Leicester West

Leicester West is a constituency in Leicestershire. It covers the western neighbourhoods of the city of Leicester, including Beaumont Leys, Westcotes, New Parks, Rowley Fields and Aylestone. Leicester has a strong association with the textile, clothing and shoemaking industries, which – having suffered a devastating slump in the early 1980s – survived in the city in a vestigial form until recently but mostly collapsed during the 2020s.^[2][3] Potato crisp manufacturer Walkers is a significant local employer; the company's headquarters and main factory – the largest crisp factory in the world – is located in Beaumont Leys.^[4][5] Leicester West has high levels of deprivation, particularly in New Parks and around Braunstone Park, where there is a high proportion of council housing.^[6] House prices in the constituency are lower than the rest of the East Midlands and considerably lower than the national average.^[7]

In general, residents of Leicester West are young and have low levels of education. Rates of homeownership and household income are low.^[7] A high proportion of residents work in the health and manufacturing sectors, and few work in professional occupations.^[8] The child poverty rate is high, and the percentage of residents claiming unemployment benefits is higher than the country as a whole.^[9] White people made up 63% of the population at the 2021 census, the highest proportion of the three Leicester constituencies. Asians, mostly Indians, were the largest ethnic minority group at 18% and Black people were 10%.^[10] Unlike neighbouring Leicester East, the Asian population is mostly Muslim rather than Hindu.^[11] On Leicester City Council, the inner-city areas like Westcotes and the more deprived suburbs such as New Parks are represented by the Labour Party, while Beaumont Leys has elected Conservative councillors and Aylestone has elected Liberal Democrats. An estimated 55% of voters in Leicester West supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide figure of 52%.^[7]

In 1950, the seat was replaced by the constituencies of Leicester North West and Leicester South West, until 1974. During that period Leicester North West was represented by Barnett Janner until 1970, and subsequently by his son Greville Janner.

This used to be the safest Labour seat in Leicester; at the 1983 general election it was the only one to remain in Labour hands. However, the high South Asian populations in Leicester South and Leicester East tended historically to push them away from the Conservative Party; conversely, while Leicester West is still a safe Labour seat and has been represented by that party since the Second World War, it has become the most marginal of the three Leicester seats. While it did, like the other two Leicester constituencies, see a significant swing to Labour in 2017, Liz Kendall's majority was not a record high for the constituency, unlike the results in Leicester East and Leicester South. However, Leicester West was the only Leicester seat to remain in Labour hands after the 2024 general election, with Leicester East becoming the sole Conservative gain of the election, and Leicester South won by independent candidate Shockat Adam.

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Leicestershire and Rutland