Wakefield and Rothwell

New parliamentary constituency

This constituency is new at the July general election, and replaces the previous three constituencies:

Elmet and Rothwell

Covered approximately 20% of this new constituency’s population, and 8% of this new constituency’s area.

Morley and Outwood

Covered approximately 32% of this new constituency’s population, and 36% of this new constituency’s area.

Wakefield

Covered approximately 51% of this new constituency’s population, and 21% of this new constituency’s area.

MP

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Simon Lightwood

Simon Lightwood

Labour Co-operative

Data from TheyWorkForYou.

MP profiles

Data collated by The Climate Coalition.

Positions and memberships

  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Local Transport Minister)

Data from UK Parliament and mySociety.

We’re currently working on collecting updated data on MP memberships.

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Votes and EDMs

Vote Position
MP vote on Environment Bill Not in office
MP vote on Ban on Fracking for Shale Gas Bill Aye
MP support for Cumbria coal mine court appeal Did not support
MP support for Zero carbon homes Did not support
MP support for Accelerating construction work and lower carbon construction vehicles Did not support
MP support for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Did not support

Data from UK Parliament. Votes and EDMs selected for indicating support for climate/nature movement. See this MP’s full voting record on TheyWorkForYou.

2024 majority

9,346

Data from UK Parliament. This information is provided because in the UK electoral system, political parties and the media will be paying more attention to marginal seats and therefore the voices of the people within them can have greater national impact.

Date elected

23rd Jun 2022

Data from UK Parliament.

More MP data <

Public opinion

Should government policy on climate change be going faster or slower?

This area National average
Go faster 53.3% 54.1%
Neither 12.4% 12.0%
Go slower 34.3% 30.9%

FocalData MRP polling for Persuasion UK. Updated July 2024.

Predicted winning party at next general election

Reform UK

FocalData MRP polling for HOPE not hate. Updated January 2025.

Results of last election

Party Votes
Labour Party 17773
Reform UK 8427
Conservative Party 7322
Liberal Democrats 3249
Green Party 2389
Other 1496

Data from UK Parliament. The results of the last parliamentary election held in this constituency Updated 2024-07-29.

EU (Brexit) leave vote percentage

62%

50.5% national average

Data from UK Parliament. Percentage of constituents who voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum Updated February 2017.

Likelihood to take action such as voting for a particular candidate or lobbying an MP to tackle climate change and protect nature

This area National average
Net likely 37% 39.7%
Net unlikely 30.5% 27.8%
Very likely 10.3% 12.2%
Quite likely 26.2% 27.5%
Neither likely nor unlikely 32.3% 32.5%
Quite unlikely 13.7% 12.6%
Very unlikely 17.0% 15.3%

Focaldata 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by HOPE not hate. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated April 2023.

Should the UK have closer economic ties with the EU, even if that means giving up some sovereignty?

This area National average
Closer ties with the EU 50.2% 51.5%
Neither 5.9% 6.1%
No closer with the EU 43.9% 39.5%

FocalData MRP polling for Persuasion UK. Updated July 2024.

Would you support or oppose the building of onshore wind farms in your area?

This area National average
Neither 20.3% 18.6%
Oppose 11.1% 12.2%
Support 68.6% 66.3%

FocalData MRP polling for Persuasion UK. Updated July 2024.

Do you think immigration has generally enriched or undermined society?

This area National average
Enriched 34.8% 37.2%
Neither 12.7% 12.5%
Undermined 52.5% 47.3%

FocalData MRP polling for Persuasion UK. Updated July 2024.

Should the welfare system be expanded to help more people, or reduced to make benefits harder to get?

This area National average
Expanded 33.7% 34.1%
Neither 11.1% 11.5%
Reduced 55.3% 51.5%

FocalData MRP polling for Persuasion UK. Updated July 2024.

Would you be comfortable paying more tax, if it meant more money were invested in public services like the NHS and education?

This area National average
Comfortable 44.8% 44.3%
Neither 6.2% 6.0%
Uncomfortable 49.0% 46.8%

FocalData MRP polling for Persuasion UK. Updated July 2024.

