Amber Valley (UK Parliament constituency)

This article is about the constituency in the Midlands of England. For the associated non-metropolitan district, see Amber Valley. For the community in Canada, see Amber Valley, Alberta.

Amber Valley is a constituency^{[n 1]} in Derbyshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.^{[n 2]} It has been represented in Parliament by Linsey Farnsworth, a Labour politician, since the 2024 general election.^[4]

Amber Valley
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Amber Valley in the East Midlands
County	Derbyshire
Population	87,883 (2011 census)[1]
Electorate	70,625 (2023)[2]
Major settlements	Ripley, Alfreton, Heanor
Current constituency
Created	1983
Member of Parliament	Linsey Farnsworth (Labour)
Seats	One
Created from	Belper, Derbyshire South East and Ilkeston[3]

History

The constituency was created in 1983, and was held by Phillip Oppenheim of the Conservative Party from its creation until Judy Mallaber of the Labour Party won the seat in 1997. She was narrowly defeated in 2010 by Nigel Mills, a Conservative, who increased his majority in 2015 and 2017.^[5] Amber Valley has been a bellwether seat in having been won by the winning party at each general election, since its creation.

Boundaries

Historic

Boundaries of Amber Valley from 1997 to 2010

1983–1997: The District of Amber Valley wards of Aldercar, Alfreton East, Alfreton West, Codnor, Denby and Horsley Woodhouse, Heage and Ambergate, Heanor and Loscoe, Heanor East, Heanor West, Holbrook and Horsley, Kilburn, Riddings, Ripley, Ripley and Marehay, Shipley Park, Somercotes, Swanwick, and Wingfield, and the Borough of Erewash wards of Breadsall and Morley, Little Eaton, and Stanley.

1997–2010: The Borough of Amber Valley wards of Aldercar, Alfreton East, Alfreton West, Codnor, Crich, Denby and Horsley Woodhouse, Heage and Ambergate, Heanor and Loscoe, Heanor East, Heanor West, Holbrook and Horsley, Kilburn, Riddings, Ripley, Ripley and Marehay, Shipley Park, Somercotes, Swanwick, and Wingfield, and the Borough of Erewash wards of Breadsall and Morley, Little Eaton, and Stanley.

2010–2023: The Borough of Amber Valley wards of Alfreton, Codnor and Waingroves, Heage and Ambergate, Heanor and Loscoe, Heanor East, Heanor West, Ironville and Riddings, Kilburn, Denby and Holbrook, Langley Mill and Aldercar, Ripley, Ripley and Marehay, Shipley Park, Horsley and Horsley Woodhouse, Somercotes, Swanwick, and Wingfield.

Current

Further to a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023,^[6][7] the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Borough of Amber Valley:

• Alfreton; Codnor, Langley Mill & Aldercar; South Wingfield from Crich & South Wingfield ward; Heage & Ambergate; Heanor East; Heanor West & Loscoe; Ironville & Riddings; Kilburn, Denby, Holbrook & Horsley; Ripley; Ripley & Marehay; Smalley, Shipley & Horsley Woodhouse; Somercotes; Swanwick.^[8]

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.^[9]

Constituency profile

The Amber Valley constituency is located in the east of Derbyshire, and covers the market and manufacturing towns of Alfreton, Heanor and Ripley; in a majority of council elections from 1960 to 2012, these were favourably disposed to the Labour Party. The constituency also contains many rural and suburban wards, which during the same period generally had a majority in support of the Conservatives. The constituency stretches from the edge of the Peak District to the northern edge of Derby, which forms another set of neighbourhoods more favourably disposed to the Conservatives.

From 2000 to 2023 the Conservatives controlled Amber Valley Borough Council with the exception of a year from 2014 to 2015 and from 2019 to 2021 when Labour were in power. In 2023, Labour retook control. Prior to this, the council was held by Labour or under no overall control for all but three years from its formation in 1973.

The constituency's generally small majorities and bellwether status since 1983 (being won by the party that nationally holds the most parliamentary seats) means Amber Valley was, by most common measures, a marginal seat, with a reputation for political volatility, with periodic large swings towards both the Conservative and Labour parties.

Members of Parliament

Belper, Derbyshire South East and Ilkeston prior to 1983

Election		Member[10]	Party
	1983	Phillip Oppenheim	Conservative
	1997	Judy Mallaber	Labour
	2010	Nigel Mills	Conservative
	2024	Linsey Farnsworth	Labour

Elections

Amber Valley election results

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Amber Valley^[11][12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Linsey Farnsworth	15,746	37.0	+10.2
	Reform UK	Alex Stevenson	12,192	28.7	N/A
	Conservative	Nigel Mills	10,725	25.2	−38.6
	Green	Matt McGuinness	2,278	5.4	+2.4
	Liberal Democrats	Kate Smith	1,590	3.7	−2.6
Majority			3,554	8.3	New
Turnout			42,531	59.4	5.6
Registered electors			71,546
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	24.4

