About the Colne Valley Constituency
The Colne Valley constituency is in West Yorkshire bordering Lancashire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire.
A constituency of contrasts, it is a mix of rural and urban development, with a highly contrasting industrial base. Industries range from high-tech, tourism, farming and textiles, semi and light engineering, dye-stuffs and carpets.
Colne Valley stretches from the open countryside of the Peak District National Park to the concentrated urban outskirts of Huddersfield town, incorporating some of the Pennine Way and very many Yorkshire Water Reservoirs.
The beautiful countryside enjoyed by the two main valleys within the constituency (Colne Valley and Holme Valley) have provided location settings for Last of the Summer Wine, Where the Heart is, League of Gentlemen and Wokenwell amongst others.
The constituency has a dramatic and varied political history, going right back to the times of the early socialist MP Victor Grayson, who was to disappear mysteriously, but also includes a Liberal tradition in the shape of Richard Wainwright who battled to share representation with Labour in the 1960s and 1970s. The only Conservative MP to represent Colne Valley was Graham Riddick who won in 1987 and 1992 but was defeated by Labour in 1997.
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal runs through the length of the constituency and was re-opened recently after a thirty million pound face-lift. Works included the re-opening of the Standedge Tunnel which passes from Yorkshire into Lancashire and is the highest canal tunnel in the UK.
Music, theatre and the arts have always enjoyed a major role in the constituency. Long established local groups include Colne Valley Male Voice Choir, Honley Male Voice Choir, Honley Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra, almost every village has its own Brass Band (and Band Room!) and a multitude of Amateur Dramatic Societies.
Professional theatre companies include Mikron who tour in a narrow boat and present in canal side venues. The Crag Rats Theatre Company in Holmfirth took over a derelict textile mill and have redeveloped it into an administrative base for touring theatre, a performing space and a high quality restaurant.
Bamforth Brothers in Holmfirth were the originators of the risqué sea-side picture postcard. Now that postcard production has ceased, visitors can still go to the Holmfirth Postcard Museum which is housed in the Picturedrome cinema in the town.
Colne Valley High School, England's first purpose-built comprehensive school was opened in 1956.
Click here to find out about the work Labour has already done for Colne Valley
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Previous General Election result
The 2001 General Election result was a resounding Labour success for the constituency of Colne Valley.
| 7th June 2001 | Lab Hold | |||
| Candidate | Party | Vote | %age | Change |
| Kali CJ Mountford | Lab | 18967 | 40.37% | -0.91% |
| Philip Davies | Con | 14328 | 30.49% | -2.20% |
| Gordon J Beever | LD | 11694 | 24.89% | 2.28% |
| Richard Plunkett | Grn | 1081 | 2.30% | 1.43% |
| Dr Arthur Quarmby | UKIP | 917 | 1.95% | 1.10% |
| maj | 4639 | 9.87% | ||
| Turnout 63.33% | Electorate 74192 | |||