The Calder Valley constituency covers most of the district of
Calderdale in
West Yorkshire. It contains the areas south and west of the large town of
Halifax. The largest settlement is the town of
Brighouse with a population of around 33,000. Other settlements in the constituency include the towns of
Elland,
Hebden Bridge and
Todmorden and the villages of
Ripponden and
Mytholmroyd. The
Pennines run through the west of the constituency, which is thus predominantly
upland. It is named after the
River Calder, a
tributary of the
Aire that flows through the constituency. Most of the towns in the constituency have a history of
textile manufacturing. Todmorden and Hebden Bridge are known for their
bohemian culture and Hebden Bridge has been described as the "lesbian capital of the UK". Residents of the constituency are generally older and have average levels of wealth and education when compared to national averages.
White people make up 95% of the population. There is some deprivation in Todmorden and Elland whilst Ripponden is more affluent. At the
local borough council, Brighouse and Elland are represented by
Conservative Party councillors whilst the constituency's upland west voted for
Labour Party candidates. An estimated 52% of voters in Calder Valley supported leaving the
European Union in the
2016 referendum, identical to the national figure. == Boundaries ==