Skipton and Ripon (UK Parliament constituency)

Skipton and Ripon is a constituency^{[n 1]} in North Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Julian Smith, a Conservative.^{[n 2]}

Skipton and Ripon
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Skipton and Ripon in Yorkshire and the Humber
County	North Yorkshire
Electorate	77,541 (December 2019)[1]
Major settlements	Masham, Ripon, Settle, Skipton
Current constituency
Created	1983
Member of Parliament	Julian Smith (Conservative)
Seats	One
Created from	Skipton, Ripon, Harrogate, Thirsk & Malton, Keighley, Barkston Ash and Richmond (Yorks)[2]

Constituency profile

The constituency covers a mainly rural area of the Yorkshire Dales. It includes the whole of the former Craven district and the northern and western parts of the former Borough of Harrogate district. The largest settlements are the town of Skipton and the city of Ripon. Smaller towns in the constituency are Bentham, Settle, Pateley Bridge and Masham.

At 1.6%, Skipton and Ripon had significantly lower than national average unemployment (3.8%) in November 2012.^[3]

History

The constituency was created in 1983 from the parts of the former seats of Skipton and Ripon within the county of North Yorkshire.

Before the 2024 election, it was one of the safest seats in England, formed from an area with a long history of Conservative representation and with a large majority of its electorate having in the last election voted Conservative. It was also the constituency in 1992 that when declared, saw the Conservatives gain the 4th straight majority since 1979 and John Major re-elected as Prime Minister.

In 2024, the Conservative majority over Labour was cut from 40.4% to 3.1%.

Boundaries

Historic

1983–1997: The District of Craven, and the Borough of Harrogate wards of Almscliffe, Bishop Monkton, Boroughbridge, Fountains, Killinghall, Kirkby Malzeard, Lower Nidderdale, Mashamshire, Newby, Nidd Valley, Pateley Bridge, Ripon East, Ripon West, Wathvale, and Wharfedale Moors.

1997–2010: The District of Craven, and the Borough of Harrogate wards of Almscliffe, Bishop Monkton, Fountains, Killinghall, Kirkby Malzeard, Lower Nidderdale, Mashamshire, Nidd Valley, Pateley Bridge, Ripon East, Ripon West, and Wharfedale Moors.

2010–2024: The District of Craven, and the Borough of Harrogate wards of Bishop Monkton, Kirkby Malzeard, Lower Nidderdale, Mashamshire, Newby, Nidd Valley, Pateley Bridge, Ripon Minster, Ripon Moorside, Ripon Spa, Washburn, and Wathvale.

Current

Under the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

• The District of Craven.
• The Borough of Harrogate wards of: Fountains & Ripley; Masham & Kirkby Malzeard; Nidd Valley; Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale Moors; Ripon Minster; Ripon Moorside; Ripon Spa; Ripon Ure Bank; Washburn; Wathvale.^[4]

Minor changes to take account of changes to ward boundaries in the Borough of Harrogate.

However, before the new boundaries came into effect, the District of Craven and the Borough of Harrogate were abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of North Yorkshire with effect from 1 April 2023.^[5] Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

• The District of North Yorkshire electoral districts of: Aire Valley; Bentham & Ingleton; Glusburn, Cross Hills & Sutton-in-Craven; Masham & Fountains; Mid Craven; Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale; Ripon Minster & Moorside; Ripon Ure Bank & Spa; Settle & Penyghent; Skipton East & South; Skipton North & Embsay-with-Eastby; Skipton West & West Craven; Washburn & Birstwith; Wathvale & Bishop Monkton (part); Wharfedale.^[6]

Members of Parliament

Election		Member[7]	Party
	1983	John Watson	Conservative
	1987	David Curry	Conservative
	2010	Julian Smith	Conservative

Elections

Skipton and Ripon election results

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Skipton and Ripon^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Julian Smith	18,833	35.2	−23.7
	Labour	Malcolm Birks	17,183	32.1	+12.9
	Reform UK	Simon Garvey	8,516	15.9	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Murday	4,194	7.8	−7.4
	Green	Andy Brown	3,446	6.4	+1.7
	Yorkshire	Ryan Kett	627	1.2	−0.8
	Independent	Keith Graham Tordoff	493	0.9	N/A
	Heritage	Guy Phoenix	158	0.3	N/A
Majority			1,650	3.1	−37.3
Turnout			53,450	67.4	−6.6
Registered electors			79,251
	Conservative hold		Swing	−18.3

