Hazel Grove
Liberal Democrat hold

Having finally dislodged the Conservatives after the retirement of Tom Arnold, the Liberal Democrat Andrew Stunell now enjoys one of their safest strongholds in Hazel Grove, where in May 2000, for example, his party won all six Stockport Borough wards easily, and he may well achieve another five figure majority. This seat in the south east corner of Greater Manchester near the border with the Peak District has a long Liberal tradition, dating back to the victories of Dr Michael Winstanley in 1966 (when it was part of the Cheadle constituency) and February 1974. Tom Arnold did astonishingly well to hold on narrowly on five occasions in succession - enough people must have met him to have been bowled over by his twinkling charm. Andrew Stunell may win several terms too, though perhaps by different methods and for different reasons.

Andrew Stunell, Liberal Democrat Deputy Chief Whip, won here in 1997 after narrowly missing victory in 1992. An architect, born in the Surrey suburbs in 1942, he was educated at Surbiton Grammar School, Kingston Polytechnic and Manchester University. Environmentally concerned - in the Liberal mode - he has introduced a Bill to reduce 'unnecessary over-packaging'. With experience of a Lib-Con coalition on Cheshire County Council, he is no automatic endorser of Charles Kennedy's tacit packaging of the Liberals as a primarily anti-Tory party.

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   Thriving Wealthy Achievers, Suburban Areas 25.72% 14.99% 171.55 Affluent Greys, Rural Communities 0.00% 2.13% 0.00 Prosperous Pensioners, Retirement Areas 1.69% 2.49% 67.82 Expanding Affluent Executives, Family Areas 5.91% 4.43% 133.49 Well-Off Workers, Family Areas 11.89% 7.27% 163.44 Rising Affluent Urbanites, Town & City Areas 0.20% 2.56% 7.89 Prosperous Professionals, Metropolitan Areas 0.05% 2.04% 2.45 Better-Off Executives, Inner City Areas 0.00% 3.94% 0.00 Settling Comfortable Middle Agers, Mature Home Owning Areas 24.40% 13.04% 187.16 Skilled Workers, Home Owning Areas 9.14% 12.70% 71.99 Aspiring New Home Owners, Mature Communities 8.61% 8.14% 105.72 White Collar Workers, Better-Off Multi Ethnic Areas 0.45% 4.02% 11.16 Striving Older People, Less Prosperous Areas 3.75% 3.19% 117.60 Council Estate Residents, Better-Off Homes 6.09% 11.31% 53.85 Council Estate Residents, High Unemployment 1.00% 3.06% 32.51 Council Estate Residents, Greatest Hardship 1.09% 2.52% 43.26 People in Multi-Ethnic, Low-Income Areas 0.00% 2.10% 0.00 Unclassified Unclassified 0.02% 0.06% 24.83

Area Percent GB Percent Index GB=100   £0-5K 7.11% 9.41% 75.49 £5-10K 14.25% 16.63% 85.65 £10-15K 15.62% 16.58% 94.20 £15-20K 13.76% 13.58% 101.27 £20-25K 11.11% 10.39% 106.88 £25-30K 8.64% 7.77% 111.18 £30-35K 6.62% 5.79% 114.37 £35-40K 5.05% 4.33% 116.62 £40-45K 3.86% 3.27% 118.09 £45-50K 2.95% 2.48% 118.95 £50-55K 2.27% 1.90% 119.30 £55-60K 1.76% 1.47% 119.26 £60-65K 1.37% 1.15% 118.89 £65-70K 1.07% 0.91% 118.28 £70-75K 0.84% 0.72% 117.48 £75-80K 0.67% 0.57% 116.53 £80-85K 0.53% 0.46% 115.47 £85-90K 0.43% 0.37% 114.33 £90-95K 0.35% 0.31% 113.13 £95-100K 0.28% 0.25% 111.89 £100K + 1.39% 1.34% 103.24