Would you be comfortable with government debt going up, provided that money were invested in the economy and local services?

This area National average
Comfortable 51.9% 52.5%
Neither 8.8% 7.6%
Uncomfortable 39.3% 37.0%

FocalData MRP polling for Persuasion UK. Updated July 2024.

Would you support or oppose the building of new housing in your area?

This area National average
Neither 20.9% 21.1%
Oppose 21.8% 17.8%
Support 57.3% 58.2%

FocalData MRP polling for Persuasion UK. Updated July 2024.

Consider climate change a high priority

50%

53.6% national average

Public First MRP Polling, commissioned by Onward UK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Estimated percentage of constituents who consider climate change a high priority. Updated July 2022.

Second placed party at most recent election

Reform UK

Data from UK Parliament. The parliamentary party who came second in this constituency’s most recent election or by-election Updated 2024-07-29.

Loss of nature and destruction of the environment should be one of the most important concerns for the country

This area National average
Net agree 71.2% 72.6%
Net disagree 9.5% 8.7%
Strongly agree 32.2% 33.8%
Partly agree 39.0% 38.8%
Neither agree nor disagree 19.8% 18.7%
Partly disagree 6% 5.9%
Strongly disagree 3.5% 2.7%

Focaldata 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by HOPE not hate. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated April 2023.

Policies for tackling the cost of living crisis should go hand in hand with policies to tackle the climate crisis

This area National average
Net agree 56.1% 58.9%
Net disagree 19% 17.6%
Strongly agree 22.8% 24.2%
Somewhat agree 33.8% 34.7%
Neither agree nor disagree 25.0% 23.4%
Somewhat disagree 11.2% 10.5%
Strongly disagree 7.8% 7.1%

Focaldata 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by HOPE not hate. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated April 2023.

Tackling climate change should / should not be one of the Government’s biggest priorities right now

This area National average
Should be a priority 55.3% 57.5%
Should not be a priority 44.7% 42.5%

Focaldata 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by HOPE not hate. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated April 2023.

Neither support nor oppose Net Zero

28%

26.2% national average

Public First MRP Polling, commissioned by Onward UK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Estimated percentage of constituents who neither support nor oppose net zero. Updated July 2022.

Oppose Net Zero

13%

12.4% national average

Public First MRP Polling, commissioned by Onward UK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Estimated percentage of constituents who oppose net zero. Updated July 2022.

Support Net Zero

57%

60.4% national average

Public First MRP Polling, commissioned by Onward UK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Estimated percentage of constituents who support net zero. Updated July 2022.

Support nuclear energy

59.0%

57.4% national average

Survation MRP polling, commissioned by RenewableUK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated September 2022.

Support offshore wind

88.8%

85.3% national average

Survation MRP polling, commissioned by RenewableUK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated September 2022.

Support renewable energy projects in their local area

89.4%

85.1% national average

Survation MRP polling, commissioned by RenewableUK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated September 2022.

Support solar power

90.8%

87.6% national average

Survation MRP polling, commissioned by RenewableUK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated September 2022.

Support tidal energy

89.3%

86.0% national average

Survation MRP polling, commissioned by RenewableUK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated September 2022.

Support wave energy

89.3%

86.7% national average

Survation MRP polling, commissioned by RenewableUK, adjusted for the demographics of the local area by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated September 2022.

Believe that the government should continue the block on onshore wind development

22.6%

24.3% national average

Survation MRP polling, commissioned by RenewableUK. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated September 2022.

Believe that the government should use wind and solar farms to reduce energy bills

87.5%

84.3% national average

Survation MRP polling, commissioned by RenewableUK. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated September 2022.

Believe the government has increased investment in renewables over the past 5 years

57.4%

52.0% national average

Survation MRP polling, commissioned by RenewableUK. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated September 2022.

More public opinion data <

Place

Estimated households in fuel poverty

25.6%

17.9% national average

Data from End Fuel Poverty Coalition. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Percentage of households in fuel poverty, including adjustment for Energy Price Guarantee, using National Energy Action base number of households in fuel poverty. Updated July 2023.

