Battleground Anglia: Corby

Corby is a key battleground seat in the Anglia region and is usually a close fight between Labour and the Conservatives. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Corby is a key battleground seat in the Anglia region and is usually a close fight between Labour and the Conservatives. The Conservatives gained the seat at the 2010 General Election but Labour won it back in a by-election in 2012 caused by the resignation of Louise Mensch.

Centred on a former steel town in Northamptonshire, this constituency is in fact a complex electorate of factory workers and rural dwellers.

Thanks to a huge processing plant and nearby iron ore deposits, Corby's economy was overwhelmingly dependent on the steel industry for much of the 20th century.

The closure of the steelworks, previously the biggest employer in the area, in 1979 led to substantial unemployment. The town of Corby was granted Enterprise Zone and Assisted Area status in the 1980s, prompting a massive injection of investment across a broad range of industries.

  • Conservative majority in 2010: 1,951

  • Labour majority in 2012 by-election: 7,791

  • Had Corby not had a by-election it would have beenLabour number 5 target in the Anglia region

The Conservatives held the Corby seat from 1983 and 1997. Labour gained the seat in their landslide of 1997.

The Conservatives gained it back into 2010 only to lose in the 2012 by-election.

Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft has been conducting opinion polls in marginal seats across the UK.

In a snapshot poll in the constituency in October 2014, Labour were showing a lead of 10 points over the Conservatives. Labour were on 40%, the Conservatives on 30% while UKIP were standing on 21%.

Share of the vote in the Corby constituency in the 2012 by-election. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Candidates in 2015

  • Peter Harris - Liberal Democrats

  • Jonathan Hornett - Green

  • Margot Parker - UKIP

  • Tom Pursglove - Conservative

  • Andy Sawford - Labour