Luton (constituency)

Luton
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
CountyBedfordshire
Major settlementsLuton
1885–1974 (1974)
SeatsOne
Created fromBedfordshire
Replaced byLuton East (Majority) and Luton West (Part)
During its existence contributed to new seat(s) ofMid Bedfordshire (1918)
South Bedfordshire (1950)

Luton was a constituency including the town of Luton in Bedfordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 1885 to 1974, elected by the first past the post system.

History

The seat was created for the 1885 general election as one of two divisions of the county which succeeded Bedfordshire county constituency and was formally known as the Southern or Luton Division of Bedfordshire. The constituency adjoined the Northern or Biggleswade Division to the north of the county until 1918.

From the 1910s onwards the town of Luton and contiguous suburbs expanded, as recorded at the census in each decade, resulting in expanding electorates. This resulted in territory loss to newly formed seats in 1918 and 1950 and further population growth (coupled with a programme of new housing principally under the New Towns Act 1946) justified abolition and division into East and West seats in 1974.

Political summary

Before 1945

The seat was Liberal-candidate held for 40 of the 46 years before 1931. The remaining six years had been won by Conservative and Unionist Party candidates, running under the emphasis of the party as 'Unionist'. In 1931, the sitting Liberal MP, Leslie Burgin, joined the Liberal Nationals (later the National Liberal Party).

After 1945

In the election landslide of 1945, the seat was won by the Labour Party, but recaptured at the next election by Charles Hill who served as a National Liberal, in coalition with the Conservatives, from 1950 until 1963, when he was made a life peer (Baron Hill of Luton). The resulting by-election was won by Labour which held it until 1970 when it was taken by the Conservative Party until the seat was abolished for the February 1974 general election.

Electorate size

The electorate rose through house-building from a relatively modest 37,051 in 1918 to an over-sized (malapportioned) 95,227 in 1945.

In 1950 the electorate of the curtailed seat was 56,569; this rose to 62,457 in 1970, after which the seat was abolished, as recommended by the Boundary Commission, as set out in its Second Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918

The constituency was created as the Southern or Luton Division of Bedfordshire under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, when the two-member Parliamentary County of Bedfordshire was divided into the two single-member constituencies of Biggleswade and Luton.

1918–1950

Northern and western parts of the Division, including Leighton Buzzard and surrounding rural areas, were transferred to the new Mid Bedfordshire Division.

1950–1974

The Leagrave and Limbury wards, together with the Borough of Dunstable and surrounding rural areas were included in the new constituency of South Bedfordshire. Reclassified as a borough constituency.

For the February 1974 general election the seat was abolished and was split into two new constituencies of Luton East and Luton West.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberPartyNotes
1885 Cyril Flower Liberal Member for Brecon (1880–1885)
1892 by-election Samuel Whitbread Liberal
1895 Thomas Ashton Liberal
1911 by-election Cecil Harmsworth Liberal
1916 Coalition Liberal
Jan 1922 National Liberal
1922 John Hewett Unionist
1923 Geoffrey Howard Liberal
1924 Terence O'Connor Unionist
1929 Leslie Burgin Liberal
1931 National Liberal
1945 William Warbey Labour
1950 Charles Hill National Liberal and Conservative Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1957–1961)
Elevated to the peerage as Baron Hill in June 1963
1963 by-election Will Howie Labour Comptroller of the Household (1967–1968)
1970 Charles Simeons Conservative Contested Luton East following redistribution
Feb 1974 constituency abolished: see Luton East and Luton West

Election results

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1880s

Gedge
General election 1885: Luton
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Cyril Flower 6,080 61.1
Conservative Sydney Gedge 3,871 38.9
Majority 2,209 22.2
Turnout 9,951 82.2
Registered electors 12,106
Liberal win (new seat)

Flower was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.