Friends of the Earth ‘State of the Environment’ report

The state of the environment in Wakefield and Rothwell

From Friends of the Earth. These reports highlight key environmental issues impacting people in this constituency, as well as proposed solutions. Updated August 2023.

Housing Tenure

This area National average
Owned with a mortgage 30.0% 28.9%
Other tenure 0.8% 1.2%
Owned outright 29.6% 33.3%
Private rented 16.4% 19.9%
Social rented 23.2% 16.8%

Data from ONS (England and Wales) and NISRA (Northern Ireland), collated by House of Commons Library. Updated May 2024.

Mental health has been impacted by the cost of living crisis

39.9%

41.5% national average

Survation 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by 38Degrees. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated March 2023.

Estimated child poverty

25.2%

29.3% national average

Data from End Child Poverty, based on data from DWP/HMRC. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Percentage of children living in households with a net income (after housing costs) below 60% of the national median. Updated June 2024.

Worried about not being able to pay their energy bills in the next year

54.6%

53.5% national average

Survation 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by 38Degrees. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated March 2023.

Constituency age distribution

This area National average
Ages 0 - 15 19.0% 18.3%
Ages 16 - 24 9.2% 10.5%
Ages 25 - 34 14.2% 13.2%
Ages 35 - 49 20.3% 19.1%
Ages 50 - 64 19.8% 19.8%
Ages 65 and over 17.5% 19.1%

Data from ONS (England and Wales), NRS (Scotland), and NISRA (Northern Ireland), collated by House of Commons Library. Updated May 2024.

Constituency Population

106,000

102,977.2 national average

Data from ONS (England and Wales), NRS (Scotland), and NISRA (Northern Ireland), collated by House of Commons Library. Updated May 2024.

Number of onshore windfarms

0

0.7 national average

Data from Wikipedia. Updated 2024-04-24.

Current Industry

This area National average
Agriculture, energy and water 0.8% 1.1%
Construction 4.1% 4.1%
Distribution, hotels and restaurants 10.9% 9.2%
Financial, real estate, professional and administrative activities 7.1% 7.9%
Manufacturing 3.9% 3.5%
Does not apply 53.0% 53.4%
Other 1.8% 2.1%
Public administration, education and health 14.1% 14.3%
Transport and communication 4.3% 4.4%

Data from ONS. Updated May 2024.

Current Occupation

This area National average
Administrative and secretarial occupations 4.4% 4.3%
Associate professional and technical occupations 6.2% 6.1%
Caring, leisure and other service occupations 4.2% 4.4%
Elementary occupations 6.7% 4.8%
Managers, directors and senior officials 4.9% 6.0%
Does not apply 53.0% 53.4%
Process, plant and machine operatives 4.1% 3.2%
Professional occupations 8.2% 9.4%
Sales and customer service occupations 3.6% 3.5%
Skilled trades occupations 4.6% 4.8%

Data from ONS. Updated May 2024.

Disabled under the Equality Act

18.8%

17.7% national average

Data from ONS. Updated May 2024.

Ethnicity

This area National average
Asian / Asian British 7.8% 8.1%
Mixed / Multiple ethnic groups 2.0% 2.8%
Other ethnic groups 1.5% 1.8%
Other White 6.5% 6.3%
White British 79.9% 77.5%

Data from ONS (England and Wales), NRS (Scotland), and NISRA (Northern Ireland), collated by House of Commons Library. Updated May 2024.

General Health

This area National average
Bad or very bad health 5.9% 5.3%
Fair health 13.6% 12.8%
Very good or good health 80.5% 81.9%

Data from ONS. Updated May 2024.

Have missed a bill payment in the last six months

30.4%

31.5% national average

Survation 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by 38Degrees. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated March 2023.

Have missed a credit payment in the last six months

22.4%

23.6% national average

Survation 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by 38Degrees. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated March 2023.

