UK Parliament
In Luton, there are two constituencies, Luton North and Luton South. The current two Members of Parliament (MP) are Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North - Labour) since 1997 and Gavin Shuker (Luton South - Labour) since 2010.
From 1979 the MPs from Luton were Conservative, however, in the 1997 General Election, both constituencies were won by the Labour party candidates, these were successfully held at the 2001, 2005 and 2010 general elections.
The town of Luton had until 1885 been part of the Bedfordshire constituency which was created in 1290. Upon the abolition of this seat the constituency of Luton was created which remained the only seat in the town until 1974.
In 1974 the single Luton seat was divided into two, Luton West and Luton East. These two seats were fairly short lived and in 1983 the current Luton North and Luton South seats were created.
Over the years Luton has been represented by various political parties, and as can be seen below has often mirrored the Government of the day.
Read more about this topic: Politics In Luton
Famous quotes containing the word parliament:
“At the ramparts on the cliff near the old Parliament House I counted twenty-four thirty-two-pounders in a row, pointed over the harbor, with their balls piled pyramid-wise between them,—there are said to be in all about one hundred and eighty guns mounted at Quebec,—all which were faithfully kept dusted by officials, in accordance with the motto, “In time of peace prepare for war”; but I saw no preparations for peace: she was plainly an uninvited guest.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)