North West Durham (UK Parliament constituency)

North West Durham is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 12 December 2019 by Richard Holden of the Conservative Party.

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
CountyCounty Durham
Electorate72,760 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsConsett, Crook, Lanchester and Willington
Current constituency
Created1950
Member of ParliamentRichard Holden (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromBarnard Castle, Consett, and Spennymoor
1885–1918
SeatsOne
Type of constituencyCounty constituency
Created fromSouth Durham
North Durham
Replaced byConsett and Barnard Castle

The seat is due to be abolished for the next general election.[2]

Constituency profile

The constituency is in the north west of County Durham, in the North East England region. 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).

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.

History

1885–1918

The constituency was first created for the 1885 general election by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 as one of eight new single-member divisions of the county of Durham, replacing the two 2-member seats of North Durham and South Durham.[3] It was centred on two main communities, Consett and Lanchester.

It was abolished in 1918 with the creation of Consett as a separate constituency. Lanchester was transferred to an enlarged Barnard Castle seat and Tanfield was added to the new constituency of Blaydon.

1950–present

On its recreation under the Representation of the People Act 1948, North-West Durham absorbed the abolished Spennymoor seat, with the exception of the town of Spennymoor itself (which was added in 1974). It also regained Lanchester, together with Weardale, from the now abolished Barnard Castle.

As a result of the periodic review of parliamentary constituencies following the re-organisation of local government under the Local Government Act 1972, the seat underwent a major redistribution for the 1983 general election: the town of Consett was regained from the abolished constituency thereof, and Brandon and Spennymoor were transferred to City of Durham and Sedgefield respectively. The boundaries were now similar to the first version of the constituency.

Boundaries

1885–1918
  • The Sessional Division of Lanchester and Consett; and
  • the Parishes of Edmondbyers and Hunstanworth[4]

See map on Vision of Britain website.[5] (NB Boundary Commission proposed name was "Lanchester")

1950–1974
  • The Urban Districts of Brandon and Byshottles, Crook and Willington, and Tow Law; and
  • the Rural Districts of Lanchester and Weardale.[6]

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 parish of Brancepeth in the Rural District of Durham.[7]

Spennymoor transferred from Durham with the parish of Brancepeth.

1983–1997
  • The District of Derwentside wards of Benfieldside, Blackhill, Burnhope, 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.[8]

Gained area comprising former urban district of Consett (incorporating Benfieldside, Consett and Leadgate). Brandon and Byshottles, and Brancepeth transferred to City of Durham, and Spennymoor to Sedgefield.

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.[9]

The Derwentside District wards of Burnopfield and Dipton transferred from North Durham.

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.[10]

The 1997 boundaries were retained despite the official description of the constituency changing slightly in terms of the names of the local authority wards.

In the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, the local authority districts in Durham were abolished and replaced with a single unitary authority; however, this has not affected the boundaries of the constituency.

Proposed abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be abolished for the next general election, with its contents distributed four ways:[2]

Political history

1885–1918

During the first creation, Liberals represented the area and the first member until 1914 was the son of a prominent Chartist, Ernest Jones, who 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 in 1909 led to the supremacy of the House of Commons over the House of Lords in 1911, national pensions under a basic welfare state (but without a National Health Service).

1950–present

From its recreation in 1950 until December 2019, the seat had been represented in Westminster by members of the Labour Party. For many years the area gave large majorities suggesting a safe seat for Labour.

Both the future Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister, Theresa May, and the future Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, were candidates for their respective parties at this seat for the 1992 general election, which both of them lost to incumbent Labour MP Hilary Armstrong.

In 2016 the incumbent MP, Pat Glass, announced her intention to step down at the 2017 general election in the wake of the Brexit referendum. Her successor Laura Pidcock, a close supporter of party leader Jeremy Corbyn, lost the seat in the 2019 general election to the current MP, Richard Holden, as part of the Conservative Party's strategy to target seats in the so-called red wall.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1918
Atherley-Jones
ElectionMember[11]Party
1885Llewellyn Atherley-JonesLiberal
1914Aneurin WilliamsLiberal
1918 Constituency abolished

MPs since 1950
ElectionMember[11]Party
1950 Constituency recreated
1950James MurrayLabour
1955William AinsleyLabour
1964Ernest ArmstrongLabour
1987Hilary ArmstrongLabour
2010Pat GlassLabour
2017Laura PidcockLabour
2019Richard HoldenConservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

#

General election 2019: North West Durham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Holden 19,990 41.9 Increase 7.4
Labour Laura Pidcock 18,846 39.5 Decrease 13.3
Brexit Party John Wolstenholme 3,193 6.7 New
Liberal Democrats Michael Peacock 2,831 5.9 Decrease 1.2
Independent Watts Stelling 1,216 2.6 New
Green David Sewell 1,173 2.5 Increase 1.4
Independent David Lindsay 414 0.9 New
Majority 1,144 2.4 N/A
Turnout 47,663 66.0 Decrease 0.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing Increase10.4
General election 2017: North West Durham[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Laura Pidcock 25,308 52.8 Increase 5.9
Conservative Sally-Ann Hart 16,516 34.5 Increase 11.1
Liberal Democrats Owen Temple 3,398 7.1 Decrease 2.0
UKIP Alan Breeze 2,150 4.5 Decrease 12.5
Green Dominic Horsman 530 1.1 Decrease 2.6
Majority 8,792 18.3 Decrease 5.2
Turnout 47,902 66.5 Increase 5.2
Labour hold Swing Decrease 2.6
General election 2015: North West Durham[14][15]
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 Democrats Owen Temple 3,894 9.1 -15.8
Green Mark Shilcock 1,567 3.7 New
Majority 10,056 23.5 +6.1
Turnout 42,818 61.3 -0.7
Labour hold Swing +0.6
General election 2010: North West Durham[16][17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Pat Glass 18,539 42.3 -11.6
Liberal Democrats 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 New
UKIP Andrew McDonald 1,259 2.9 New
Majority 7,612 17.4 -16.6
Turnout 43,815 62.0 +4.2
Labour hold Swing -8.3