By-election, 13 Feb 1886: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Cyril Flower Unopposed
Registered electors 12,106
Liberal hold
General election 1886: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Cyril Flower 4,275 54.3 −6.8
Conservative Walter Barttelot 3,602 45.7 +6.8
Majority 673 8.6 −13.6
Turnout 7,877 65.1 −17.1
Registered electors 12,106
Liberal hold Swing −6.8

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Cyril Flower 5,296 55.3 +1.0
Liberal Unionist Oliver Thomas Duke 4,277 44.7 −1.0
Majority 1,019 10.6 +2.0
Turnout 9,573 75.7 +10.6
Registered electors 12,642
Liberal hold Swing +1.0

Flower is elevated to the peerage as Lord Battersea.

1892 Luton by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Samuel Whitbread 4,838 51.3 −4.0
Liberal Unionist Oliver Thomas Duke 4,596 48.7 +4.0
Majority 242 2.6 −8.0
Turnout 9,434 74.6 −1.1
Registered electors 12,642
Liberal hold Swing −4.0
Thomas Ashton
General election 1895: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Ashton 5,430 50.9 −4.4
Liberal Unionist Oliver Thomas Duke 5,244 49.1 +4.4
Majority 186 1.8 −8.8
Turnout 10,674 83.7 +8.0
Registered electors 12,760
Liberal hold Swing −4.4

Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Ashton 5,474 50.5 −0.4
Conservative George Elliott 5,371 49.5 +0.4
Majority 103 1.0 −0.8
Turnout 10,845 81.4 −2.3
Registered electors 13,317
Liberal hold Swing −0.4
General election 1906: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Ashton 7,240 57.3 +6.8
Conservative Alfred Peter Hillier 5,387 42.7 −6.8
Majority 1,853 14.6 +13.6
Turnout 12,627 87.3 +5.9
Registered electors 14,459
Liberal hold Swing +6.8

Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Ashton 7,946 52.9 −4.4
Liberal Unionist George Elliott 7,080 47.1 +4.4
Majority 866 5.8 −8.8
Turnout 15,026 90.7 +3.4
Registered electors 16,564
Liberal hold Swing −4.4
General election December 1910: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Ashton 7,601 53.4 +0.5
Conservative John Owen Hickman 6,623 46.6 −0.5
Majority 978 6.8 +1.0
Turnout 14,224 85.9 −4.8
Registered electors 16,564
Liberal hold Swing +0.5
Harmsworth
1911 Luton by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Cecil Harmsworth 7,619 52.1 −1.3
Conservative John Owen Hickman 7,006 47.9 +1.3
Majority 613 4.2 −2.6
Turnout 14,625 85.1 −0.8
Registered electors 17,177
Liberal hold Swing −1.3

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 from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

Election results 1918–1950

Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Luton
Party Candidate Votes %
C National Liberal Cecil Harmsworth 13,501 69.4
Labour Willet Ball 5,964 30.6
Majority 7,537 38.8
Turnout 19,465 62.5
Registered electors 37,051
National Liberal win (new boundaries)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

Elections in the 1920s

Percy Alden
General election 1922: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist John Hewett 13,301 43.5 New
Liberal Harry Arnold 10,137 33.2 New
Labour Percy Alden 7,107 23.3 −7.3
Majority 3,164 10.3 N/A
Turnout 30,545 81.0 +18.5
Registered electors 37,730
Unionist gain from National Liberal Swing N/A
Geoffrey Howard
General election 1923: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Geoffrey Howard 15,569 51.4 +18.2
Unionist John Hewett 11,738 38.7 −4.8
Labour Willet Ball 2,998 9.9 −13.4
Majority 3,831 12.7 N/A
Turnout 30,305 78.1 −2.9
Registered electors 38,799
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +11.5
General election 1924: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Terence O'Connor 15,443 47.1 +8.4
Liberal Geoffrey Howard 11,495 35.1 −16.3
Labour Philip L Millwood 5,850 17.8 +7.9
Majority 3,948 12.0 N/A
Turnout 32,788 82.6 +4.5
Registered electors 39,701
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
General election 1929: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Leslie Burgin 20,248 45.5 +10.4
Unionist Terence O'Connor 16,930 38.0 −9.1
Labour Florence Harrison Bell 7,351 16.5 −1.3
Majority 3,318 7.5 N/A
Turnout 44,529 81.5 −1.1
Registered electors 54,661
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +9.8