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[9]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	33,416	58.9
	Labour	10,899	19.2
	Liberal Democrats	8,634	15.2
	Green	2,693	4.7
	Others	1,131	2.0
Turnout		56,773	74.0
Electorate		76,758

General election 2019: Skipton and Ripon^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Julian Smith	34,919	59.5	−3.2
	Labour	Brian McDaid	11,225	19.1	−9.2
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Murday	8,701	14.8	N/A
	Green	Andy Brown	2,748	4.7	−1.7
	Yorkshire	Jack Render	1,131	1.9	−0.7
Majority			23,694	40.4	+6.0
Turnout			58,724	74.6	+0.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+3.0

General election 2017: Skipton and Ripon^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Julian Smith	36,425	62.7	+7.3
	Labour	Alan Woodhead	16,440	28.3	+10.9
	Green	Andy Brown	3,734	6.4	+0.7
	Yorkshire	Jack Render	1,539	2.6	N/A
Majority			19,985	34.4	−3.6
Turnout			58,138	74.4	+6.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	−1.8

In 2017, the Liberal Democrats stood aside and endorsed the Green Party.^[12]

General election 2015: Skipton and Ripon^[13][14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Julian Smith	30,248	55.4	+4.8
	Labour	Malcolm Birks	9,487	17.4	+7.4
	UKIP	Alan Henderson	7,651	14.0	+10.5
	Liberal Democrats	Jacquie Bell	4,057	7.4	−25.0
	Green	Andy Brown	3,116	5.7	N/A
Majority			20,761	38.0	+19.8
Turnout			54,559	71.6	+0.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	−1.2

General election 2010: Skipton and Ripon^[15][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Julian Smith	27,685	50.6	+0.6
	Liberal Democrats	Helen Flynn	17,735	32.4	+5.8
	Labour	Claire Hazelgrove	5,498	10.0	−8.2
	UKIP	Rodney Mills	1,909	3.5	−1.1
	BNP	Bernard Allen	1,403	2.6	N/A
	Independent	Roger Bell	315	0.6	N/A
	The Youth Party	Dylan Gilligan	95	0.2	N/A
	Virtue Currency Cognitive Appraisal Party	Bob Leakey	84	0.2	−0.4
Majority			9,950	18.2	−4.8
Turnout			54,724	70.7	+4.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	−2.6

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Skipton and Ripon^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Curry	25,100	49.7	−2.7
	Liberal Democrats	Paul English	13,480	26.7	+0.6
	Labour	Paul Baptie	9,393	18.6	+1.2
	UKIP	Ian Bannister	2,274	4.5	+0.3
	Virtue Currency Cognitive Appraisal Party	Bob Leakey	274	0.5	N/A
Majority			11,620	23.0	−3.3
Turnout			50,521	72.6	+6.5
	Conservative hold		Swing

General election 2001: Skipton and Ripon^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Curry	25,736	52.4	+5.9
	Liberal Democrats	Bernard Bateman	12,806	26.1	+0.9
	Labour	Michael Dugher	8,543	17.4	−5.0
	UKIP	Nancy Holdsworth	2,041	4.2	N/A
Majority			12,930	26.3	+5.0
Turnout			49,126	66.1	−8.6
	Conservative hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Skipton and Ripon^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Curry	25,294	46.5	−11.9
	Liberal Democrats	Thomas Mould	13,674	25.2	−1.8
	Labour	Robert Marchant	12,171	22.4	+7.8
	Referendum	Nancy Holdsworth	3,212	5.9	N/A
Majority			11,620	21.3	−10.1
Turnout			54,351	74.7	−6.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	−5.1

General election 1992: Skipton and Ripon^[20][21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Curry	35,937	58.4	−0.6
	Liberal Democrats	Richard Hall	16,607	27.0	−1.4
	Labour	Katharine Allott	8,978	14.6	+3.4
Majority			19,330	31.4	+0.8
Turnout			61,522	81.3	+3.5
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.4

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Skipton and Ripon^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Curry	33,128	59.0	−1.6
	Liberal	Stephen Cooksey	15,954	28.4	−3.2
	Labour	Timothy Whitfield	6,264	11.2	+3.4
	Green	Linda Williams	825	1.5	N/A
Majority			17,174	30.6	+1.6
Turnout			56,171	77.8	+2.9
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.9

General election 1983: Skipton and Ripon^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	John Watson	31,509	60.6
	Liberal	Claire Brooks	16,463	31.6
	Labour	Margaret Billing	4,044	7.8
Majority			15,046	29.0
Turnout			52,016	74.9
	Conservative win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in North Yorkshire
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the Yorkshire and the Humber (region)

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.