▁much ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁since ▁ 1 5 9 9 , ▁for ▁the ▁sum ▁of ▁£ 1 . 3   mill ion . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁town ▁became ▁known ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁as ▁' the ▁town ▁that ▁bought ▁itself '. ▁To ▁this ▁day , ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁free hold ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁belongs ▁to ▁the ▁local ▁authority . ▁ ▁Hud ders field ▁expanded ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁assim il ating ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁Gol car , ▁Lin th wa ite , ▁and ▁South ▁C ros land ▁urban ▁districts . ▁The ▁county ▁bor ough ▁was ▁abol ished ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁its ▁former ▁area ▁was ▁combined ▁with ▁that ▁of ▁other ▁districts ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Bor ough ▁of ▁Kirk le es ▁in ▁West ▁York shire . ▁ ▁Att empt s ▁by ▁the ▁council ▁to ▁gain ▁support ▁for ▁city ▁status ▁were ▁rejected ▁by ▁the ▁population ▁in ▁an ▁uno fficial ▁refer endum ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Hud ders field ▁Daily ▁Ex am iner . ▁The ▁council ▁did ▁not ▁apply ▁for ▁that ▁status ▁in ▁either ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁or ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁compet itions . ▁ ▁Hud ders field ▁had ▁a ▁strong ▁liberal ▁tradition ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁reflected ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁liberal ▁social ▁clubs ▁in ▁the ▁town . ▁The ▁current ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁( MP ) ▁for ▁the ▁Hud ders field ▁constitu ency ▁is ▁Barry ▁She erman , ▁a ▁Labour ▁Co - oper ative ▁member . ▁ ▁According