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[13]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	29,118	63.8
	Labour	12,227	26.8
	Liberal Democrats	2,875	6.3
	Green Party	1,389	3.0
Majority		16,891	37.0
Turnout		45,609	64.6
Electorate		70,625

General election 2019: Amber Valley^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nigel Mills	29,096	63.8	7.3
	Labour	Adam Thompson	12,210	26.8	11.6
	Liberal Democrats	Kate Smith	2,873	6.3	3.9
	Green	Lian Pizzey	1,388	3.0	1.6
Majority			16,886	37.0	18.9
Turnout			45,567	65.1	2.2
Registered electors			69,976
	Conservative hold		Swing	9.5

General election 2017: Amber Valley^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nigel Mills	25,905	56.5	12.5
	Labour	James Dawson	17,605	38.4	3.6
	Liberal Democrats	Kate Smith	1,100	2.4	0.6
	Green	Matt McGuinness	650	1.4	1.0
	Independent	Daniel Bamford	551	1.2	New
Majority			8,300	18.1	8.9
Turnout			45,811	67.3	1.5
Registered electors			68,065
	Conservative hold		Swing	4.5

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Amber Valley

General election 2015: Amber Valley^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nigel Mills[17]	20,106	44.0	5.4
	Labour	Kevin Gillott[18]	15,901	34.8	2.6
	UKIP	Stuart Bent	7,263	15.9	13.9
	Liberal Democrats	Kate Smith	1,360	3.0	11.4
	Green	John Devine[19]	1,087	2.4	New
Majority			4,205	9.2	8.0
Turnout			45,717	65.8	0.3
Registered electors			69,510
	Conservative hold		Swing	4.0

Going into the 2015 general election, this was the 24th most marginal constituency in Great Britain, Labour requiring a swing from the Conservatives of 0.6% to take the seat (based on the result of the 2010 general election).^[20]

General election 2010: Amber Valley^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Nigel Mills	17,746	38.6	4.7
	Labour	Judy Mallaber	17,210	37.4	9.0
	Liberal Democrats	Tom Snowdon	6,636	14.4	2.1
	BNP	Michael Clarke	3,195	7.0	4.4
	UKIP	Sue Ransome	906	2.0	0.3
	Monster Raving Loony	Sam Thing	265	0.6	New
Majority			536	1.2	10.0
Turnout			45,958	65.5	1.5
Registered electors			70,171
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	6.9

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Amber Valley^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Judy Mallaber	21,593	45.6	6.3
	Conservative	Gillian Shaw	16,318	34.4	1.3
	Liberal Democrats	Kate Smith	6,225	13.1	0.7
	BNP	Paul Snell	1,243	2.6	New
	Veritas	Alex Stevenson	1,224	2.6	New
	UKIP	Hugh Price	788	1.7	New
Majority			5,275	11.2	5.0
Turnout			47,391	62.9	2.6
Registered electors			75,269
	Labour hold		Swing	3.8

General election 2001: Amber Valley^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Judy Mallaber	23,101	51.9	2.8
	Conservative	Gillian Shaw	15,874	35.7	2.3
	Liberal Democrats	Kate Smith	5,538	12.4	4.7
Majority			7,227	16.2	5.1
Turnout			44,513	60.3	15.7
Registered electors			73,798
	Labour hold		Swing	2.5

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Amber Valley^{[24][25][26][27]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Judy Mallaber	29,943	54.7	10.3
	Conservative	Phillip Oppenheim	18,330	33.4	13.0
	Liberal Democrats	Roger Shelley	4,219	7.7	1.4
	Referendum	Irene McGibbon	2,283	4.2	New
Majority			11,613	21.3	N/A
Turnout			54,775	76.0	8.7
Registered electors			72,116
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	11.7

General election 1992: Amber Valley^[28][29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Phillip Oppenheim	27,418	46.1	5.3
	Labour	John Cooper	26,706	44.9	10.5
	Liberal Democrats	Graham Brocklebank	5,294	8.9	5.3
Majority			712	1.2	15.8
Turnout			59,418	84.7	3.5
Registered electors			70,155
	Conservative hold		Swing	7.9

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Amber Valley^[30][31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Phillip Oppenheim	28,603	51.4	9.7
	Labour	David Bookbinder	19,103	34.4	0.9
	Liberal	Stewart Reynolds	7,904	14.2	7.1
Majority			9,500	17.0	10.6
Turnout			55,610	81.2	4.0
Registered electors			68,478
	Conservative hold		Swing	5.3

General election 1983: Amber Valley^[32][33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Phillip Oppenheim	21,502	41.7	N/A
	Labour	David Bookbinder	18,184	35.3	N/A
	Liberal	Brian Johnson	10,989	21.3	N/A
	Independent	Peter Griffiths	856	1.7	N/A
Majority			3,318	6.4	N/A
Turnout			51,531	77.2	N/A
Registered electors			66,720
	Conservative win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Derbyshire

Notes

1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.