Although John Major’s personal standing in his constituency protected him when the tide turned against the rest of his party in 1997, Conservative candidates have always done well in this seat.
Two major employers in Huntingdon are Anglian Water whose Headquarters are in Huntingdon - and Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) - which employs around 800 people. HLS was founded in 1951 and is a ‘Contract Research Organisation’ which undertakes product development and safety testing for the pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechnology industries. A target for animal rights campaigners, HLS’s licence was suspended in 1996 for alleged abuse of animals and two members of staff were prosecuted under the Protection of Animals Act. The company recommenced operations in November 1997.
As in most of Cambridgeshire, infrastructure and planning issues are important in Huntingdon. The old RAF base at Alconbury has been sold by the MOD to a Joint Venture Partner, ADL, who will manage the site through to its eventual development. Ideas under consideration for developing the site are a freight or rail terminal, or other industrial or commercial ventures.