Luton South
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 16577 (42.8%)
Conservative: 10877 (28.1%)
Liberal Democrat: 8732 (22.5%)
Other: 2560 (6.6%)
Majority: 5700 (14.7%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 10960 (28.2%)
Labour: 16610 (42.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 8778 (22.6%)
Green: 790 (2%)
UKIP: 957 (2.5%)
Other: 823 (2.1%)
Majority: 5650 (14.5%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 11586 (29.4%)
Labour: 21719 (55.2%)
Liberal Democrat: 4292 (10.9%)
UKIP: 578 (1.5%)
Green: 798 (2%)
Other: 378 (1%)
Majority: 10133 (25.8%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 15109 (31.4%)
Labour: 26428 (54.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 4610 (9.6%)
Referendum: 1205 (2.5%)
Other: 832 (1.7%)
Majority: 11319 (23.5%)
Boundary changes: very minor. Luton South loses around 200 voters in Barnfield to Luton North.
Profile: Luton was historically a manufacturing town, originally for hats (hence the nickname of Luton Town football club, based in the constituency) and more recently for Vauxhall cars and Electrolux. The Vauxhall car plant closed in 2002 and the fast growing London Luton Airport, the hub of EasyJet`s operations and is becoming a far more inportant part of the local economy – Luton reportedly has the highest proportion of taxi drivers per head of anywhere in the UK.
The constituency has a high proportion of ethnic minorities, in the 2001 census over a quarter of the population was non-white and there is a large Muslim population that could have a political impact.
If viewed along with its predecessor seats of Luton East and Luton, Luton South is the most reliable bellwether seat in the country, having been won by the party that went on to form the government in every election since 1951.
The sitting MP, Margaret Moran, announced she was stepping down after being criticised for the Daily Telegraph for claiming £22,000 in expenses to treat dry rot in her second home. The TV personality Esther Rantzen had declared her intention to challenge Moran as an independent candidate.
Current MP: Margaret Moran(Labour) born 1955. Prior to her election was a councillor in Lewisham. Served as a PPS and then a whip during the 2001-5 Parliament before returning to the backbenches. Will stand down at the next election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative) Born 1970, Lincoln. Educated at Robert Pattinson Comprehensive School and Oxford University. Management consultant.
Qurban Hussain (Liberal Democrat) Educated at Bedford College and Luton University. Former Labour councillor, defected to the Liberal Democrats in 2003. Luton councillor. Contested Luton South 2005. Will contest Eastern region in 2009 European elections.
Esther Rantzen (Independent) Born 1940, Berkhampsted. Educated at North London Collegiate School and Oxford University. Television producer and presenter, most famous for presenting That’s Life from 1973 to 1994. Founder of the charity Childline, she was appointed CBE in 2006 for services to children.
Stephen Lathwell (Independent) Innovation Engineer.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 97341
Male: 50.5%
Female: 49.5%
Under 18: 25.8%
Over 60: 15.7%
Born outside UK: 20.8%
White: 71.6%
Black: 5.5%
Asian: 19.6%
Mixed: 2.2%
Other: 1%
Christian: 57.9%
Hindu: 1.8%
Muslim: 17.4%
Sikh: 0.6%
Full time students: 7.7%
Graduates 16-74: 15.7%
No Qualifications 16-74: 31.1%
Owner-Occupied: 67.1%
Social Housing: 16.2% (Council: 11.9%, Housing Ass.: 4.4%)
Privately Rented: 14.2%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 8.4%
Oops – my comment is awaiting moderation. Erm, Eszther Rantzen has confirmed she will stand in Luton South. Tis over the BBC news site too.
BBC are reporting that Esther Rantzen has confirmed she’ll stand here.
Why is Esther so keen to stand here now that Moran’s been bumped ? Surely it would be better to take on one of the villains who’s toughing it out – Hazel Blears for instance – than a clean Labour newcomer ?
‘Why is Esther so keen to stand here now that Moran’s been bumped ? Surely it would be better to take on one of the villains who’s toughing it out – Hazel Blears for instance – than a clean Labour newcomer ?’
You would have thought so Mike
I think the Tories would win this anyway – it’s the type of working class seat typical of Bedfordshire – but surely it’s Labour who have the most to lose from Ranzen standing
Afterall voters who share her concerns aside from taking the p*ss with expenses – care for elderly etc – are unlikely to be Tory voters in the first place
I can only imagine that Esther Rantzen wants to emulate her friend Martin Bell.
I recollect that Ms. Rantzen herself said on the raido today that the professionals had advised her that she would not be successful. Well, I don’t know about the professionals, but as an amateur I certainly don’t rate her chances. Not only is she attacking the behaviour of an MP who has retired, but to be blunt Esther Rantzen is past her sell by date. By which I do not mean her age, I am not ageist, but it is a long time wince Esther Rantzen had the “That’s Life” programme that built her profile. And the television and radio ought to backpedal on her now she is a declared election candidate.
This seat does not have a good demographic profile for an establishment figure wanting to start a protest bandwagon.
Perhaps the most serious issues is the amount of publicity the BBC are giving Ms. Rantzen. I haven’t timed her interview on the “Five pm” programme but it must, along with Anne Widdicombe, having been getting on for five minutes. Quite ridiculous for an independent with no politicial record who is, frankly, very likely to lose her deposit. Will the BBC give, for instance, the Money Reform Candidate for Canterbury, whose stall I passed in the street today equal time? I think not. Even more so, and more relevantly to Luton South, will the BBC give greater air time to the Conservative and LIbDem candidates in Luton South, and to the new Labour candidate once selected?
We don’t pay licence fees for the BBC to be Esther Rantzen’s fan club.
Do we know if she will be moving from Hampstead to the constituency, in order to demonstrate her devotion to her new role?
Depending on how much free publicity the media will give Rantzen, and I rather fear it will be a lot – she was certainly everywhere when she was ‘considering’ it – she has a reasonable chance.
Though why she is choosing to ‘make a stand’ here is beyond me. None of the candidates are sitting MPs so none have taken a penny in expenses.
In fact one could even wonder how much in the way of expenses from public money Esther herself claimed in all her years working for the BBC!
“Afterall voters who share her concerns aside from taking the p*ss with expenses – care for elderly etc – are unlikely to be Tory voters in the first place”
I loved this. Tories hate the elderly apparently.
Tim, many tories are elderly. Tories tend not to be self haters. On the other hand most Lib Dems seem to be, or at least hate their county.
Has Luton town centre been in Luton South since 1983? Was it in Luton East from 1974?
Has Luton town centre been in Luton East from 1974 and Luton S since 1983?
Robert Waller’s 1983 guide indicates that the town centre was in Luton South from 1983-97 at least.
It’s interesting that the notional majority in Luton South is 14.71%, compared to a Labour majority of 14.75% in Luton West in October 1974, which Labour lost on a 7.63% swing in 1979 by 246 votes. Unfortunately the comparison doesn’t hold up because the same guide I mentioned above says that it is Luton North, rather than South, which is based on the old Luton West constituency.
Luton South must have contained Central Luton between 1983 and 1997 because Luton North extended well into rural Beds.
Ester Rantzen’s decision to stand may actually let the Conservatives in? Luton stayed stubbornly Labour in the EU elections.
I think on balance the Conservatives will probably be quite happy to see Rantzen standing. Although she’ll take some votes that might have gone to the Tories she’ll most likely take more votes that would have gone to Labour. As you say, it could just tip the seat into the Tory column.
Does anyone know anything about Stephen Lathwell, and why he is standing here?