North West Durham (UK Parliament constituency)

North West Durham
County constituency
for the House of Commons

Outline map

Boundary of North West Durham in County Durham.

Outline map

Location of County Durham within England.
County County Durham
Electorate 72,760 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Consett, Crook, Lanchester and Willington
Current constituency
Created 1950
Member of parliament Pat Glass (Labour)
Number of members One
Created from Barnard Castle
1885–1918
Number of members One
Type of constituency County constituency
Replaced by Consett and Barnard Castle
Created from South Durham
North Durham
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency North East England

North West Durham is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Pat Glass of the Labour Party.[n 2] Both the current Conservative Party leader, Theresa May, and the current Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, were their party's candidate for the seat at the 1992 general election.

History

1885-1918

A first incarnation of the seat occurred under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 however this was abolished in 1918 to create Consett and to enlarge using its Weardale part Barnard Castle (UK Parliament constituency). During the first creation Liberals represented the area and its first member until 1914 was the son of a prominent Chartist, Ernest Jones, and helped to promote New Liberalism, encouraging the Liberal Party to take on instead the politics of "mass working-class" appeal. This politics was epitomised by David Lloyd George whose People's Budget, 1909 led to the supremacy of the House of Commons over the House of Lords, national pensions under a barebones welfare state (without a National Health Service).

1950-date

On its recreation in 1950 North-West Durham became the successor to Barnard Castle save for the town of that name and its immediate vicinity which instead joined the Bishop Auckland seat. Consett was abolished in 1983 having seen a gradual decline in population in the latter half of its years, and its area was added to North West Durham that year. Throughout this second creation the seat has been represented in Westminster by members of the Labour Party.

Boundaries

North West Durham constituency within northern Durham, showing boundaries used from 1885–1918

1950–1974: The Urban Districts of Brandon and Byshottles, Crook and Willington, and Tow Law, and the Rural Districts of Lanchester and Weardale.

1974–1983: The Urban Districts of Brandon and Byshottles, Crook and Willington, Spennymoor, and Tow Law, the Rural Districts of Lanchester and Weardale, and the civil parish of Brancepeth in the Rural District of Durham.

1983–1997: The District of Derwentside wards of Benfieldside, Blackhill, Burnhope, Burnopfield, Castleside, Consett North, Consett South, Cornsay, Crookhall, Delves Lane, Ebchester and Medomsley, Esh, Lanchester, and Leadgate, and the District of Wear Valley wards of Crook North, Crook South, Howden, Hunwick, St John's Chapel, Stanhope, Stanley, Tow Law, Wheatbottom and Helmington Row, Willington East, Willington West, and Wolsingham.

1997–2010: The District of Derwentside wards of Benfieldside, Blackhill, Burnhope, Burnopfield, Castleside, Consett North, Consett South, Cornsay, Crookhall, Delves Lane, Dipton, Ebchester and Medomsley, Esh, Lanchester, and Leadgate, and the District of Wear Valley wards of Crook North, Crook South, Howden, Hunwick, St John's Chapel, Stanhope, Stanley, Tow Law, Wheatbottom and Helmington Row, Willington East, Willington West, and Wolsingham.

2010–present: The District of Derwentside wards of Benfieldside, Blackhill, Burnhope, Burnopfield, Castleside, Consett East, Consett North, Consett South, Cornsay, Delves Lane, Dipton, Ebchester and Medomsley, Esh, Lanchester, and Leadgate, and the District of Wear Valley wards of Crook North, Crook South, Howden, Hunwick, St John's Chapel, Stanhope, Tow Law and Stanley, Wheatbottom and Helmington Row, Willington Central, Willington West End, Wolsingham, and Witton-le-Wear.[2]

The constituency is in the north west of County Durham, in the North East England region. When it was created in 1885 it centred on two main communities, Consett and Lanchester.

It currently consists of the western part of the former Derwentside district (including Consett and Lanchester) and the northern part of the former Wear Valley district (including Weardale, Crook and Willington).

Constituency profile

For many years the area gave large majorities suggesting a safe seat for the Labour Party; the majority of the electorate live in former mining or steel towns, where Labour traditionally have polled higher than other parties with the remainder in rural farms and villages throughout valleys cleft from the eastern, rocky part of the Pennines. The current MP is Pat Glass, elected at the 2010 general election.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1918

Atherley-Jones
ElectionMember[3]Party
1885 Llewellyn Archer Atherley-Jones Liberal
1914 Aneurin Williams Liberal
1918 Constituency abolished

MPs since 1950

ElectionMember[3]Party
1950 Constituency recreated
1950 James Murray Labour
1955 William Ainsley Labour
1964 Ernest Armstrong Labour
1987 Hilary Armstrong Labour
2010 Pat Glass Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: North West Durham[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Pat Glass 20,074 46.9 +4.6
Conservative Charlotte Haitham-Taylor 10,018 23.4 +3.4
UKIP Bruce Reid 7,265 17.0 +14.1
Liberal Democrat Owen Temple 3,894 9.1 -15.8
Green Mark Shilcock 1,567 3.7 N/A
Majority 10,056 23.5
Turnout 42,818 61.3
Labour hold Swing +0.6
General Election 2010: North West Durham[6][7][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Pat Glass 18,539 42.3 -11.6
Liberal Democrat Owen Temple 10,927 24.9 +5.0
Conservative Michelle Tempest 8,766 20.0 +3.6
Independent Watts Stelling 2,472 5.6 -4.2
BNP Michael Stewart 1,852 4.2 +4.2
UKIP Andrew McDonald 1,259 2.9 +2.9
Majority 7,612 17.4
Turnout 43,815 62.0 +4.2
Labour hold Swing -8.3

