Macclesfield Nub News is increasing the amount of General Election content, as we approach the next UK General Election.

The next general election in Macclesfield will see the following candidates: Conservatives (David Rutley MP), Green Party (Amanda Iremonger), Labour (Tim Roca), the Liberal Democrats (Neil Christian), and the Social Democratic Party (Dickie Fletcher) have already announced their candidates for Macclesfield.

And for today's piece of election content, we have delved into the archives to unearth four fun facts about General Elections in Macclesfield.

So let's get started:

Corruption Allegations

(Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

While some Maxonians complain that joining Cheshire East Council was a mistake (local government). There was a time when Macclesfield joined a larger constituency for their national government representation as well.

The Macclesfield constituency was once temporarily absorbed into the now-defunct East Cheshire constituency.

Cast your mind back to the Victorian year of 1880, Macclesfield was still renowned for their silk making, and a name very familiar with local historians and observant Maxonians was our MP.

William Brocklehurst had just been elected for his third term, as had David Chadwick.

Back then, Macclesfield had two seats, and both Liberals were elected.

However, The General Election in 1880 in Macclesfield was declared void.

tHE writ was ALSO suspended, which meant no by-election could take place).

In September 1880 a Royal Commission was appointed to investigate further, and six months later a report found evidence of allegations of corruption.

As a result, the Macclesfield borough constituency was disenfranchised for corruption.

The disenfranchisement took effect on 25 June 1885, when the town was transferred to the East Cheshire constituency. (Which voted for a different party, Conservative).

But this would not last long.

As part of the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 the Macclesfield constituency was brought back and amended with extended boundaries, as a county division, later in 1885.

This 'East Cheshire' boundary included every place included in the Macclesfield Hundred.

Since the 1885 general election, Macclesfield has elected only one MP.

Female Candidates

(Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

While women make up 35% of the House of Commons, currently only one woman has put their name forward to be Macclesfield's next MP for the upcoming election.

The only female candidate declared so far is Amanda Iremonger, for the Green Party.

Macclesfield has never had a female MP. The last woman to run for office in Macclesfield was Joan Plimmer for the Green Party in 2015.

The last time more than one woman stood for parliament in a Macclesfield General Election was 1992.

It was then when Martina C. Longworth came second for Labour to Nicholas Winterton, and in fourth place Cheryl A. Penn ran for the Natural Law Party's only Macclesfield run for office.

By comparison, Macclesfield's neighbouring constituency of Congleton has had female MPs for the entirety of their existence (1983). They had two female candidates in the last General Election.

A Politically Engaged Town

(Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

Macclesfield's electorate has a high turnout rate.

Or at least they have in recent times.

For the last eight general elections, Macclesfield has a higher turnout than the UK average.

As evidenced by the data below, Macclesfield has had a significantly higher turnout than the UK average since the 1992 poll.

2019

2019 UK Turnout 67.3% 

2019 Macclesfield Turnout 71.7%

2017

2017 UK Turnout 68.8% 

2017 Macclesfield Turnout 72.38% 

2015

2015 UK Turnout 66.4% 

2015 Macclesfield Turnout 69.3%

2010

2010 UK Turnout 65.1% 

2010 Macclesfield Turnout 68.31%

2005

2005 UK Turnout 61.4% 

2005 Macclesfield Turnout 63.1% 

2001

2001 UK Turnout 59.4% 

2001 Macclesfield Turnout 62.3% 

1997

1997 UK Turnout 75.2% 

1997 Macclesfield Turnout 71.3% 

1992

1992 UK Turnout 77.7% 

1992 Macclesfield Turnout 82.3% 

You to go as far back as 1987 to find the last time the turnout was lower in Macclesfield than the UK average.

2024 Record

There could be a record amount of candidates at the next General Election. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

A new record is set to be smashed at the next General Election, set to take place no later than January 2025.

The current record for the number of candidates who stood for general election in Macclesfield was in 2010, when six people threw their hat into the ring to be Macclesfield's next MP.

The next general election in Macclesfield will see the following candidates: Conservatives (David Rutley MP), Green Party (Amanda Iremonger), Labour (Tim Roca), the Liberal Democrats (Neil Christian), and the Social Democratic Party (Dickie Fletcher).

The Reform Party will also be running, with the candidate likely to be Stephen Broadhurst.

And Independent candidate Christopher Wellavize has also declared his intention to stand.

This would mean that seven people would be running for parliament in Macclesfield in one election, for the first time ever.