Bury North
UK Parliament constituency (since 1983)
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Bury North is a borough constituency in Greater Manchester, created in 1983 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. With a Conservative majority of 105 votes, it was the most marginal constituency for a sitting MP in the United Kingdom at the 2019 general election. At the 2024 general election, James Frith regained the seat which he had held for Labour from 2017 to 2019.
| Bury North | |
|---|---|
| Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
 Interactive map of boundaries from 2024 | |
Boundary of Bury North in North West England | |
| County | Greater Manchester |
| Population | 87,218 (2011 UK Census)[1] |
| Electorate | 77,009 (2023)[2] |
| Major settlements | Bury, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Radcliffe (part), Greenmount, Summerseat, |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 1983 |
| Member of Parliament | James Frith (Labour) |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | Rossendale (part) Bury and Radcliffe (part) |
History
Bury North is a marginal seat between Labour and the Conservatives, and a bellwether constituency throughout most of its existence — the winner of the seat has tended to win the general election, with 2017 being an exceptional Labour gain, though it was subsequently regained by the Conservatives in 2019. In forerunner seats, the town of Bury did not have a Labour MP until 1964, since when Bury North has become reported on as an important marginal seat.
The 2010 Conservative win at Bury North was the Conservative Party's sole gain in Greater Manchester. The 2015 general election result was narrower, which produced the fifth-most marginal majority of the Conservative Party's 331 seats by percentage of majority.[3] The 2019 general election result made this the most marginal constituency in Great Britain, with a narrow majority of 105 votes. Only Sinn Féin's majority of 57 in Fermanagh and South Tyrone was lower in the UK, and as Sinn Féin members do not take their seats, Daly's majority was therefore the smallest for that of a sitting MP.
Despite boundary changes which were favorable to the Conservatives, Labour retook the seat in 2024 with a majority of over 15%.
Boundaries
Historic
The constituency of Bury North covers the towns of Ramsbottom, Tottington and Bury. It was created in 1983 from parts of the former seats of Rossendale and Bury and Radcliffe. In those boundary changes Ramsbottom was transferred from Rossendale to Bury North, while with the loss of Ramsbottom, Rossendale was linked with Darwen. In 2010 the Unsworth area was transferred to Bury South.
1983–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Bury wards of Church, East, Elton, Moorside, Ramsbottom, Redvales, Tottington, and Unsworth.
2010–2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Bury wards of Church, East, Elton, Moorside, North Manor, Ramsbottom, Redvales, and Tottington.
Current
Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was expanded to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring from Bury South the ward of Radcliffe North (as it existed on 1 December 2020).[4]
Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2022,[5][6] the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury from the 2024 general election:
- Bury East; Bury West (nearly all); Elton; Moorside; North Manor; Radcliffe North & Ainsworth (most); Ramsbottom; Redvales; Tottington; and a small part of Unsworth.[7]
Constituency profile
Despite its name, Bury North includes the entirety of the town of Bury. A traditional Labour-Conservative marginal, Ramsbottom and Tottington are mostly Conservative, but in the case of Ramsbottom, not always overwhelmingly so, whereas the town of Bury itself (particularly the Bury East ward) is generally more favourable to Labour, with Elton being a marginal. Tottington, Church ward and the rural North Manor ward are safely Conservative, however Ramsbottom is now a Labour marginal, re-gained by the party in 2018. The 2011 Ramsbottom local election was famously a tie between the Labour and Conservative candidates, decided by drawing straws which Labour won and took control of the council.
The wards surrounding the town centre include some terraced and social housing and is ethnically diverse. The Bury town centre itself features two large sixth form colleges, the 'World Famous' market famed for Black Pudding as well as newer shopping and leisure developments such as The Rock. Tourist attractions include the East Lancashire Heritage Railway and Fusiliers Museum. North of Bury the area becomes more rural, approaching the provincial towns of Tottington and Ramsbottom, which are becoming increasingly desirable for Manchester commuters looking for quieter housing overlooking the West Pennines. Ramsbottom features Peel Monument, a tower on Holcombe Hill dedicated to former Conservative Prime Minister Robert Peel who was born in Bury. The tower is occasionally opened by volunteers, which offers views across Greater Manchester and as far out as Cheshire.
