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27
Dec 2023
No 10: Harrogate becomes political battleground in 2023
In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we look back at an eventful year for politics in the Harrogate district.
The Harrogate district was a political battleground for much of the last 12 months.
From parliamentary by-elections to council party alliances being formed, the theatre of politics was never far from the headlines.
Perhaps the biggest story of the 2023 was the shaking of the political landscape in Selby and Ainsty.
The constituency, which includes Green Hammerton, Spofforth and Follifoot, found itself at the centre of the national picture as the Tories looked to keep a grip on what once was a safe seat.
The count held at Selby Leisure Centre was the culmination of the downfall of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The count held at Selby Leisure Centre.
Nigel Adams, a key ally of Johnson and Selby and Ainsty MP, resigned with immediate affect in June amid a flurry of resignations at the time, including former culture secretary Nadine Dorries.
Fast forward to July and the Tories were hoping to hang onto the seat.
Standing in the party’s way was 25-year-old former public affairs adviser for the Confederation of British Industry, Keir Mather.
Mr Mather did the unthinkable and overturned a 20,137 Conservative majority to win.
Political alliances
Away from the national picture, the local political scene was also offering its own drama.
The balance of power at North Yorkshire Council was finely poised in July this year, with the ruling Conservative group having precisely half the 90 seats on the council.
The defection of Cllr Mike Jordan left the Tories looking elsewhere to shore up their grip on the authority.
The party looked to Ripon.
Cllr Andrew Williams had been elected to North Yorkshire Council in the May elections as a Ripon Independent.
Cllr Williams and two other unaffiliated independents agreed an alliance with the Tories in what Cllr Carl Les, leader of the council, said would “secure the stable and sustainable governance” of the authority.
However, the move was not without controversy. In the wake of the news, Liberal Democrat councillor, Barbara Brodigan, criticised Cllr William’s decision and described him as a “Tory puppet”.
He hit back and said:
Andrew Jones and Tom Gordon.
Elsewhere, with the prospect of a general election on the horizon, the race to become Harrogate and Knaresborough’s next MP heated up this year.
Tom Gordon threw his hat in the ring for the Liberal Democrats, while Conservative Andrew Jones is hoping to win his fifth election in the constituency.
While further candidates have yet to come forward, Labour appears to have gone cold on its prospects of winning the seat.
This month, it was revealed that the national party had designated it as a “non-battleground” constituency.
The Lib Dems proclaimed this to mean that Harrogate and Knaresborough is now a two-horse race.
2024 will be another battleground year for politics.
Read more:
- Labour overturns huge Tory majority to win Selby and Ainsty by-election
- Harrogate heavyweights out in force at Selby by-election
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