| Skipton and Ripon | |
| Parliament: | uk |
| Year: | 1983 |
| Elects Howmany: | One |
| Type: | County |
| Previous: | Skipton, Ripon, Harrogate, Thirsk & Malton, Keighley, Barkston Ash and Richmond (Yorks)[1] |
| Region: | England |
| Electorate: | 77,541 (December 2019)[2] |
| Party: | Conservative |
Skipton and Ripon is a constituency in North Yorkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Julian Smith, a Conservative.
The constituency covers a mainly rural area of the Yorkshire Dales. The largest settlements are the town of Skipton and the city of Ripon. Smaller towns in the constituency are Bentham, Settle, Pateley Bridge and Masham.
It is one of the safest seats in England, formed on an area with a long history of Conservative representation and with a large majority of its electorate having in the last election voted Conservative. It was also the constituency in 1992 that when declared, saw the Conservatives gain the 4th straight majority since 1979 and John Major re-elected as Prime Minister.
At 1.6%, Skipton and Ripon had significantly lower than national average unemployment (3.8%) in November 2012.[3]
This area of the Yorkshire Dales covers the whole of the former Craven district and the northern and western parts of the former Borough of Harrogate district.
1983–1997: The District of Craven, and the Borough of Harrogate wards of Almscliffe, Bishop Monkton, Boroughbridge, Fountains, Killinghall, Kirkby Malzeard, Lower Nidderdale, Mashamshire, Newby, Nidd Valley, Pateley Bridge, Ripon East, Ripon West, Wathvale, and Wharfedale Moors.
1997–2010: The District of Craven, and the Borough of Harrogate wards of Almscliffe, Bishop Monkton, Fountains, Killinghall, Kirkby Malzeard, Lower Nidderdale, Mashamshire, Nidd Valley, Pateley Bridge, Ripon East, Ripon West, and Wharfedale Moors.
2010–2024: The District of Craven, and the Borough of Harrogate wards of Bishop Monkton, Kirkby Malzeard, Lower Nidderdale, Mashamshire, Newby, Nidd Valley, Pateley Bridge, Ripon Minster, Ripon Moorside, Ripon Spa, Washburn, and Wathvale.
2024–present: The District of Craven: Aire Valley with Lothersdale; Barden Fell; Bentham; Cowling; Embsay-with-Eastby; Gargrave and Malhamdale; Glusburn; Grassington; Hellifield and Long Preston; Ingleton and Clapham; Penyghent; Settle and Ribblebanks; Skipton East; Skipton North; Skipton South; Skipton West; Sutton-in-Craven; Upper Wharfedale; and West Craven; and the Borough of Harrogate wards of: Fountains & Ripley; Masham & Kirkby Malzeard; Nidd Valley; Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale Moors; Ripon Minster; Ripon Moorside; Ripon Spa; Ripon Ure Bank; Washburn; and Wathvale.
2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies described changes to the constituency as following: The southern part of the Wathvale & Bishop Monkton division (including the parish of Bishop Monkton) has been transferred to the new constituency of Wetherby and Easingwold.
The constituency was created in 1983 from the parts of the former seats of Skipton and Ripon within the county of North Yorkshire.
| Election | Member | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | John Watson | Conservative | ||
| 1987 | David Curry | Conservative | ||
| 2010 | Julian Smith | Conservative | ||
| 2019 notional result[4] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| 33,416 | 58.9 | ||
| 10,899 | 19.2 | ||
| 8,634 | 15.2 | ||
| 2,693 | 4.7 | ||
| Others | 1,131 | 2.0 | |
| Turnout | 56,773 | 74.0 | |
| Electorate | 76,758 | ||
In 2017, the Liberal Democrats stood aside and endorsed the Green Party.[5]