Wigan is a constituency in Greater Manchester, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The seat has been represented by Lisa Nandy of the Labour Party since 2010. Nandy currently serves as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under the government of Keir Starmer.
History
Wigan was incorporated as a borough on 26 August 1246, after the issue of a charter by Henry III. In 1295 and January 1307 Wigan was one of the significant places called upon to send a representative, then known as a 'burgess', to the Model Parliament. However, for the remainder of the medieval period the seat was not summoned to send an official despite being one of only four boroughs in Lancashire possessing Royal Charters; the others were Lancaster, Liverpool and Preston. This changed in the Tudor period with Henry VIII's grant of two Members of Parliament to the town.
Following the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, single-member constituencies were imposed nationwide, meaning the seat saw a reduction of the number of its members.
The death of Roger Stott in office in 1999 made him the fourth Wigan MP in the twentieth century to die in office (uniquely for a constituency in the United Kingdom); the others were John Parkinson, Ronald Williams and William Foster.
Political history Wigan is considered a safe seat given that it has been held by the Labour Party since 1918, with vote shares ranging from 46.7% in 2019 to 72.9% in 1966.
Prominent frontbenchers Member of ParliamentNotability William Ewart Carried the Hanging in Chains Act 1834, abolishing hanging in chains Carried a bill in 1837 to abolish capital punishment for cattle-stealing and similar offences Carried the Public Libraries Act 1850, establishing free libraries supported out of public rates Instrumental in the passage of the Metric Weights and Measures Act 1864 Algernon Egerton Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (1874–80) Alan Fitch Vice-Chamberlain of the Household (1968–70)Roger Stott Joint Chairman of the Council for Arab-British Understanding Parliamentary Private Secretary to James Callaghan (1976–79) Lisa Nandy Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under Keir Starmer 2020 Labour Party leadership election contender who placed third.
Boundaries 1832–1918: The Township of Wigan.Parliamentary Boundaries Act 1832 In 1835 Wigan became a Municipal borough, using the then current Parliamentary boundaries of the Township.Municipal Corporations Act 1835 In 1888 Wigan Municipal Borough became the County Borough of Wigan on the same boundaries.Local Government Act 1888 In 1904 Pemberton Urban District was dissolved, with the area covered by it becoming part of the County Borough of Wigan.A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4 However, for Parliamentary purposes, that area remained part of South-West Lancashire, Ince DivisionRedistribution of Seats Act 1885 until the Parliamentary boundaries were redefined in 1918.Representation of the People Act 1918Local Administrative Units: Northern England, Frederic A. Youngs, Jr, Royal Historical Society, 1991
1918–1983: The County Borough of WiganRepresentation of the People Act 1948Boundary Commission for England: First Periodical ReportBoundary Commission for England: Second Periodical Report In 1974 the County Borough of Wigan was abolished and superseded by the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, covering a far greater area.Local Government Act 1972 However, the boundary of the Parliamentary Constituency of Wigan remained unchanged until 1983, when it was expanded to cover the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough.Boundary Commission for England: Third Periodical Report
1983–1997: The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan wards of Aspull-Standish, Beech Hill, Ince, Langtree, Newtown, Norley, Swinley, Whelley.
1997–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan wards of Aspull-Standish, Beech Hill, Langtree, Newtown, Norley, Swinley, Whelley.Boundary Commission for England: Fourth Periodical Report In 2004, new ward boundaries in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan came in to effect. However, the Parliamentary boundaries remained unchanged until they were reviewed and adjusted to line up with the new ward boundaries in 2010.Boundary Commission for England: Fifth Periodical Report
2010–present: The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan wards of Aspull, New Springs and Whelley; Douglas; Ince; Pemberton; Shevington with Lower Ground; Standish with Langtree; Wigan Central; Wigan West.
The 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.
Constituency profile The seat is productive and has excellent links to Manchester, as well as close links to the M6, which lies just within its western border. However, over the past century, Wigan has witnessed a fall in manufacturing, particularly in the production of textiles, which have been unable to compete with the Indian subcontinent and the Far East. Another industry which has suffered is coal mining, which had been a large employer in this part of Lancashire up until the mid-20th century. There are some industrial areas remaining in and around the town centre. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal flows through the town, including the famous Wigan Pier area.
As of May 2018, the rate of JSA and Universal Credit claimants was 3.9%, higher than the national average of 2.8% and regional average of 3.7%, based on a statistical compilation by the House of Commons Library. The constituency also includes more desirable semi-rural residential villages to the north of Wigan town centre, such as Standish, which are relatively more affluent.
Members of Parliament MPs 1295–1640
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member 1295 William le Teinterer Henry le Bocher 1306–7 (Jan) Simon Payer John de Mersee 1307–1545No Members returned to Parliament 1545 Thomas Chaloner John Eston 1547 (Nov) Alexander Barlowe Thomas Carus 1552–3 (Mar) Alexander Barlowe Gilbert Gerard 1553 (Oct) Alexander Barlowe Gilbert Gerard 1554 (Apr) Alexander Barlowe William Barnes 1554 (Nov) Alexander Barlowe John Barnes 1555 Alexander BarloweGilbert Gerard 1558 Ralph Barton Thomas Smith 1559 (Jan) William Gerard II Thomas Bromley 1562–3 (Mar) William Gerard II John Ratcliffe 1571 William Gerard II Owen Ratcliffe 1572 Edward Fitton (the younger) on Queen's Service and repl. 1581 by Richard Molyneux Edward Elrington 1584 (Nov) Thomas Grimsditch William Gerard III 1586 William Gerard III Peter Legh 1588 (Dec) Peter Legh William Leycester 1593 William Gerard III Michael Heneage 1597 (Oct) Edward Legh Nicholas Smyth 1601 (Oct) Roger Downes John Pulteney 1604 Sir William Cooke Sir John Pulteney 1614 Sir Gilbert Gerard Sir Richard Molyneux 1621 Sir Thomas Gerard, 1st Baronet (died and replaced 1621 by George Garrard) Roger Downes 1624 Sir Anthony St John Francis Downes 1625 Francis Downes Edward Bridgeman 1626Sir Anthony St John Sir William Pooley 1628 Edward Bridgeman Sir Anthony St John 1629–1640No Parliaments convened
MPs 1640–1885
YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond partyApril 1640Orlando BridgemanRoyalistAlexander RigbyParliamentarianNovember 1640May 1642Bridgeman expelled – seat vacant1646John HolcroftDecember 1648Holcroft excluded in Pride's Purge – seat vacantAugust 1650Rigby died – seat vacant1653Wigan was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the ProtectorateJanuary 1659Robert MarklandHugh ForthMay 1659Not represented in the restored RumpApril 1660 William Gardiner Hugh Forth October 1660 John Molyneux Roger Stoughton 1661 The Earl of Ancram Geoffrey Shakerley February 1679 Roger Bradshaigh September 1679 William Banks 1681 Viscount Colchester 1685 Lord Charles Murray 1689 Sir Edward Chisenhall William Banks 1690 Sir Richard Standish Peter Shakerley 1694 John Byrom 1695 Sir Roger Bradshaigh Tory 1698 Orlando Bridgeman 1701 Sir Alexander Rigby 1702 Orlando Bridgeman 1705 Brigadier Emanuel Howe Whig 1708 Major Henry Bradshaigh 1713 George Kenyon 1715 The Earl of Barrymore 1727 Peter Bold Tory 1734 The Earl of Barrymore March 1747 Richard Clayton June 1747 Hon. Richard Barry 1754 Sir William Meredith Tory 1761 Fletcher Norton Simon Luttrell 1768 George Byng Beaumont Hotham 1775 John Morton ToryAugust 1780 Henry Simpson Bridgeman September 1780 Hon. Horatio Walpole Tory 1782 John Cotes Tory 1784 Orlando BridgemanThe Honourable Orlando Bridgeman from 1796 Tory 1800 George Gunning 1802 John Hodson Tory Sir Robert Holt Leigh Tory 1820 James Alexander Hodson Tory Lord Lindsay Tory 1825 Lieutenant-Colonel James Lindsay ToryMarch 1831 John Hodson Kearsley ToryMay 1831 Ralph Thicknesse Whig 1832 Richard Potter Radical 1835 John Hodson Kearsley Conservative 1837 Charles Strickland Standish Whig 1839 William Ewart Radical 1841 Peter Greenall Conservative Thomas Bright CrosseOn petition, the election of Crosse was declared void and after scrutiny of the votes his opponent, Standish, was declared duly elected. Conservative 1842 Charles Strickland Standish Whig 1845 Hon. James Lindsay Conservative 1847 Ralph Anthony Thicknesse Whig 1854 Joseph Acton Whig 1857 Francis Powell Conservative Henry WoodsWhig 1859 Hon. James Lindsay Conservative Liberal 1866 Nathaniel Eckersley Conservative 1868 John Lancaster Liberal 1874 Lord Lindsay Conservative Thomas Knowles Conservative 1881 Francis PowellOn petition, Powell's election was declared void and the writ was suspended. The following year a new writ was issued and a by-election was held Conservative 1881Writ suspended following corrupt election – seat vacantDecember 1882 Hon. Algernon Egerton Conservative 1883 Nathaniel Eckersley Conservative1885 Representation reduced to one member
MPs since 1885 ElectionMemberParty 1885 Sir Francis Powell Conservative 1910 (January) Henry Twist Labour 1910 (December) Reginald Neville Conservative 1918 John Parkinson Labour 1942 by-election William Foster Labour 1948 by-election Ronald Williams Labour 1958 by-election Alan Fitch Labour 1983 Roger Stott Labour 1999 by-election Neil Turner Labour 2010 Lisa Nandy Labour
Notes
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
General Election 1914–15:
Another 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; Unionist: Reginald Neville Labour: Henry Twist
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1880s
Caused by Knowles' death.
Caused by the previous election being declared void on petition.
Caused by Lindsay's elevation to the peerage, becoming Earl of Crawford and Balcarres. This by-election was later voided on petition.
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1860s
Caused by Lindsay's resignation due to prolonged service in Canada in the British Army."Election Intelligence." Times [London, England] 27 March 1866: 5. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 29 September 2013.
Elections in the 1850s
Caused by Thicknesse's death.
Elections in the 1840s
Caused by Greenall's death.
After the 1841 election, Crosse was unseated on petition and Standish was declared elected in his place on 11 April 1842.
Elections in the 1830s
Caused by Potter's resignation
Caused by Hodson's resignation
See also List of parliamentary constituencies in Greater Manchester
Notes
References
Sources