Rossendale and Darwen

Rossendale and Darwen is a constituency in Lancashire in North West England, covering parts of the Rossendale and Blackburn with Darwen boroughs. It is named after Darwen, its largest town with a population of around 29,000,^[3] and the Rossendale Valley which makes up the eastern half of the constituency. Other settlements include the towns of Rawtenstall, Bacup and Whitworth and the villages of Lower Darwen, Helmshore and Newchurch.

This constituency contains formerly-industrial towns and villages lying within valleys of the Pennines. Most of their growth came during the Victorian era when, like much of Lancashire, the area was a significant centre for textile manufacturing, especially cotton spinning. Other industries like shoemaking and coal mining were also present. This area was affected by the deindustrialisation of the late 20th century and today the towns of Darwen and Bacup are highly-deprived. Rawtenstall has average levels of wealth and the rural villages are generally affluent, giving the constituency an average level of wealth overall.^[4] Most residents live in dense terraced housing built to accommodate industrial workers, or in semi-detached properties.^[5] The average house price is lower than the rest of North West England and around half the UK average.^[6]

Residents of Rossendale and Darwin have a similar age profile to the rest of the country with a slightly lower proportion of young adults.^[7] They have average levels of income and above-average rates of homeownership.^[6] The child poverty rate is in line with the rest of the country.^[8] Residents have average levels of education and a high proportion work in the manufacturing and retail sectors.^[6][9] The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is similar to the overall UK figure.^[8] White people made up 94% of the population at the 2021 census.^[10]

Most of the constituency is represented by the Labour Party at the local council level, with some Green Party councillors elected in Newchurch and some Reform UK councillors elected at more recent elections. Voters in Rossendale and Darwen strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 60% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide figure of 52%.^[6]

1983–1997: The Borough of Rossendale, and the Borough of Blackburn wards of Earcroft, Marsh House, North Turton, Sudell, Sunnyhurst, and Whitehall.

1997–2010: All the wards of the Borough of Rossendale except the Greenfield and Worsley wards, and the Borough of Blackburn wards of Earcroft, Marsh House, North Turton, Sudell, Sunnyhurst, and Whitehall.

2010–2024: The Borough of Rossendale wards of Cribden, Eden, Facit and Shawforth, Goodshaw, Greensclough, Hareholme, Healey and Whitworth, Helmshore, Irwell, Longholme, Stacksteads, and Whitewell, and the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen wards of Earcroft, East Rural, Fernhurst, Marsh House, North Turton with Tockholes, Sudell, Sunnyhurst, and Whitehall.

Darwen Ward Changes At the 2018 local elections the Darwen electoral wards were changed and renamed. They are now known as Darwen West, Darwen East, Darwen South and West Pennine. The parliamentary boundaries also included parts of the new Blackburn South and Lower Darwen, and Ewood wards.

2024–present: Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

• The Borough of Blackburn with Darwen wards of: Blackburn South & Lower Darwen; Darwen East; Darwen South; Darwen West; West Pennine.
• The Borough of Rossendale wards of: Cribden; Eden; Facit and Shawforth; Goodshaw; Greensclough; Hareholme; Healey and Whitworth; Helmshore; Irwell; Longholme; Stacksteads; Whitewell.^[11]

Minor changes to align with the revised ward boundaries in Blackburn with Darwen.

Following a local government boundary review in Rossendale which came into effect in May 2024,^[12] the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

• The Borough of Blackburn with Darwen wards of: Blackburn South & Lower Darwen; Darwen East; Darwen South; Darwen West; West Pennine.
• The Borough of Rossendale wards or part wards of: Bacup; Britannia & Lee Mill; Goodshaw & Cribden; Greenfield & Eden (part); Hareholme & Waterfoot; Helmshore (most); Longholme; Whitewell & Stacksteads; Whitworth.^[13]

This constituency was created in 1983 and has alternated between the two largest parties' MPs during this time; since 1997 the constituency has been a bellwether of the national result.

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Lancashire