The constituency voted Leave in the 2016 referendum with a margin close to that of the national average at an estimated 54%.[8]
Members of Parliament
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | James Frith | 19,625 | 43.1 | –1.8 | |
| Conservative | James Daly | 12,681 | 27.9 | –19.4 | |
| Reform | Lynda Rosewell | 7,385 | 16.2 | +13.5 | |
| Workers Party | Shafat Ali | 1,917 | 4.2 | N/A | |
| Green | Owain Sutton | 1,747 | 3.8 | +2.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Mark Alcock | 1,317 | 2.9 | –0.2 | |
| Independent | Anwarul Haq | 571 | 1.3 | N/A | |
| Independent | Spencer Donnelly | 277 | 0.6 | N/A | |
| Majority | 6,944 | 15.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 45,520 | 58.5 | −10.8 | ||
| Registered electors | 77,703 | ||||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.8 | |||
Elections in the 2010s
| 2019 notional result[12] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Conservative | 25,285 | 47.3 | |
| Labour | 24,003 | 44.9 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 1,639 | 3.1 | |
| Brexit Party | 1,446 | 2.7 | |
| Green | 939 | 1.8 | |
| Others | 158 | 0.3 | |
| Turnout | 53,470 | 69.4 | |
| Electorate | 77,009 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | James Daly | 21,660 | 46.2 | +1.7 | |
| Labour | James Frith | 21,555 | 46.0 | –7.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Gareth Lloyd-Johnson | 1,584 | 3.4 | +1.5 | |
| Brexit Party | Alan McCarthy | 1,240 | 2.6 | N/A | |
| Green | Charlie Allen | 802 | 1.8 | N/A | |
| Majority | 105 | 0.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 46,841 | 68.1 | –2.8 | ||
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | + 4.7 | |||
This was the smallest Conservative majority at the 2019 general election.[14]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | James Frith | 25,683 | 53.6 | +12.5 | |
| Conservative | David Nuttall | 21,308 | 44.5 | +2.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Baum | 912 | 1.9 | –0.2 | |
| Majority | 4,375 | 9.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 47,903 | 70.9 | +4.0 | ||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | + 5.0 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | David Nuttall | 18,970 | 41.9 | +1.7 | |
| Labour | James Frith | 18,592 | 41.1 | +5.9 | |
| UKIP | Ian Henderson | 5,595 | 12.4 | +9.5 | |
| Green | John Southworth | 1,141 | 2.5 | N/A | |
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Baum | 932 | 2.1 | −14.9 | |
| Majority | 378 | 0.8 | −4.2 | ||
| Turnout | 45,230 | 66.9 | −0.4 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −2.1 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | David Nuttall | 18,070 | 40.2 | +3.7 | |
| Labour | Maryam Khan | 15,827 | 35.2 | −7.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Baum | 7,645 | 17.0 | +1.9 | |
| BNP | John Maude | 1,825 | 4.1 | +0.1 | |
| UKIP | Stephen Evans | 1,282 | 2.9 | +1.8 | |
| Independent | Bill Brison | 181 | 0.4 | N/A | |
| Pirate | Graeme Lambert | 131 | 0.3 | N/A | |
| Majority | 2,243 | 5.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 44,961 | 67.3 | +5.7 | ||
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +5.8 | |||
Elections in the 2000s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | David Chaytor | 19,130 | 43.0 | −8.2 | |
| Conservative | David Nuttall | 16,204 | 36.5 | −0.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Wilfred Davison | 6,514 | 14.7 | +2.6 | |
| BNP | Stewart Clough | 1,790 | 4.0 | N/A | |
| UKIP | Philip Silver | 476 | 1.1 | N/A | |
| Socialist Labour | Ryan O'Neill | 172 | 0.4 | N/A | |
| Veritas | Ian Upton | 153 | 0.3 | N/A | |
| Majority | 2,926 | 6.5 | −8.1 | ||
| Turnout | 44,439 | 61.5 | −1.5 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | −4.0 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | David Chaytor | 22,945 | 51.2 | −0.6 | |
| Conservative | John Walsh | 16,413 | 36.6 | −0.9 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Bryn Hackley | 5,430 | 12.1 | +3.9 | |
| Majority | 6,532 | 14.6 | +0.3 | ||
| Turnout | 44,788 | 63.0 | −14.8 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | +0.1 | |||
Elections in the 1990s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | David Chaytor | 28,523 | 51.8 | +10.2 | |
| Conservative | Alistair Burt | 20,657 | 37.5 | −12.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Neville Kenyon | 4,536 | 8.2 | −0.3 | |
| Referendum | Richard Hallewell | 1,337 | 2.4 | N/A | |
| Majority | 7,866 | 14.3 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 55,053 | 77.8 | −7.0 | ||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +11.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Alistair Burt | 29,266 | 49.7 | −0.4 | |
| Labour | Jim Dobbin | 24,502 | 41.6 | +3.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Colin McGrath | 5,010 | 8.5 | −3.6 | |
| Natural Law | Michael Sullivan | 163 | 0.3 | N/A | |
| Majority | 4,764 | 8.1 | −4.2 | ||
| Turnout | 58,941 | 84.8 | +2.3 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −2.1 | |||
Elections in the 1980s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Alistair Burt | 28,097 | 50.1 | +4.6 | |
| Labour | David Crausby | 21,186 | 37.8 | −2.4 | |
| Liberal | David Vasmer | 6,804 | 12.1 | −2.3 | |
| Majority | 6,911 | 12.3 | +7.0 | ||
| Turnout | 56,087 | 82.5 | +2.9 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.5 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Alistair Burt | 23,923 | 45.5 | ||
| Labour | Frank White | 21,131 | 40.2 | ||
| Liberal | Elisabeth Wilson | 7,550 | 14.4 | ||
| Majority | 2,792 | 5.3 | |||
| Turnout | 52,604 | 79.6 | |||
| Conservative win (new seat) | |||||