York Central (UK Parliament constituency)

York Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Name	York Central
Type	Borough
Parl name	UK Parliament
Year	1983
Elects howmany	One
Previous	York
Region	England
County	North Yorkshire
Electorate	78,120 (December 2019)
Eu	Yorkshire and the Humber
Towns	York (city centre and southern suburbs)

York Central (UK Parliament constituency) is a parliamentary constituency in the historic city of York, electing one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons. Created for the 1983 general election, it is a predominantly urban seat covering the city centre and southern suburbs of York. The constituency has been held by the Labour Party since its creation and is considered a safe seat for the party.

History

The constituency was established in the 1983 boundary review, formed from the majority of the former York seat. It has consistently returned Labour MPs, with its first representative being Conal Gregory, though he was succeeded in 1987 by Hugh Bayley who held the seat for over two decades. The political history of the area reflects the city's strong industrial and railway heritage, with traditional support for Labour in urban wards. Key political events impacting the seat include debates over the future of York railway station and the closure of the Rowntree's factory, which were significant local issues. The seat saw a notable increase in majority for Rachael Maskell following the 2017 general election.

Boundaries

The constituency covers the central and southern parts of the City of York unitary authority. As defined by the Boundary Commission for England, it contains the wards of Acomb, Bishopthorpe, Clifton, Dringhouses and Woodthorpe, Fulford and Heslington, Guildhall, Heworth, Hob Moor, Holgate, Hull Road, Micklegate, and Westfield. The boundary is largely urban, encompassing York city centre, the University of York, and suburbs such as Acomb and Fulford. The northern part of the city, including areas like Haxby, falls within the neighbouring York Outer constituency. The boundaries were last revised ahead of the 2010 general election.

Members of Parliament

The following individuals have been elected as MPs for this constituency since its creation. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Election ! Member ! Party |- | 1983 | Conal Gregory | Conservative |- | 1987 | Hugh Bayley | Labour |- | 2010 | Rachael Maskell | Labour |- |} Hugh Bayley served as the MP for over 23 years, also holding roles such as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development. Upon his retirement, Rachael Maskell, a former Unite the Union official, was elected and has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

The 2010 election saw Hugh Bayley retain the seat for Labour with a majority of 12,455 over the Conservative candidate. In 2015, Rachael Maskell was elected with an increased majority. The 2017 election resulted in a landslide for Maskell, with a majority of 21,004, as the Conservative vote share fell. During the 2019 election, the Labour majority was reduced to 13,545, with the Conservative candidate in second place and the Liberal Democrats and Green Party also contesting.

See also

* York Outer (UK Parliament constituency) * City of York Council * List of Parliamentary constituencies in North Yorkshire

References

Category:Parliamentary constituencies in North Yorkshire Category:1983 establishments in the United Kingdom