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: North West Durham[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Hilary Armstrong 21,312 53.9 -8.6
Liberal Democrat Alan Ord 7,869 19.9 +5.0
Conservative Jamie Devlin 6,463 16.4 -4.5
Independent Watts Stelling 3,865 9.8 +9.8
Majority 13,443 34.0
Turnout 39,509 58.0 -0.5
Labour hold Swing -6.8
General Election 2001: North West Durham[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Hilary Armstrong 24,526 62.5 -6.2
Conservative William Clouston 8,193 20.9 +5.6
Liberal Democrat Alan Ord 5,846 14.9 +4.1
Socialist Labour Joan Hartnell 661 1.7 N/A
Majority 16,333 41.6
Turnout 39,226 58.5 -10.2
Labour hold Swing -5.9

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: North West Durham[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Hilary Armstrong 31,855 68.8 +10.7
Conservative Louise St John-Howe 7,101 15.3 -12.0
Liberal Democrat Anthony Gillings 4,991 10.8 -3.9
Referendum Rodney Atkinson 2,372 5.1 +5.1
Majority 24,754 53.5
Turnout 46,319 68.7 -6.8
Labour hold Swing 11.4
General Election 1992: North West Durham[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Hilary Armstrong 26,734 57.8 +6.9
Conservative Theresa May 12,747 27.6 -0.8
Liberal Democrat Tim Farron 6,728 14.6 -6.1
Majority 13,987 30.2 +7.7
Turnout 46,209 75.5 +2.0
Labour hold Swing 3.4

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: North West Durham[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Hilary Armstrong 22,947 50.9
Conservative Derek Iceton 12,785 28.36
Liberal Chris Foote Wood 9,349 20.74
Majority 10,162 22.54
Turnout 45,081 73.54
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1983: North West Durham[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Ernest Armstrong 19,135 44.58
Conservative T Middleton 12,779 29.77
Liberal Chris Foote Wood 11,008 25.65
Majority 6,356 14.81
Turnout 42,923 70.66
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: North West Durham[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Ernest Armstrong 29,525 61.3
Conservative T Fenwick 14,245 29.58
Liberal J Hannibell 4,394 9.12
Majority 15,280 31.72
Turnout 48,161 75.98
Labour hold Swing
General Election October 1974: North West Durham[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Ernest Armstrong 27,953 64.16
Conservative MJB Cookson 9,197 21.11
Liberal JK Forster 6,418 14.73
Majority 18,756 43.05
Turnout 43,566 71.09
Labour hold Swing
General Election February 1974: North West Durham[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Ernest Armstrong 28,326 59.01
Conservative J Riddell 10,865 22.64
Liberal JK Forster 8,809 18.35
Majority 17,461 36.38
Turnout 47,999 79.09
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1970: North West Durham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Ernest Armstrong 24,245 69.6
Conservative Alan E Page 10,590 30.4
Majority 13,655 39.2
Turnout 34,834 72.85
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966:
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Ernest Armstrong 25,260 73.58
Conservative Colin Nevil Glen MacAndrew 9,070 26.42
Majority 16,190 47.16
Turnout 73.37
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1964: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Ernest Armstrong 26,006 69.75
Conservative Kenneth L Ellis 11,280 30.25
Majority 14,726 39.49
Turnout 77.98
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour John William Ainsley 28,064 68.06
Conservative Olive Sinclair 13,172 31.94
Majority 14,892 36.11
Turnout 81.45
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1955: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour John William Ainsley 27,116 67.41
Conservative Thomas T Hubble 13,110 32.59
Majority 14,006 34.82
Turnout 79.05
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1951: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour James Dixon Murray 30,417 68.66
Conservative James Quigley 13,885 31.34
Majority 16,532 37.32
Turnout 85.06
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1950: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour James Dixon Murray 31,084 69.67
Conservative James Quigley 13,530 30.33
Majority 17,554 39.35
Turnout 86.52
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1910s

Aneurin Williams
North West Durham by-election, 1914
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Aneurin Williams 7,241
Unionist James Ogden Hardicker 5,564
Labour George Harold Stuart-Bunning 5,026
Majority
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing
Atherley-Jones
General Election December 1910: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Llewellyn Atherley-Jones 8,998 65.1
Conservative James Ogden Hardicker 4,827 34.9
Majority 4.171 30.2
Turnout 75.3
Liberal hold Swing

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ↑ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. ↑ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
References
  1. ↑ "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". National Archives. Retrieved 21 June 2016. Theis article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. 1 2 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 4)
  4. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Durham North West". BBC News. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  7. ↑ http://www.durham.gov.uk/PDFApproved/ParliamentaryElection2010_SoPN_Rev_NWD.pdf
  8. ↑ "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Durham North West". BBC News.
  9. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ↑ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge83/i07.htm
  17. ↑ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge79/i07.htm
  18. ↑ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge74b/i07.htm
  19. ↑ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge74a/i07.htm
  20. ↑ http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge70/i07.htm
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