BBC Profile:
The seat was created in 1983, carved out of the former constituencies of Ilkeston and Belper. Ilkeston had been represented by Labour since the Second World War, with Ray Fletcher holding the seat for more than 20 years until the 1980s. It passed to the Conservatives in 1983. Phillip Oppenheim retained the seat for the next 14 years. Indeed, for a time in the late 1980s the Conservatives polled well over half the vote, matching Labours previous position.

Judy Mallaber took the seat for Labour in the 1997 general election with a majority of over 20%. In 2005 her majority was down to 11%.

At the election, the constituency will lose three of the more rural wards to neighbouring seats. To find out what might have happened had this boundary change been in force at the last election, see a notional - or estimated - result below.

This Derbyshire constituency is an area where the traditional mining, iron founding and textile industries have declined and the economy is slowly becoming more diverse. Amber Valley is one of the most populated non-city districts in the East Midlands and is the most populated district in Derbyshire apart from the city of Derby.

The constituencys three main towns are Alfreton, Heanor and Ripley.

Chocolate giant Thorntons now calls this constituency home, as do Denby Pottery and Bowmer and Kirkland, the construction and engineering company. The Amber Valley district employs nearly double the national average in manufacturing and

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BBC Profile:
The seat was created in 1983, carved out of the former constituencies of Ilkeston and Belper. Ilkeston had been represented by Labour since the Second World War, with Ray Fletcher holding the seat for more than 20 years until the 1980s. It passed to the Conservatives in 1983. Phillip Oppenheim retained the seat for the next 14 years. Indeed, for a time in the late 1980s the Conservatives polled well over half the vote, matching Labours previous position.

Judy Mallaber took the seat for Labour in the 1997 general election with a majority of over 20%. In 2005 her majority was down to 11%.

At the election, the constituency will lose three of the more rural wards to neighbouring seats. To find out what might have happened had this boundary change been in force at the last election, see a notional - or estimated - result below.

This Derbyshire constituency is an area where the traditional mining, iron founding and textile industries have declined and the economy is slowly becoming more diverse. Amber Valley is one of the most populated non-city districts in the East Midlands and is the most populated district in Derbyshire apart from the city of Derby.

The constituencys three main towns are Alfreton, Heanor and Ripley.

Chocolate giant Thorntons now calls this constituency home, as do Denby Pottery and Bowmer and Kirkland, the construction and engineering company. The Amber Valley district employs nearly double the national average in manufacturing and also above average numbers in construction. There are also stretches of appealing rural land, and the local farming industry continues to endure despite long-term economic decline. An increasing range of jobs are supported by tourism.

Rallings & Thrasher Notional:
Lab 20,427 (46.45%)
C 14,915 (33.92%)
LD 5,446 (12.38%)
Others 2,467 (5.61%)
UKIP 718 (1.63%)

Term end speculative.

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