Election Prediction Project
www.electionprediction.org
British General Election
North Wiltshire

Current Prediction:
Election Profile:

Candidates:
Labour Party:
Joanne Garton
Conservative Party:
James W. Gray
Liberal Democratic Party:
Hugh Pym
UK Independence Party:
? Dowdney

Incumbent:
James Gray

97 Result:
Nigel Knowles
8,26114.2%
James Gray
25,39043.8%
Simon Cordon
21,91537.8%
Total Vote Count / Turnout
58,01375.11%

92 Result: (Redistributed)
6,08710.2%
33,62656.2%
18,86631.5%
Total Vote Count / Turnout
59,86683.9%

Demographic Profile:
Age:
< 1620.0%
16-2412.9%
25-3922.2%
40-6527.6%
65 <17.3%

Ethnic Origin:
White98.8%
Black0.4%
Indian/Pakistani0.3%
Other non-white0.5%

Employment:
Full Time65.1%
Part Time15.8%
Self Employed13.6%
Government Schemes0.8%
Unemployed4.7%

Household SEG:
I - Professional6.2%
II - Managerial/Technical36.0%
III - Skilled (non-manual)10.2%
IIIM - Skilled (manual)23.3%
IV - Partly Skilled12.9%
V - Unskilled3.3%

Misc:
Own Residence72.1%
Rent Residence21.8%
Own Car(s)81.1%
Submissions
Submit Information here

03/05/01 Pete Email:warposters@yahoo.com
This predominately rural area is likely to be won by the Liberal Democrats in the forthcoming election. The people of Wiltshire are dissatisfied. They want change. There are only two option, (labour doesn't feature) that leaves the Tories and the Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems are working tirelessly, in the council elections and recently won in the Purton by-election. A change in north wilts is needed, and the Lib Dems are the way forward.
03/05/01 C GALE Email:
The tide has turned and the Lib Dems are set for victory in North Wilts.
05/05/01 A Davis Email:
James Gray made various statements on 'News Night' and in Parliament indicating that the foot and mouth outbreak was seriously affecting the constituency of North Wiltshire when in fact there was no outbreak in the constituency at the time. For example: he wrongly stated that schools were closed and subsequently apologised for misinforming the House; he wrongly stated that there were piles of rotting carcases. North Wiltshire relies on farming and tourism and many people feel he was not acting in the interests of his constituents by making such erroneous statements.
08/05/01 Chris Gale Email:
Having been out an about on the doorsteps I am more and more confident of victory for the Lib Dems in North Wiltshire,the momentum for change is growing.
09/05/01 EP Email:
I am quite suspicious about the chorus that sings for the Lib dem here. As much as I would like to see them going down, the Tories does have some history here and this area does have the charecteristic of a Conservative zone.
08/05/01 Chris Gale Email:
I think the area has changed a great deal and is not any longer automatic Tory territory,there is also growing evidence that Labour voters are going to vote Lib Dem tactically to beat the Tories.
11/05/01 Peter Email:
I was impressed by the Lib Dem candidate Hugh Pym, very committed to the area in which he was born and raised and excellent with the voters,any prospective MP who can sing two verses of "Bob the builder" to a young mothers 5 year old son on the doorstep is very welcome,I witnessed this just recently and it was great.Roll on to victory.
12/05/01 N Starling Email:Starling@nejs.fsworld.co.uk
I thnk Hugh Pym is the key factor for the Lib Dems. He was brought up in the area and as an ex ITN newsreader, I think he has the profile.
13/05/01 Sean Fear Email:fear_sean@hotmail.com
The Tories have pushed up their vote (and taken seats off the Lib Dems) in a string of local by-elections throughout Wiltshire since 1997. Indeed they took control of Wiltshire County Council, which was previously under No Overall Control, in 2000. I was very surprised that the Tories managed to retain all of the Wiltshire rural seats in 1997, since the Lib Dems have run them close in a number of previous elections. In view of the swing towards them throughout the county subsequently, they're not going to lose this time.
16/05/01 Jason Email:
I have to disagree with Sean,the rural Tory vote that will not save the parliamentary seat for the Tories,they are doomed because the electorate in the towns has changed and is far more sophisticated. Hugh Pym is an excellent local candiddate whilst James Gray comes across as a "Tim nice but dim" type.He represents the narrow right wing of the Tory party whose views do not reflect the majority of voters.
17/05/01 Andrew Email:
I think Hugh Pym is going to win this election for the Lib Dems. I've met him and found him to be very well informed and deeply committed to the North Wilts people. I really hope he does it.
17/05/01 Donald Email:
They had their chance with simon cordon. Local politics in this area is different from national. Labour will increase their small vote.
21/05/01 acn Email:
North Wiltshire will also have a Green candidate. On the doorsteps it is hartd to find Conservatives who will admit it - 'they' have yet to make up their minds!!
24/05/01 gary Email:
i certainly agree that there is an element of suspicion around all the lib dems support that has been growing on this page (all the same person one might be inclined to suggest with tongue firmly in cheek) No one has given a good enough reason to get rid of James Gray so until I am given one i'm sorry all you lib dem hopefulls- Mr Gray will still be your MP this time next year
24/05/01 Jennifer Email:
I am aware of more and more people backing Hugh Pym,many of whom have not voted Lib Dem before.
26/05/01 Jeff Email:
As somebody said in the pub last night - "voting Labour in North Wiltshire in North Wiltshire is an indulgence, all you get is another Tory MP." Of course the Greens have not put up a candidate. LibDems will win N. Wilts because the Tory vote is frozen and the Labour supporters are chnging their allegiance.
28/05/01 Sara Email:
If you do a search on James Gray on the net you will see how many times he has shared a platform with the extreme right "Freedom Association" who among other things backed the apartheid regime in South Africa during the seventies/80s,General Pinochet and other dubious individuals and organisations. [Partisan text edited] Billy Bragg (a staunch Labour supporter) is actively promoting tactical voting down in Dorset to oust the Tory MP. [Partisan text edited]
30/05/01 A.S. Email:adma@interlog.com
This *is* a fairly important LD target, as is so much in the Dorset-Wiltshire belt--and the argument's surely been given added force by '97's proof (look westward, or to the Winchester'n'Lewes spots eastward) that Lib Dem gesticulating was no longer just general-election hot air. But as the series of posts here prove, partisan party-plumping can appear pretty counter-productive. *We get your point already*, so move on...
30/05/01 Chris Email:
It is difficult to see where the extra Lib Dem votes will come from in this constituency. At the last election tactical voting and high Tory stay-away was already in place. If the Lib Dems do pinch this one, then there's a genuine possibility that Charles Kennedy's claim of being the next Opposition is realistic.

Submit Information here
Back to South West Index
Back to British General Election Prediction Index
Last Updated 6 June 2001
Election Prediction Project - www.electionprediction.com
© 1999-2001 Milton Chan

Email Webmaster