Leigh

Lab

Hold

1997 Result:	Cunliffe, Lawrence Lab 31,652 68.90% Young, Edward Con 7,156 15.60% Hough, Peter LibDem 5,163 11.20% Constable, Roy Ref 1,949 4.20% Majority 24,496 10.7% swing from Con to Lab
1992 Notional Result:	Lab 31,196 59.31%   Con 14,341 27.26%   LibDem 6,539 12.43%   Others 525 1% Notional Majority 16,855 32.04%
Description:	South west of Wigan, between Manchester and Liverpool, lie the eponymous town and small working-class communities that make up the parliamentary constituency of Leigh. Well known the seat certainly is not, but it is one of the staunchest Labour areas in the north west with a current majority of 18,827 for Lawrence Cunliffe, MP since 1979. Although this seat has suffered as much as any in the region through the decline of traditional mining and textile industries, it is far from being poverty-stricken. Light industry, for instance in the form of printing and electronics, is now well established in Leigh, Atherton and Hindley, unemployment is below average and 70% of homes are owner-occupied. The countryside is often picturesque. The answer to Labour's strong support here is probably found in the coalmining history and the working-class origins of the residents.