The industrial heritage of Rotherham, built on coal and steel, and the subsequent decline of those industries have combined to keep this constituency in Labour's grasp since 1933.
The town of Rotherham was once surrounded by coal-mines, but almost all have been closed over the past couple of decades. This led to a landscape of industrial graveyards and urban decay, with high levels of unemployment and council house occupancy.
However, efforts are being made to transform the town. The Manvers site is a business park and leisure area, and the Magna science and education centre is housed in a converted steel plant. It was visited by 130,000 people between opening in April 2001 and June. Unemployment has fallen as a result to a 25-year low.