SUMMER 2010

NED TRIBUNE         

The General Election and beyond

The East Midlands

After thirteen years in government, and on the back of the worldwide recession caused by the banking crisis, this was always going to be a difficult election for Labour. And so it proved. We worked hard to make sure that we won in North East Derbyshire and we had cause to celebrate winning Chesterfield back after eight years. It was great to get the letter from Toby Perkins (MP!) thanking Natascha for hers and our help in the Chesterfield campaign. But the results in the North East Midlands area were, generally, disappointing. The regional swing against the Party was 6.9%, well above the national swing of 5.6%.

North East Derbyshire

Historically, in 1983 the majority in the seat was only just over 2000 and in 1987 just over 3000. On both these occasions the SDP polled significantly below the 2010 LibDem level of 23%. North East Derbyshire witnessed a significantly higher level of LibDem support than most other seats except Ashfield however this has built over a longer period and was not the result of a dynamic swing.

When compared with other seats North East Derbyshire performed slightly better. The drop in Labour support, while significant, was below that of other ex-mining areas. The swing against Labour, at 8.6%, is in line with marginal seats that had seen a lot of work and below traditional seats where campaigning activity is less. It was well above the regional average.

The level of Conservative support remained well below the 40% level that was needed in other seats to win.

Conclusion for North East Derbyshire

The result was in keeping with the regional and national picture. It was better than many comparative heartland seats, in line with some marginal seats, but well below those with a history of high levels of campaign activity by the Labour Party. The seat is where it was at historically low levels of national Labour support but with a slightly larger LibDem vote than at those times. The Conservatives remain some way off the threshold needed to take the seat.

On the horizon

In 2011 we have District and Borough Council elections and this will be the first major electoral test for the ConDem coalition as well as our opportunity to focus on issues of local importance. We recently gained a NEDDC seat from the LibDems, in Holmewood and Heath, and won another in Brimington South, from them, in Chesterfield on 6 May. There is every chance of increasing the majority on North East Derbyshire and gaining Chesterfield is well within our reach.

Labour Party Leadership

Nominations are now open for the election of a new Party Leader following Gordon Brown’s resignation after the formation of the ConDem coalition. Once the nominations are in, from the Parliamentary Labour Party, there is an opportunity for supporting nominations up to 26 July. The ballot will take place between 16 August and 22 September and the result should be announced on 25 September which is the eve of National Conference in Manchester.

There will be a series of hustings events organised around the country and we are hoping to host one in Chesterfield so you should get a chance to listen to the candidates and put questions to them.

You will have to have been a member of the Party on or before 8 September to be eligible to vote in the contest.

Membership

Over 13,000 people have joined, or rejoined, Labour since the General Election. We know of quite a few new members in NE Derbyshire. A warm welcome to all!

The history of the Labour Party in North East Derbyshire

Part four of our serial feature by Harry Barnes.

Labour burst onto the local political scene in 1909 when the Derbyshire Miners’ Association (DMA) joined the Labour Party and the three parliamentary seats which cut into the current boundaries of NE Derbyshire each acquired a Labour MP. Yet due to two deaths and a defection, Labour had lost all three seats by 1915 and it was not until 1922 that it was again successful.

New parliamentary boundaries and the first votes for women were introduced in 1918. The three seats which cut into our current Constituency Boundaries were then Chesterfield, North Eastern Derbyshire and Clay Cross.

Until 1929, the Chesterfield Constituency (which included the arrears of our current West Branch, Grassmoor and New Whittington) underwent one of its periods of Liberal control. This occurred because their MP Barnet Kenyon defected to the Liberals, although he had been a leader of the DMA.

The Clay Cross Constituency contained an area dominated by pits, including North Wingfield, Tupton, Holmewood, Pilsley, Stonebroom and Clay Cross itself. Frank Hall of the DMA stood in 1918, taking 45.9% of the vote. He lost due to the fact that the Tories united behind a Liberal Coalition candidate who supported the continuation of the Lloyd George Coalition after the war. A victorious Coalition which came to be dominated by Conservatives.

Labour, however, took the seat in 1922 and it became one of the strongest Labour seats in the country until its abolition in 1950. When Labour suffered a massive collapse in 1931 following the economic crisis and Ramsay MacDonald its leader defecting to form a National Government, Labour still held Clay Cross by 9,552. This was a considerable majority as the Labour Party nationally lost no less than 236 out of 288 seats.

In this period, North East Derbyshire incorporated Dronfield, Eckington, Killamarsh and Staveley. It also spread over into Clowne, Barlborough, Bolsover and areas which were later moved into Sheffield. In dramatic circumstances it went Labour in 1922.  The Labour candidate Frank Lee was an official of the DMA. He failed narrowly to take the seat in 1918, when he stood as one of the early advocates of the nationalisation of the coal industry.

The contest of 1922 could not have been closer. Recounts took place. On the second count Labour’s majority was two. After the sixth recount, the boxes were sealed and. fresh counting clerks were employed. This still did not resolve the matter. As there was still no agreement about the result, it went before the King’s Bench Division of the Courts. Lee was belatedly declared the winner by 15 votes and entered the Commons five months after the count.

In all Frank Lee fought 7 General Elections for Labour, losing in 1918 and again in 1931. He served a total of 16 years as an MP until his death in 1942. When Chesterfield finally returned to Labour in 1929 with the election of George Benson   he went on to serve as their MP for a total of no less than 31 years in spite of his defeat in 1931. Yet as we shall see next time, Clay Cross had no-less than 5 Labour Members within a spell of only 11 years. One of whom had been General Secretary of the Labour Party, its Parliamentary Leader and whilst he was their MP he received the Nobel Peace Prize.

If you have enjoyed this article, the first three installments are still available at www.nedlab.org.uk

New website

As well as www.nedlab.org.uk and www.nataschaengelmp.org.uk there is a new site, to add to your favourites, courtesy of Derbyshire County Labour Party, at www.derbyshirelabour.co.uk

NED Tribune

We produce the members’ newsletter four times a year. If you would like anything to be considered for inclusion in the autumn edition, please email it as a word document to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by 29 August. It would be great to hear from you.