Elmet and Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)

Following its review of parliamentary boundaries in West Yorkshire, the Boundary Commission for England created this constituency for the 2010 election which principally contains the three towns of Garforth, Rothwell and Wetherby.

Situated to the east of Leeds is the seat of Elmet and Rothwell in West Yorkshire. The constituency is named after the town of Rothwell and the ancient British Celtic kingdom of Elmet. The constituency includes rural hinterland and commuter towns to the east of Leeds, including the historical market town of Wetherby, and former coal mining towns and villages, in an area slightly further south, such as Allerton Bywater, Garforth, Kippax, Methley, Oulton, Rothwell and Swillington. The pits in this area were closed on agreement that the workforce could transfer to the nearby Selby coalfield, so the area had several residents who commuted to work as miners as late as 2004.

This is mostly white, owner-occupier territory, with only one in 10 living in social housing, according to ONS 2011 Census figures for England and Wales. Considering this, below average levels of adults here claim Job Seeker's Allowance, with only 1% of constituents doing so. A quarter of the population works in retail and manufacturing; four in 10 have a professional, managerial or technical job, while one in 20 is an apprentice. 28% of constituents have a university degree or higher.

The area has below average levels of immigration. Only 4% of the constituency were born outside the UK, compared to 13% nationally.[3]

Elmet and Rothwell ranks 206th in a list of the largest constituencies in the UK (geographical size), and 248th in a list of the largest constituencies by population size. It is the safest seat for the Conservative Party in West Yorkshire.

Academic analysis suggests that roughly 56% of electors in the constituency voted to Leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum.[4]

The City of Leeds wards of Garforth and Swillington, Harewood, Kippax and Methley, Rothwell, and Wetherby.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be abolished for the next general election, with its contents distributed four ways:[2]

• Harewood and Wetherby to the successor constituency of Wetherby and Easingwold
• Garforth and Swillington to Leeds East
• Kippax and Methley to the re-established seat of Selby
• Rothwell to the newly created constituency of Wakefield and Rothwell

• List of parliamentary constituencies in West Yorkshire

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