Have missed a rent payment in the last six months

16.1%

19.0% national average

Survation 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by 38Degrees. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated March 2023.

Have not been able to afford to turn the heating on at home when they have felt cold in the past month

39.7%

37.5% national average

Survation 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by 38Degrees. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated March 2023.

Main Language

This area National average
African languages 0.4% 0.3%
Asian languages 2.7% 3.0%
English or Welsh 88.0% 88.9%
European languages (EU) 4.7% 3.8%
Does not apply 3.4% 3.1%
North or South American languages 0% 0.0%
Oceanic or Australian languages 0% 0.0%
Any other languages 0.7% 0.6%
Other European languages (non-EU) 0.1% 0.1%
Any other UK languages 0.0% 0.0%
Sign and supported languages 0.1% 0.0%

Data from ONS. Updated May 2024.

Travel to work method

This area National average
Bicycle 0.5% 0.9%
Bus, minibus or coach 2.4% 1.8%
Driving a car or van 23.3% 21.3%
On foot 3.7% 3.5%
Work mainly at or from home 12.4% 14.5%
Underground, metro, light rail, tram 0.0% 0.7%
Motorcycle, scooter or moped 0.2% 0.2%
Not in employment or aged 15 years and under 53.0% 53.4%
Other method of travel to work 0.4% 0.5%
Passenger in a car or van 2.8% 1.8%
Taxi 0.7% 0.3%
Train 0.5% 0.8%

Data from ONS. Updated May 2024.

Worried about having to use a foodbank in the next year

29.8%

28.7% national average

Survation 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by 38Degrees. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated March 2023.

Worried about not being able to afford their mortgage or rent in the next year

41.2%

40.0% national average

Survation 2023 MRP polling, commissioned by 38Degrees. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Updated March 2023.

Country of the UK

England

Data from mySociety. Updated 2024-04-24.

Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)

2

2.8 national average

Data from ONS (England and Wales), NRS (Scotland), and NISRA (Northern Ireland), collated and standardised by mySociety. This dataset has been automatically converted from 2010 parliamentary constituencies. Deciles of deprivation, from 1 (most deprived) to 10 (least deprived). This uses a composite measure of deprivation (including income, employment, education, skills, health, crime, and housing) standardised across the countries of the UK.

More place data <

Movement

Churches that have declared a climate emergency

0

0.2 national average

Data from Tearfund. Updated July 2023.

Constituents pledged to meet MP as part of Common Grounds 2024

0

0.7 national average

Data from The Climate Coalition. Updated October 2024.

Friends of the Earth activists

271

302.3 national average

Data from Friends of the Earth. Activists have taken at least one online action for Friends of the Earth in the last 12 months. Updated January 2024.

Friends of the Earth financial supporters

69

122.2 national average

Data from Friends of the Earth. Financial supporters have donated to Friends of the Earth in the last 12 months. Updated January 2024.

Number of Great Big Green Week 2022 events

0

1.8 national average

Data from The Climate Coalition. Number of Great Big Green Week 2022 events Updated October 2022.

Number of Great Big Green Week 2023 events

0

2.2 national average

Data from The Climate Coalition. Number of Great Big Green Week 2023 events Updated July 2023.

Number of Great Big Green Week 2024 events

0

1.9 national average

Data from The Climate Coalition. Number of public Great Big Green week 2024 events held in the area. This exludes any private events that were held. Updated September 2024.

Number of RSPB Reserves

0

0.3 national average

Data from the RSPB. Updated September 2023.

Number of Save the Children shops

0

0.2 national average

Data from Save the Children. Updated July 2023.

Number of Trussell Trust foodbanks

1

2.2 national average

Data from Trussell Trust. Updated December 2022.

Number of Wildlife Trusts Reserves

3

  • Rothwell Country Park
  • Rothwell Pastures Nature Reserve
  • Water Haigh Woodland Park

Data from the Wildlife Trusts. Number of Wildlife Trusts Reserves Updated 2024-07-02.

Number of Women’s Institute groups

2

Data from the WI. Updated 2024-04-24.

More movement data <

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