Preston North (UK Parliament constituency)

UK former constituency infobox
Name = Preston North
Type = Borough
Year = 1950
Abolition = 1983
members = one

Preston North was a parliamentary constituency in Lancashire, electing a Member of Parliament to the House of Commons until the 1983 General Election.

Parts of Preston North became elements within Fylde and Ribble Valley

The modern Preston is a safe seat for Labour, but historically Preston North was one of the most marginal constituencies in the country.

Boundaries

The former Preston North constituency was based on the area from the western Lea and Cottam areas, which had a much lower population than at present, to the vast farming and rural communities in the northern areas around the Trough of Bowland. Over time and numerous boundary changes, the seat would stretch into and around Preston's central area, including the falling post-mills population in the centre and growing suburban families on the outskirts.Fulwood urban district, elements of which was of great wealth, forms the northern part of the modern day city of Preston.

Members of Parliament

*1950 - 1966 - Julian Amery (Conservative)
*1966 - 1970 - Ronald Atkins (Labour)
*1970 - 1974 - Mary Holt (Conservative)
*1974 - 1979 - Ronald Atkins (Labour)
*1979 - 1983 - Robert Atkins (Conservative)

*Ron Atkins (Labour) and Robert Atkins (Con) are two different people. The former Labour MP Ron Atkins, who turned 90 years old during the Preston Council election, 2006, remains a City Councillor in Preston.

Election results

Election box begin
title=General Election 1979: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = R J Atkins
votes = 18,632
percentage = 46.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = R H Atkins
votes = 18,603
percentage = 46.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = MP Braham
votes = 2,715
percentage = 6.7
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = National Front (UK)
candidate = J F Hetherington
votes = 329
percentage = 0.8
change = Election box majority
votes = 29
percentage = 0.07
change = Election box turnout
votes = 51,756
percentage = 77.8
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election October 1974: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = R H Atkins
votes = 18,044
percentage = 45.8
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = M Holt
votes = 16,260
percentage = 41.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = G Payne
votes = 4,948
percentage = 12.6
change = Election box candidate
party = More Prosperous Britain
candidate = H Smith
votes = 138
percentage = 0.4
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,784
percentage = 4.53
change = Election box turnout
votes = 51,369
percentage = 76.7
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election February 1974: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = R H Atkins
votes = 16,797
percentage = 41.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = M Holt
votes = 16,542
percentage = 40.9
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = G Payne
votes = 7,099
percentage = 17.6
change = Election box majority
votes = 255
percentage = 0.63
change = Election box turnout
votes = 50,885
percentage = 79.4
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1970: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = M Holt
votes = 20,102
percentage = 50.6
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = R H Atkins
votes = 17,140
percentage = 43.2
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = D T Jones
votes = 2,458
percentage = 6.2
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,962
percentage = 7.4
change = Election box turnout
votes = 51,655
percentage = 76.9
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1966: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = R H Atkins
votes = 21,539
percentage = 53.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Julian Amery
votes = 19,121
percentage = 47.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,418
percentage = 5.6
change = Election box turnout
votes = 50,140
percentage = 81.1
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1964: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Julian Amery
votes = 20,566
percentage = 50.0
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = R W Kerr
votes = 20,552
percentage = 50.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 14
percentage = 0.0
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 78.7
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1959: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Julian Amery
votes = 23,990
percentage = 55.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = A Davidson
votes = 19,529
percentage = 44.9
change = Election box majority
votes = 4,461
percentage = 10.2
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 83.4
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1955: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Julian Amery
votes = 22,310
percentage = 53.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = E Hewitt
votes = 19,407
percentage = 46.5
change = Election box majority
votes = 2,903
percentage = 7
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 81.4
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1951: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Julian Amery
votes = 23,598
percentage = 55.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = T Hourigan
votes = 22,490
percentage = 48.8
change = Election box majority
votes = 1,108
percentage = 2.4
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 87.5
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1950: Preston NorthElection box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Julian Amery
votes = 21,880
percentage = 55.1
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = S Segal
votes = 20,950
percentage = 46.3
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = C Hemelryk
votes = 2,012
percentage = 4.4
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Great Britain
candidate = P Devine
votes = 366
percentage = 0.8
change = Election box majority
votes = 938
percentage = 2.2
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 86.8
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

ee also

*Wyre and Preston North - a newly created seat to be fought at the 2009/10 UK General Election
*Preston
*Ribble Valley