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UK Parliament - Ashton under Lyne

RACE DETAILS

Parents

> United Kingdom > England > North West > North West > Ashton under Lyne

Office

Parliament

Honorific

Member of Parliament - Abbr: MP

Type

General Election

Filing Deadline

April 19, 2005 - 12:00pm Central

Polls Open

May 05, 2005 - 01:00am Central

Polls Close

May 05, 2005 - 05:00pm Central

Term Start

May 17, 2005 - 12:00pm

Term End

May 17, 2010 - 11:00am

Contributor

Wishful Thinking

Last Modified

Wishful Thinking June 14, 2005 06:17pm

Data Sources

[Link]

Description

Ashton under Lyne is a compact, urban seat, characterised by high unemployment and a growing Asian population. Traditionally Labour, its political history is dominated by the rise and fall of Lancashire's textile industry. In 1995, 23,000 largely Labour votes from the old Oldham West constituency were added to Ashton's rather numerically small electorate, making it even safer for the party. Long-serving MP, Robert Sheldon, retired in 2001 with a 48.6% majority. His successor, David Heyes, kept that above 43% - at 15,518. Ashton lies to the east of Manchester, predominantly in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, but with three wards in Oldham. The constituency also includes Droylsden on the other side of the M60. There is a rare area of green space in the Medlock Valley, including the Daisy Nook Country Park. Manufacturing still accounts for 21% of employment but almost 28% of constituents are in semi-skilled or unskilled jobs. Two-thirds of residents own their own homes; the rest are equally divided between local authority, housing association and private sector tenants.