David Curry

The Skipton and Ripon Seat lies wholly within North Yorkshire and consists of the countryside which most people would consider to be the heart of the Dales - Settle, Skipton, Ripon, Nidderdale and Wharfedale. These southern dales are accessible to the great population centres of industrial Lancashire and West Yorkshire, and as a result, villages like Grassington and Burnsall have a softer, more commercial air than the more rugged communities further north. There are tourist targets like Bolton Priory, Fountains Abbey and Malham Tarn. The constituency's economy is heavily dependent upon agriculture, light industry, tourism and a declining textile industry.

The seat was formed in 1983 following major boundary re-distribution and was won for the Conservatives by John Watson - the previous MP for the former Skipton Constituency- with a 15,046 majority. Following John Watson's decision to leave Parliament, David Curry was selected by the Conservatives to contest the seat for the 1987 election and was returned with a 17,174 majority. In 1992 he was returned with a 19,330 majority, and in 1997 with a majority of 11,620.

Local Authority and Wards:

District of Craven comprising the wards of :- Aire Vally, Bentham, Bolton Abbey, Calton, Clapham, Cowling, Embsay-w-Eastby, Gargrave, Glusburn, Grassington, Hellifield, Ingleborough, Penyghent, Ribbleside, Settle, Skipton Central, Skipton East, Skipton North, Skipton South, Skipton South West, Skipton West, Upper Wharfedale, West Craven, Sutton and the following wards in the District of Harrogate:- Almscliffe, Bishop Monkton, Fountains, Killinghall, Kirkby Malzeard, Lower Nidderdale, Mashamshire, Nidd Valley, Pateley Bridge, Ripon East, Ripon West and Wharfedale Moors.