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Leslie Burgin 32,015 80.2 +34.7
Labour James H MacDonnell 7,897 19.8 +3.3
Majority 24,118 60.4 +52.9
Turnout 39,912 67.8 −13.7
Registered electors 58,880
National Liberal hold Swing
General election 1935: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Leslie Burgin 28,809 65.5 −14.7
Labour F. L. Kerran 15,181 34.5 +14.7
Majority 13,628 31.0 −29.4
Turnout 43,990 63.2 −4.6
Registered electors 69,548
National Liberal hold Swing

Elections 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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1945: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Warbey 39,335 55.2 +20.7
National Liberal Bruno Brown 31,914 44.8 −20.7
Majority 7,421 10.4 N/A
Turnout 71,249 74.9 +11.7
Registered electors 95,227
Labour gain from National Liberal Swing

Election results 1950–1974

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Luton
Party Candidate Votes %
National Liberal (Conservative) Charles Hill 22,946 46.59
Labour William Warbey 21,860 44.38
Liberal Wilfred Matthews 4,447 9.03
Majority 1,086 2.21
Turnout 49,253 87.07
Registered electors 56,569
National Liberal win (new boundaries)
General election 1951: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal (Conservative) Charles Hill 26,554 52.69
Labour William Warbey 23,842 47.31
Majority 2,712 5.38
Turnout 50,396 87.59
Registered electors 57,355
National Liberal hold Swing
General election 1955: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal (Conservative) Charles Hill 24,722 51.33
Labour Morris Janis 20,304 42.15
Liberal Jean Henderson 3,140 6.52 N/A
Majority 4,418 9.18
Turnout 48,166 83.14
Registered electors 57,932
National Liberal hold Swing
General election 1959: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal (Conservative) Charles Hill 27,153 55.09
Labour Co-op Cyril Rawlett Fenton 22,134 44.91
Majority 5,019 10.18
Turnout 49,287 82.46
Registered electors 57,769
National Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

1963 Luton by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Howie 21,108 48.02 +3.11
Conservative John Fletcher-Cooke 17,359 39.49 −15.60
Liberal Malvyn A Benjamin 5,001 11.38 N/A
Communist Tony Chater 490 1.11 New
Majority 3,749 8.53 N/A
Turnout 43,958 74.0
Registered electors 59,395
Labour gain from National Liberal Swing
General election 1964: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Howie 23,751 50.16 +5.25
Conservative Charles Simeons 23,028 48.64 −6.45
Communist Tony Chater 567 1.20 N/A
Majority 723 1.52 N/A
Turnout 47,346 79.84
Registered electors 59,299
Labour gain from National Liberal Swing
General election 1966: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Howie 23,069 48.76
Conservative Charles Simeons 20,605 43.55
Liberal Thomas H Daniels 3,049 6.44 New
Communist Tony Chater 586 1.24
Majority 2,464 5.21
Turnout 47,309 79.21
Registered electors 59,725
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1970: Luton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Simeons 23,308 50.99
Labour William Howie 21,959 48.04
Communist Tony Chater 447 0.98
Majority 1,349 2.95 N/A
Turnout 45,714 73.17
Registered electors 62,429
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

See also

References

  1. ↑ GB Historical GIS, University of Portsmouth. "Bedfordshire Luton PDivCon through time | Political Life Statistics | Total Electorate". A Vision of Britain through Time.
  2. ↑ "Redistribution of Seats Act 1885". Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports.
  3. 1 2 Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. p. 11. ISBN 0-900178-09-4. OCLC 539011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  6. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
  7. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  8. 1 2 3 Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  9. 1 2 3 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  10. ↑ Luton Times and Advertiser 15 May 1914