BBC Profile:
Bolsover has been Labour since its creation in 1950, and has only ever had two MPs, both miners. Harold Neal had already been MP for the predecessor seat Clay Cross since a by-election in 1944. He achieved some notoriety as an apologist for Franco's Spain, but represented the area for 25 years before handing over to Dennis Skinner in 1970.

Skinner had already developed a high-profile reputation as president of the Derbyshire NUM and member of Clay Cross Urban District Council. His majority has never fallen below five figures. At the 2005 election his majority was 18,437 votes, down from a higher of more than 27,000 in 1997.

At the election, boundary changes have been slight, with the gain of Holmwood and Heath ward from North East Derbyshire. 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.

The seat stretches 20 miles north to south on either side of the M1 motorway, which has been the engine of considerable regeneration.

The constituency used to have one of the biggest concentrations of coal mines in the country. That and the associated heavy industry, hydraulics and engineering dominated the local economy, but the last pit closed in 1994.

Diversification has placed great emphasis on the retail and service sectors. The biggest single employer is the McArthurGlen designer outlet at South Normanton.

Rallings & Thrasher Notional:
Lab 26,331 (65.18%)
L

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BBC Profile:
Bolsover has been Labour since its creation in 1950, and has only ever had two MPs, both miners. Harold Neal had already been MP for the predecessor seat Clay Cross since a by-election in 1944. He achieved some notoriety as an apologist for Franco's Spain, but represented the area for 25 years before handing over to Dennis Skinner in 1970.

Skinner had already developed a high-profile reputation as president of the Derbyshire NUM and member of Clay Cross Urban District Council. His majority has never fallen below five figures. At the 2005 election his majority was 18,437 votes, down from a higher of more than 27,000 in 1997.

At the election, boundary changes have been slight, with the gain of Holmwood and Heath ward from North East Derbyshire. 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.

The seat stretches 20 miles north to south on either side of the M1 motorway, which has been the engine of considerable regeneration.

The constituency used to have one of the biggest concentrations of coal mines in the country. That and the associated heavy industry, hydraulics and engineering dominated the local economy, but the last pit closed in 1994.

Diversification has placed great emphasis on the retail and service sectors. The biggest single employer is the McArthurGlen designer outlet at South Normanton.

Rallings & Thrasher Notional:
Lab 26,331 (65.18%)
LD 7,071 (17.50%)
C 6,993 (17.31%)

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