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1997 Result:
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1992 Notional
Result:
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Lab
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23,937
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50.63%
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Con
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17,763
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37.57%
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LibDem
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5,577
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11.8%
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Notional Majority
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6,174
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13.06%
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Description:
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This is the seat of the Speaker of the House of Commons since the 1992 general election, Betty Boothroyd. Such seats are traditionally left uncontested by Conservatives and although the Liberals/LibDems have challenged Conservative speakers they have never run against a formerly Labour speaker and have to date not selected a candidate for this seat. But, as Miss Boothroyd has held West since its creation in 1974, and was elected MP for a combined West Brom seat in the year before that, it is highly unlikely either of the other parties could oust her even if she were not Speaker. Its economy is based on engineering and metal-working, with good road links via the M6. Both West Bromwich seats have never slipped from Labour's grasp, but this half has always been by far the more secure. A large non-white population (of 11%) has seen to that, along with the greatest proportion of council housing in the West Midlands, an above average unemployment rate, the fifth highest proportion of skilled manual workers in England and Wales, and an almost complete lack of the traditionally Tory-voting professional or managerial workers.
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