Banbury
Conservative hold

Labour finished less than 5,000 votes behind the Conservative Tony Baldry in the 1997 General election, but in May 1999 and May 2000 they won only two of the Cherwell District wards, both in Banbury, out of the 27 within the seat. And in June 1999 the Tories finished 25pc ahead here in the Euro-elections, a swing of more than 8pc in two years. This north Oxfordshire seat has seen urban growth, mainly private, in both main towns, Banbury and Bicester, but the villages remain the true heart of the enduring Tory strength.

Barrister and Freemason Tony Baldry became Conservative MP here in 1983, and served as a minister from 1990 to 1997, ultimately as Fisheries Minister, a post which tested his customary Europhilia, but not sufficiently to ensure his inclusion in William Hague's frontbench following his three-ballot backing for Ken Clarke in 1997. Born 1950 and educated at the Quaker public school, Leighton Park, and at Sussex University, an engagingly pragmatic Wet, he graces the Tory Reform Group and the Bow Group. He was known as 'Baldrick' to his civil servants, one of whom on being asked by him which department was responsible for the decay of the West Pier at Brighton, replied 'Yours, Minister'.

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   Thriving Wealthy Achievers, Suburban Areas 25.63% 14.99% 170.95 Affluent Greys, Rural Communities 0.45% 2.13% 21.14 Prosperous Pensioners, Retirement Areas 0.03% 2.49% 1.38 Expanding Affluent Executives, Family Areas 20.87% 4.43% 471.52 Well-Off Workers, Family Areas 9.20% 7.27% 126.47 Rising Affluent Urbanites, Town & City Areas 2.71% 2.56% 105.80 Prosperous Professionals, Metropolitan Areas 0.00% 2.04% 0.00 Better-Off Executives, Inner City Areas 2.11% 3.94% 53.60 Settling Comfortable Middle Agers, Mature Home Owning Areas 11.02% 13.04% 84.54 Skilled Workers, Home Owning Areas 6.95% 12.70% 54.75 Aspiring New Home Owners, Mature Communities 4.21% 8.14% 51.76 White Collar Workers, Better-Off Multi Ethnic Areas 0.75% 4.02% 18.71 Striving Older People, Less Prosperous Areas 1.98% 3.19% 62.14 Council Estate Residents, Better-Off Homes 13.37% 11.31% 118.16 Council Estate Residents, High Unemployment 0.39% 3.06% 12.86 Council Estate Residents, Greatest Hardship 0.24% 2.52% 9.37 People in Multi-Ethnic, Low-Income Areas 0.00% 2.10% 0.00 Unclassified Unclassified 0.07% 0.06% 117.74

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   £0-5K 5.21% 9.41% 55.33 £5-10K 11.95% 16.63% 71.87 £10-15K 14.53% 16.58% 87.62 £15-20K 13.75% 13.58% 101.23 £20-25K 11.64% 10.39% 111.98 £25-30K 9.32% 7.77% 119.94 £30-35K 7.27% 5.79% 125.51 £35-40K 5.60% 4.33% 129.18 £40-45K 4.29% 3.27% 131.39 £45-50K 3.29% 2.48% 132.51 £50-55K 2.53% 1.90% 132.84 £55-60K 1.96% 1.47% 132.60 £60-65K 1.52% 1.15% 131.97 £65-70K 1.19% 0.91% 131.08 £70-75K 0.94% 0.72% 130.00 £75-80K 0.74% 0.57% 128.82 £80-85K 0.59% 0.46% 127.58 £85-90K 0.47% 0.37% 126.31 £90-95K 0.38% 0.31% 125.05 £95-100K 0.31% 0.25% 123.80 £100K + 1.57% 1.34% 116.55