Yorkshire and The Humber · England · 79,238Boundary · 2023

Skipton & Ripon

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Dispatch
Apr 2026

A marginal seat — won by just 1,650 votes (3.1%) in 2024. Covers Ripon, Skipton and Cross Hills. Population 97,633, notably older (median age 50 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 56% below the national average. 6,420 businesses.

Julian Smith has been one of the more active Conservative rebels in recent months, crossing party lines twice since March 2025. He backed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at Third Reading -- a public health measure the party majority opposed -- and supported extending Contracts for Difference subsidies to Drax's biomass operations despite Conservative opposition. More recently, he has been vocal on local issues: raising safety concerns in the Commons that secured a ministerial commitment and prompted a public meeting in Skipton, challenging the Education Secretary to make autism training statutory (winning a positive government response), and publicly opposing a proposed North Yorkshire tourism tax as a "hammer blow" for local hospitality businesses.

A 99.4% party-line voter overall, Smith's deviations are selective rather than habitual. His participation rate of 71% sits below the Commons average. He scores 100% on both pro-lords-scrutiny and pro-parliamentary-scrutiny stances -- consistent with his April 2026 votes backing Lords amendments on the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill and resisting government powers to direct pension fund investments, positions he held against the Labour majority. He diverges sharply from his own party on pension protection (0% vs a Conservative average of 47%), while sitting notably above party average on energy security (67% vs 39%). His 103 speech contributions span economy, defence, crime, and local government.

347
Commons votes
This parliament
£29k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
79.2k
Electorate
2024 GE

Con held for 5 consecutive elections.

Current Member of Parliament

Julian Smith

Julian Smith

Conservative and Unionist Party

The Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith is the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, and has been an MP continually since 6 May 2010.

Notable Votes

MPs voted on whether to approve new regulations extending subsidies (Contracts for Difference) to Drax power station, which burns biomass. Supporters say it is needed to maintain energy security and support renewable targets; opponents argue it continues costly and controversial support for a fuel source they consider environmentally dubious.

MP voted YesAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

MPs voted to pass the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at its final stage in the Commons. The Bill aims to create a 'smokefree generation' by gradually raising the legal age for buying tobacco so that those born after a certain date can never legally purchase it, representing the biggest public health intervention since the 2007 smoking ban.

MP voted YesAgainst party majority

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Voting at a Glance

A marginal seat — won by just 1,650 votes (3.1%) in 2024. Covers Ripon, Skipton and Cross Hills. Population 97,633, notably older (median age 50 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 56% below the national average. 6,420 businesses.

2024 General Election

§ 06This week in Westminster.Live · today’s sittingOrder Paper · refreshed daily

Smith’s scheduled Commons activity this week — whipped divisions, oral questions, debates — drawn from the House of Commons Order Paper.

§ 07The record, at a glance.361 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Smith has cast the most ballots — a proxy for engagement, not direction. Notable votes are the moments where the whip was free or where they broke ranks.

Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted · cumulative this Parliament
Taxation
84
Economy
75
Crime & Policing
39
Employment
37
Education
34
Welfare and Benefits
19
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip
Draft Contracts for Difference (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 202511 Jun 2025
Aye
Tobacco and Vapes Bill: Third Reading26 Mar 2025 · free vote
Aye
§ 08The local picture.14 wards

Constituencies are not uniform. Below — the local council make-up, key facts worth knowing, and the neighbouring seats on either side.

WardCouncillorVotesParty
Aire ValleyAndy Brown1,602Green Pa
Bentham IngletonDavid Lloyd Ireton1,149Conserva
Glusburn Cross Hills Sutton In CravenPhilip Melvin Barrett1,061Independ
Masham FountainsFelicity Clare Cunliffe-Lister1,349Liberal
Mid CravenSimon Myers992Conserva
Pateley Bridge NidderdaleAndrew Murday1,002Liberal
Ripon Minster MoorsideAndrew Williams1,453Independ
Ripon Ure Bank SpaBarbara Brodigan985Liberal
Settle PenyghentDavid Michael Staveley1,078Conserva
Skipton East SouthRobert Geoffrey Heseltine640Independ
Skipton North Embsay With EastbyDavid Christopher Noland742Green Pa
Skipton West West CravenAndy Solloway503Independ
Population (2021 Census)
97,633
Electorate 79,238 · 2024 register
Median income
£29,300
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
18.8%
England average 20.0%
Schools
81
57 primary · 9 secondary
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More constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.