Skipton and Ripon is a
constituency
An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...
in
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...
represented in the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
of the
UK Parliament
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of ...
since
2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
by
Julian Smith, a
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
.
Constituency profile
The constituency covers a mainly rural area of the
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales are a series of valleys, or Dale (landform), dales, in the Pennines, an Highland, upland range in England. They are mostly located in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, but extend into C ...
. It includes the whole of the former
Craven district and the northern and western parts of the former Borough of
Harrogate
Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and civil parish in the North Yorkshire District, district and North Yorkshire, county of North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist de ...
district. The largest settlements are the town of
Skipton
Skipton (also known as Skipton-in-Craven) is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the East Division of Staincliffe Wapentake in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is on the River Aire and the Leeds ...
and the city of
Ripon
Ripon () is a cathedral city and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. The city is located at the confluence of two tributaries of the River Ure, the Laver and Skell. Within the boundaries of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire, the ...
. Smaller towns in the constituency are
Bentham,
Settle
Settle or SETTLE may refer to:
__NOTOC__ Places
* Settle, Kentucky, United States, an unincorporated community
* Settle, North Yorkshire, a town in England
** Settle Rural District, a historical administrative district
Music
* Settle (band), an in ...
,
Pateley Bridge
Pateley Bridge (known locally as Pateley) is a market town in the civil parish of High and Low Bishopside, in Nidderdale, in the county and district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies on the ...
and
Masham
Masham ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It had a population of 1,205 at the 2011 census.
The town is located northwest of York and was in the former Borough of Harrogate, Harrogate ...
.
At 1.6%, Skipton and Ripon had significantly lower than national average unemployment (3.8%) in November 2012.
History
The constituency was created in 1983 from the parts of the former seats of
Skipton
Skipton (also known as Skipton-in-Craven) is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the East Division of Staincliffe Wapentake in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is on the River Aire and the Leeds ...
and
Ripon
Ripon () is a cathedral city and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. The city is located at the confluence of two tributaries of the River Ure, the Laver and Skell. Within the boundaries of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire, the ...
within the county of
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...
.
Before the
2024 election, it was one of the
safest seats in England, formed from 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
Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British retired politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. Following his defeat to Ton ...
re-elected as Prime Minister.
In 2024, the Conservative majority over Labour was cut from 40.4% to 3.1%.
Boundaries
Historic
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.
Current
Under the
2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies
The 2023 review of Westminster constituencies was the most recent cycle of the process to redraw the Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, constituency map for the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The new constituency b ...
, the seat was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:
* The District of Craven.
* 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; Wathvale.
''Minor changes to take account of changes to ward boundaries in the Borough of Harrogate.''
However, before the new boundaries came into effect, the District of Craven and the Borough of Harrogate were abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of North Yorkshire with effect from 1 April 2023. Consequently, the constituency now comprises the following from the
2024 general election
This is a list of elections that were held in 2024. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world.
* 2024 United Nations Security Council election
* 2024 national electoral calendar
* 2024 local electo ...
:
* The District of North Yorkshire electoral districts of: Aire Valley; Bentham & Ingleton; Glusburn, Cross Hills & Sutton-in-Craven; Masham & Fountains; Mid Craven; Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale; Ripon Minster & Moorside; Ripon Ure Bank & Spa; Settle & Penyghent; Skipton East & South; Skipton North & Embsay-with-Eastby; Skipton West & West Craven; Washburn & Birstwith; Wathvale & Bishop Monkton (part); Wharfedale.
Members of Parliament
Elections

Elections in the 2020s
Elections in the 2010s
In 2017, the Liberal Democrats stood aside and endorsed the Green Party.
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1980s
See also
*
List of parliamentary constituencies in North Yorkshire
The Ceremonial county, county of North Yorkshire,
together with the unitary authority of York, is divided into nine United Kingdom constituencies, parliamentary constituencies: one borough constituency and eight County constituency, county consti ...
*
List of parliamentary constituencies in the Yorkshire and the Humber (region)
Notes
References
External links
Skipton and Ripon UK Parliament constituency(boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at ''MapIt UK''
(boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at ''MapIt UK''
(boundaries from June 2024) at ''MapIt UK''
{{Coord, 54.07, -1.96, display=title, region:GB_scale:100000
Parliamentary constituencies in North Yorkshire
Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom established in 1983
Politics of the Borough of Harrogate
Politics of Ripon
Politics of Craven District