP | Malcolm Charlesworth | 556 | 1.0 | |
| | ProLife Alliance | Rosa Clark | 314 | 0.6 | |
| | Natural Law | Ian Harper | 115 | 0.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,692 | 5.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,970 | 73.3 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |