Manchester Gorton (UK Parliament constituency)

Manchester Gorton was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was the safest Labour seat in Greater Manchester by numerical majority and one of the safest in the country.

Manchester Gorton was abolished for the 2024 general election. It will be split into the new constituencies of Manchester Rusholme and Gorton and Denton.

Constituency profile

The seat covered Gorton, Fallowfield, Levenshulme, Longsight, Rusholme and Whalley Range to the south and east of the city centre, which are diverse and liberal suburbs, with some levels of deprivation such as in Longsight. Most housing is made of red brick terraced houses. There is a large student population, particularly in Fallowfield which includes several halls of residence and private rented houses serving students of Manchester's large universities, though the universities’ campuses are in Manchester Central. The seat includes the Curry Mile of takeaways and restaurants, Gorton Monastery, and small urban parks such as Debdale Park and Platt Fields Park.

The seat was ethnically diverse and its residents were less wealthy than the UK average.

History

The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 divided the existing seat of South East Lancashire into eight single-member constituencies. The Gorton Division (of Lancashire) was one of these seats. It was renamed the Gorton Division of Manchester in 1918: the area had been incorporated as part of the County Borough of Manchester in 1890.

Manchester Gorton has returned MPs from the Labour Party since 1935, with majorities exceeding 17% since 1979. The 2015 general election result made the seat the eighth-safest of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.

From 1983 to 2017, Sir Gerald Kaufman, Father of the House of Commons, represented the constituency. His death in February 2017 triggered a by-election which was due to be held on 4 May 2017, but this was subsequently countermanded (that is, cancelled) after the House of Commons voted for a snap general election to be held on 8 June 2017. At that election, the Conservatives returned their lowest vote share for any seat in Great Britain, at 7.3%. The newly-elected MP, Afzal Khan became an opposition frontbencher. In 2019, he was re-elected with a commanding lead over the Conservatives, their vote share still in single digits. Khan remained on the frontbench until November 2023.

Boundaries

File:ManchesterGorton1974Constituency.svg

Manchester Gorton in Lancashire, boundaries used 1974–1983

1885–1918: The Gorton Division of the parliamentary county of South East Lancashire was defined as consisting of the parishes of Denton, Haughton, and Openshaw, and the parish of Gorton (except for the detached part in the parliamentary borough of Manchester).

The constituency comprised an area bounded on the west by the city of Manchester and to the east and south by the county boundary with Cheshire.

In 1890, Manchester's municipal boundaries were extended to include Gorton and Openshaw, although constituency boundaries remained unchanged until 1918. Prior to 1918 the constituency consisted of four wards: Gorton North, Gorton South, Openshaw and St. Mark's.

1918–1950: The Gorton division of the parliamentary borough of Manchester was defined as consisting of the Gorton North, Gorton South and Openshaw wards of the county borough of Manchester.

The Representation of the People Act 1918 reorganised parliamentary seats throughout Great Britain. The redistribution reflected the boundary changes of 1890, with Gorton becoming a division of the parliamentary borough of Manchester. Denton and Haughton, which together had formed Denton Urban District in 1894, were transferred to the Mossley Division of Lancashire.

1950–1955: The borough constituency of Manchester, Gorton was defined as consisting of the Gorton North, Gorton South, Levenshulme and Openshaw wards of the county borough of Manchester.

The next redrawing of English constituencies was effected by the Representation of the People Act 1948. The Act introduced the term "borough constituency". Levenshulme was transferred from the abolished Manchester Rusholme seat. The revised boundaries were first used at the 1950 general election.

1955–1974: The Gorton North and Gorton South wards of the county borough of Manchester, and the urban districts of Audenshaw and Denton.

In 1955 boundary changes were made based on the recommendations of the Boundary Commission appointed under the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949. Levenshulme passed to Manchester Withington while Openshaw formed the core of a new Manchester Openshaw seat.

1974–1983: The Gorton North and Gorton South wards of the county borough of Manchester, and the urban districts of Audenshaw and Denton.

The Boundary Commission for England proposed no change to the constituency at the Second Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, but later went on to propose a minor amendment to the constituency to meet new ward boundaries in Manchester.

1983–2010: The Fallowfield, Gorton North, Gorton South, Levenshulme, Longsight and Rusholme wards of the City of Manchester.

The 1983 redistribution of seats reflected local government reforms made in 1974. Manchester Gorton became a borough constituency in the parliamentary county of Greater Manchester. The constituency was unaltered at the next redistribution prior to the 1997 general election.

2010–2024: The Fallowfield, Gorton North, Gorton South, Levenshulme, Longsight, Rusholme and Whalley Range wards of the City of Manchester.

In 2018 the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) implemented changes to Manchester's electoral wards including the merging of Gorton North and Gorton South to create a new ward, Gorton and Abbey Hey. For the purposes of parliamentary elections the 2004–2018 ward boundaries are used.

Abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished prior to the 2024 general election, with its contents split in two:

• Gorton, Levenshulme and Longsight to be included with the town of Denton in a new constituency called Gorton and Denton
• Fallowfield, Rusholme and Whalley Range to form part of the re-established constituency of Manchester Rusholme

Members of Parliament

Year	Member	Party		Notes
1885	Richard Peacock	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1889 by-election	William Mather	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1895	Ernest Hatch	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1905		REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	Hatch crossed the floor
1906	John Hodge	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1923	Joseph Compton	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1931	Eric Bailey	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1935	Joseph Compton	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1937 by-election	William Wedgewood Benn	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1942 by-election	William Oldfield	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1955	Konni Zilliacus	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1967 by-election	Kenneth Marks	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
1983	Sir Gerald Kaufman	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	Died February 2017; by-election was called, but countermanded due to snap general election.
2017	Afzal Khan	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	Shadow Deputy House of Commons Leader, 2020–2021

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Sebastian Lowe	4,244	9.5
		Jackie Pearcey	2,448	5.5
		Eliza Tyrrell	1,697	3.8
		Lesley Kaya	1,573	3.5
Majority			30,339	68.1
Turnout			44,545	58.5
	hold		Swing	−0.5

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General election 2017: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Shaden Jaradat	3,355	7.3
		George Galloway	2,615	5.7
		Jackie Pearcey	2,597	5.7
		Jess Mayo	1,038	2.3
		Phil Eckersley	952	2.1
		Kemi Abidogun	233	0.5
		David Hopkins	51	0.1
		Peter Clifford	27	0.1
Majority			31,730	69.0
Turnout			45,953	61.0
	hold		Swing	+5.9

These are the same as the candidates who were to stand at the cancelled 2017 by-election, except for an Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidate and another independent, who did not stand at the general election.

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General election 2015: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Laura Bannister	4,108	9.8
		Mohammed Afzal	4,063	9.7
		Phil Eckersley	3,434	8.2
		Dave Page	1,782	4.2
		Simon Hickman	264	0.6
		Cris Chesha	181	0.4
Majority			24,079	57.3
Turnout			42,019	57.6
	hold		Swing	+5.0

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General election 2010: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Qassim Afzal	12,508	32.6
		Caroline Healy	4,224	11.0
		Justine Hall	1,048	2.7
		Mohammed Zulfikar	507	1.3
		Karen Reissman	337	0.9
		Peter Harrison	254	0.7
		Tim Dobson	236	0.6
Majority			6,703	17.5
Turnout			38,325	50.5
	hold		Swing	−1.1

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Qassim Afzal	9,672	33.2
		Amanda Byrne	2,848	9.8
		Gregg Beaman	783	2.7
		Dan Waller	181	0.6
	Resolutionist Party	Matthew Kay	159	0.5
Majority			5,808	20.0
Turnout			29,123	45.0
	hold		Swing	−10.8

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General election 2001: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Jackie Pearcey	5,795	21.3
		Christopher Causer	2,705	9.9
		Bruce Bingham	835	3.1
		Rashid Bhatti	462	1.7
		Kirsty Muir	333	1.2
Majority			11,304	41.5
Turnout			27,229	42.7
	hold		Swing	−3.2

Elections in the 1990s

Changes in vote compared with notional figures for 1992 election following boundary changes.

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General election 1997: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Jackie Pearcey	6,362	17.5
		Guy Senior	4,249	11.7
		Kevin Hartley	812	2.2
		Spencer FitzGibbon	683	1.9
		Trevor Wongsam	501	1.4
Majority			17,342	47.8
Turnout			36,311	55.6
	hold		Swing

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General election 1992: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Jonathan Bullock	7,392	19.5
		Phil Harris	5,327	14.0
		Terry Henderson	767	2.0
		Mike Daw	595	1.6
		Pam Lawrence	108	0.3
		Philip D. Mitchell	84	0.2
	International Communist	Colleen E. Smith	30	0.1
Majority			16,279	42.8
Turnout			37,974	60.8
	hold		Swing	+5.9

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Kershaw	10,550	23.3
		Keith Whitmore	9,830	21.7
		Pam Lawrence	253	0.6
Majority			14,065	31.1
Turnout			45,248	70.4
	hold		Swing

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General election 1983: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Kershaw	12,495	28.5
		Keith Whitmore	8,348	19.0
		Malcolm Cowle	333	0.8
		Leslie Andrews	231	0.5
Majority			9,965	22.7
Turnout			43,867	67.9
	hold		Swing

Gerald Kaufman had been the MP for the Manchester Ardwick constituency, which had been abolished for this election, since 1970.

