Ribble Valley is a constituency in Lancashire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Maya Ellis of the Labour Party.

History

The Ribble Valley constituency was created in 1983 almost wholly from the former seat of Clitheroe. Much of the eastern part of the constituency lies within the historic county boundaries of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Until 2024, with the exception of one year when, following a by-election, it was represented by a Liberal Democrat, the MP had been a Conservative; the lowest majority was 11.6% in 1997. The seat was held by David Waddington from 1983 to 1990. He was previously MP for Clitheroe from 1979 to 1983 and Nelson and Colne from 1968 to 1974. He was Home Secretary from 1989 to 1990. From 1992 to 2024, the MP was Nigel Evans, who twice held the post of Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.

In 2024, the seat fell to Labour for the first time. Maya Ellis defeated Evans with a majority of 1.6% as a result of a 16.9% swing.

Constituency profile

The constituency has slightly higher than national average income and much lower than average reliance upon social housing. As of December 2012, unemployment was significantly lower than the national average.

Boundary changes in 2010 brought in more urban areas from the neighbouring South Ribble district, and with it a large number of Labour voters, particularly in Bamber Bridge where all four local councillors are Labour, alongside Farington and Lostock Hall.

Six of the divisions on Lancashire County Council within the Ribble Valley constituency after the 2013 United Kingdom local elections were Conservative-held, with Labour having one. The Conservatives gained one division each from the Liberal Democrats and the Idle Toad parties, while Labour took one from the Conservatives. Labour also gained another Conservative seat, which crosses the boundaries of the Ribble Valley and South Ribble constituencies.

The constituency comprises the whole of the Borough of Ribble Valley and a part of the Borough of South Ribble. In March 2015, two councillors, a Liberal Democrat and an Independent, defected to the Conservatives. Since the May 2015 local elections the council has been composed of 35 Conservative, 4 Liberal Democrat and 1 Labour councillors. 14 of the 19 South Ribble Borough councillors within the Ribble Valley constituency are Conservative, and 5 are Labour.

Boundaries

Historic

1983–1997: The Borough of Ribble Valley, and the Borough of Preston wards of Cadley, Greyfriars, Preston Rural East, and Sharoe Green.

1997–2010: The Borough of Ribble Valley, the City of Preston wards of Cadley, Greyfriars, Preston Rural East, Sharoe Green, and Sherwood, and the Borough of South Ribble wards of All Saints, and Samlesbury and Cuerdale.

2010–2015: The Borough of Ribble Valley, and the ten Borough of South Ribble wards of Bamber Bridge East, Bamber Bridge North, Bamber Bridge West, Coupe Green and Gregson Lane, Farington East, Farington West, Lostock Hall, Samlesbury and Walton, Tardy Gate, and Walton-le-Dale.

In the run up to the 2010 general election, the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies led Parliament to approve the creation of a new seat of Wyre and Preston North, to which the City of Preston wards, including Fulwood, were transferred. To compensate, the constituency was extended further into the Borough of South Ribble to include the more urban communities of Bamber Bridge and Walton-le-Dale from Preston, and Farington from South Ribble.

2015–2024: The Borough of Ribble Valley, and the nine Borough of South Ribble wards of Bamber Bridge East, Bamber Bridge West, Coupe Green and Gregson Lane, Farington East, Farington West, Lostock Hall, Samlesbury and Walton, Walton-le-Dale East and Walton-le-Dale West.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England modified the Borough of South Ribble ward boundaries and names in 2015, which altered the contents, but not the boundaries of the constituency.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The City of Preston wards of: Greyfriars; Preston Rural East; Preston Rural North; Sharoe Green.
  • The Borough of Ribble Valley wards of: Alston & Hothersall; Billington & Langho; Bowland; Brockhall & Dinckley; Chipping; Clayton-le-Dale & Salesbury; Derby & Thornley; Dilworth; Gisburn & Rimington; Hurst Green & Whitewell; Mellor; Ribchester; Waddington, Bashall Eaves & Mitton; West Bradford & Grindleton; Whalley Nethertown; Wilpshire & Ramsgreave.
  • The Borough of South Ribble wards of: Bamber Bridge East; Bamber Bridge West; Coupe Green & Gregson Lane; Lostock Hall; Samlesbury & Walton; Walton-le-Dale East; Walton-le-Dale West.

The seat lost the town of Clitheroe and its environs to the new constituency of Pendle and Clitheroe and regained parts of rural and northern Preston, including the centre of Fulwood, transferred from the abolished constituency of Wyre and Preston North. In the Borough of South Ribble, Farington was returned to the South Ribble seat.

Members of Parliament

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!Election!!Member

!colspan="2"|Party!!Notes

|-

| 1983 || David Waddington

| || Government Chief Whip 1987–1989; Home Secretary 1989–1990; Resigned 1990, on being raised to the peerage

|-

| 1991 by-election || Michael Carr

| || Defeated at the 1992 general election

|-

| 1992 || rowspan=3| Nigel Evans

| ||rowspan=3| First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means (2010–2013)<br />Executive Secretary of the 1922 Committee (2017–2020)<br />Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means (2020–2024)

|-

| 2013

|

|-

| 2014

|

|-

| 2024 || Maya Ellis

|

|

|}

Elections

thumb|centre|upright=2.5|Election results 1983-2024

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

See also

  • List of parliamentary constituencies in Lancashire

Notes

References

  • Ribble Valley Borough Council official site
  • Ribble Valley UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
  • Ribble Valley UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
  • Ribble Valley UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK