Election 97

Gloucester

Current MP Douglas French
Conservative 97 20,684
Labour 97 28,943
LibDem 97 6,069
Nationalist 97 0
Other 97 736
Elected party
Gloucester

Robert Waller wrote
Old constituency Gloucester
Conservative 92 28,274
Labour 92 22,867
LibDem 92 10,961
Nationalist 92 0
Other 92 0
Elected party Conservative

The Conservatives did not do very well in Gloucestershire in 1992. In addition to losing Cheltenham to the Liberal Democrats, and going backwards in West Gloucestershire (which is likely to become a Labour seat under the new name of Forest of Dean), their lead was halved in the county town of Gloucester, where Labour's vote increased by over 7 per cent.

What is more, the recent boundary changes do not help the Conservative defence of Gloucester. With some extraneous villages removed, the constituency is reduced to being identical with the area covered by Gloucester City Council. This means that Labour only need a further swing of 4.5 per cent to take Gloucester, equivalent to a national Labour lead of only a percentage point or two. Labour have not held the seat since 1970, but did win it in every election between 1945 and 1966. The city is mixed, with inner terraces and peripheral council estates, such as Matson, matched by middle-class residential areas such as Longlevens, Hucclecote and Barnwood. The contest in Gloucester will be well worth watching. If Labour win it they will almost certainly be able to form a government at Westminster.


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