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Michael Lord	16,009	38.5
		Graham Shaw	2,867	6.9
		Richard Chadfield	469	1.1
Majority			6,284	15.1
Turnout			41,638	77.2
	hold		Swing

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General election October 1974: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Stephen Waley-Cohen	12,423	31.30
		A. Cottam	5,984	15.08
Majority			8,864	22.33
Turnout			39,694	70.94
	hold		Swing

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General election February 1974: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Stephen Waley-Cohen	13,300	30.59
		Robert Brooks	7,906	18.18
Majority			8,976	20.64
Turnout			43,482	78.35
	hold		Swing

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General election 1970: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John A. Kevill	17,594	39.73
		James M. Ashley	3,013	6.80
Majority			6,085	13.74
Turnout			44,376	71.90
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

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1967 Manchester Gorton by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Winston Churchill	18,682	44.51
		Terry Lacey	2,471	5.89
		John Creasey	1,123	2.68
		Victor Eddisford	437	1.04
Majority			557	1.38
Turnout			41,972
	hold		Swing

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General election 1966: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ian Keith Paley	16,418	39.90
Majority			8,308	20.20
Turnout			41,144	72.56
	hold		Swing

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General election 1964: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Edwin Hodson	19,465	44.89
Majority			4,430	10.22
Turnout			43,360	76.44
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1959: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Henry Donald Moore	22,480	49.06
Majority			857	1.88
Turnout			45,817	82.04
	hold		Swing

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General election 1955: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		K. Bruce Campbell	20,833	49.68
Majority			269	0.64
Turnout			41,935	76.49
	hold		Swing

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General election 1951: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Squire Horace Garlick	20,815	41.98
Majority			7,948	16.04
Turnout			49,578	82.31
	hold		Swing

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General election 1950: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		James Watts	18,564	36.47
		Abram Maxwell Caplin	3,377	6.63
		Syd Abbott	873	1.72
Majority			9,524	18.71
Turnout			50,902	85.49
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1940s

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General election 1945: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Harry Sharp	10,799	30.95
Majority			13,296	38.10
Turnout			34,894	75.53
	hold

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1942 Manchester Gorton by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	hold

Elections in the 1930s

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1937 Manchester Gorton by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Alexander Spearman	13,091	42.31
Majority			4,758	15.38
Turnout			30,940
	hold		Swing

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General election 1935: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Eric Bailey	15,833	44.14
Majority			4,206	11.72
Turnout			35,872	77.12
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

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General election 1931: Manchester, Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Joseph Compton	16,316	42.3
		Chris Flanagan	1,000	2.6
Majority			4,912	12.8
Turnout			38,544	81.9
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1929: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Alfred Critchley	10,664	29.5
		Beatrice Annie Bayfield	3,385	9.4
Majority			11,392	31.6
Turnout			36,105	81.5
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	+9.8

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General election 1924: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		B.C. Sellars	12,898	44.0
Majority			3,485	12.0
Turnout			29,281	80.5
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	−4.0

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General election 1923: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		William Heap	10,702	40.0
Majority			5,378	20.0
Turnout			26,782	74.5
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	+4.0

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General election 1922: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		William Heap	13,057	46.4
Majority			2,001	7.2
Turnout			28,115	79.0
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	N/A

Election in 1918

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General election 1918: Manchester Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Henry White	5,005	25.9
		J. T. Murphy	1,300	6.7
Majority			8,042	41.5
Turnout			19,352	58.0
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	N/A

• Although Hodge was a member of the Coalition Government, no official Coalition Government endorsement was sent to any candidate

Election results for South-East Lancashire, Gorton Division

Elections in the 1910s

Expected General Election 1914–15: Under the terms of the Parliament Act 1911 a General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

• Labour: John Hodge
• Unionist: Fred H Carter

In the event, the election was postponed on the outbreak of the Great War.

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General election December 1910: Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Henry White	7,187	47.8
Majority			653	4.4
Turnout			15,027	82.7
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	+0.6

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General election January 1910: Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Henry White	7,334	48.4
Majority			473	3.2
Turnout			15,141	83.3
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	−14.8

Elections in the 1900s

File:John Hodge.JPG

Hodge

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General election 1906: Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		SW Royce	4,341	33.6
Majority			4,225	32.8
Turnout			12,907	78.0
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing	+18.8

Hatch crossed the floor of the House of Commons to sit with the Liberals, around February 1905.

File:W. Ward.jpg

Ward

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General election 1900: Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		W. Ward	5,241	47.6
Majority			520	4.8
Turnout			11,002	75.8
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing

Elections in the 1890s

File:Ernest Hatch.jpg

Hatch

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General election 1895: Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Richard Pankhurst	4,261	42.1
Majority			1,604	15.8
Turnout			10,126	78.1
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	gain from Template:Yesno		Swing

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General election 1892: Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ernest Hatch	5,033	48.9
Majority			222	2.2
Turnout			10,288	87.3
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	−1.5

Elections in the 1880s

File:William Mather.jpg

Mather

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By-election, 22 Mar 1889: Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ernest Hatch	4,309	45.5
Majority			846	9.0
Turnout			9,464	88.7
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	+1.9

• Caused by Peacock's death.

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General election 1886: Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Arthur George Egerton	4,135	47.4
Majority			457	5.2
Turnout			8,727	84.4
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	hold		Swing	−8.0

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General election 1885: Gorton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Daniel Irvine Flattely	3,452	39.4
Majority			1,848	21.2
Turnout			8,752	84.7
Registered electors			Template:Ifnumber
	win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Greater Manchester

External links

• Manchester, Gorton UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Manchester, Gorton UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK