Skipton and Ripon (UK Parliament constituency)

Skipton and Ripon
County constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Skipton and Ripon in North Yorkshire.
Location of North Yorkshire within England.
County	North Yorkshire
Electorate	77,098 (December 2010)
Major settlements	Masham, Ripon, Settle, Skipton
Current constituency
Created	1983
Member of parliament	Julian Smith (Conservative)
Number of members	One
Created from	Skipton, Ripon, Harrogate, Thirsk & Malton, Keighley, Barkston Ash and Richmond (Yorks)
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency	Yorkshire and the Humber

Skipton and Ripon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Julian Smith, a Conservative.

It is one of the safest seats in England, formed on an area with a long history of Conservative representation and with a large plurality of its 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 re-elected as Prime Minister.

At 1.6% only of its area as unemployment claimants, Skipton and Ripon had significantly lower than national average unemployment (c.f. 3.8%) in November 2012.

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-present: 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.

This area of the Yorkshire Dales covers the whole of the Craven district including the towns of Skipton, Bentham and Settle. It also covers the northern and western parts of the Borough of Harrogate district including the city of Ripon and towns of Pateley Bridge and Masham.