Boundary changes have given Loughborough the appearance of a volatile political history. In 1983 the Leicestershire coalfield was transferred from the seat, which had been loyal to Labour, and was replaced by much of the Valley of the Soar. Stephen Dorrell’s tenure from 1983 to 1997 was firmly rooted in the almost unfailingly Conservative, white, middle class communities of the Soar Valley.
In 1995, the Boundary Commission moved the bulk of the Soar Valley again, into the newly created Charnwood constituency. Stephen Dorrell chose to move with these voters, so by 1997 Loughborough constituency had become fairly compact, and focused around the town of Loughborough itself, a small area of Wolds villages and the town of Shepshed.
The new constituency is more evenly balanced now, although not immune from future volatility. The middle class areas of Nanpantan and Outwoods in the South West of Loughborough are Conservative on Charnwood Council, but otherwise Loughborough and the two Shepshed wards are held by Labour. Loughborough is an industrial engineering town with many old terraces and council estates. Some hosiery and knitwear industry remains in the area.