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: North West Durham[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Armstrong 21,312 53.9 -8.6
Liberal Democrats Alan Ord 7,869 19.9 +5.0
Conservative Jamie Devlin 6,463 16.4 -4.5
Independent Watts Stelling 3,865 9.8 New
Majority 13,443 34.0 -7.6
Turnout 39,509 58.0 −0.5
Labour hold Swing −6.8
General election 2001: North West Durham[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Armstrong 24,526 62.5 -6.3
Conservative William Clouston 8,193 20.9 +5.6
Liberal Democrats Alan Ord 5,846 14.9 +4.1
Socialist Labour Joan Hartnell 661 1.7 New
Majority 16,333 41.6 -11.9
Turnout 39,226 58.5 -10.2
Labour hold Swing -5.9

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: North West Durham[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Armstrong 31,855 68.8 +10.7
Conservative Louise St John-Howe 7,101 15.3 -12.0
Liberal Democrats Anthony Gillings 4,991 10.8 -3.9
Referendum Rodney Atkinson 2,372 5.1 New
Majority 24,754 53.5 +23.3
Turnout 46,319 68.7 -6.8
Labour hold Swing +11.4

General election 1992: North West Durham[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Armstrong 26,734 57.8 +6.9
Conservative Theresa May 12,747 27.6 −0.8
Liberal Democrats 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[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Armstrong 22,947 50.9 +6.3
Conservative Derek Iceton 12,785 28.4 -1.4
Liberal Chris Foote Wood 9,349 20.7 -4.9
Majority 10,162 22.5 +7.7
Turnout 45,081 73.5 -2.8
Labour hold Swing +3.9
General election 1983: North West Durham[25][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ernest Armstrong 19,135 44.6
Conservative T Middleton 12,779 29.8
Liberal Chris Foote Wood 11,008 25.7
Majority 6,356 14.8
Turnout 42,923 70.7
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: North West Durham[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ernest Armstrong 29,525 61.30
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[28]
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[29]
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 36.37
Turnout 47,999 79.09
Labour hold Swing
General election 1970: North West Durham[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ernest Armstrong 24,245 69.6 -4.0
Conservative Alan E Page 10,590 30.4 +4.0
Majority 13,655 39.2 -8.0
Turnout 34,834 72.8 -0.6
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966:
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ernest Armstrong 25,260 73.58
Conservative Colin MacAndrew 9,070 26.42
Majority 16,190 47.16
Turnout 34,330 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 39.50
Turnout 37,286 77.98
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Ainsley 28,064 68.06
Conservative Olive Sinclair 13,172 31.94
Majority 14,892 36.12
Turnout 41,236 81.45
Labour hold Swing
General election 1955: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Ainsley 27,116 67.41
Conservative Thomas T Hubble 13,110 32.59
Majority 14,006 34.82
Turnout 40,226 79.05
Labour hold Swing
General election 1951: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Murray 30,417 68.66
Conservative James Quigley 13,885 31.34
Majority 16,532 37.32
Turnout 44,302 85.06
Labour hold Swing
General election 1950: North West Durham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Murray 31,084 69.67
Conservative James Quigley 13,530 30.33
Majority 17,554 39.34
Turnout 44,614 86.52
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1910s
Aneurin Williams
1914 North West Durham by-election[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Aneurin Williams 7,241 40.6 −14.5
Unionist James Ogden Hardicker 5,564 31.2 −3.7
Labour G. H. Stuart-Bunning 5,026 28.2 New
Majority 1,677 9.4 −20.8
Turnout 17,831 88.1 +12.8
Registered electors 20,233
Liberal hold Swing −5.4
Atherley-Jones
General election December 1910: North West Durham[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Llewellyn Atherley-Jones 8,998 65.1 −1.7
Conservative James Ogden Hardicker 4,827 34.9 +1.7
Majority 4,171 30.2 −3.4
Turnout 13,825 75.3 −10.3
Registered electors 18,361
Liberal hold Swing −1.7
General election January 1910: North West Durham[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Llewellyn Atherley-Jones 10,497 66.8 −2.8
Conservative J.L. Knott 5,227 33.2 +2.8
Majority 5,270 33.6 −5.6
Turnout 15,724 85.6 +5.4
Registered electors 18,361
Liberal hold Swing −2.8

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1906: North West Durham[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Llewellyn Atherley-Jones 9,146 69.6 +19.5
Conservative Robert Filmer 3,999 30.4 −19.5
Majority 5,147 39.2 +39.0
Turnout 13,145 80.2 +5.2
Registered electors 16,384
Liberal hold Swing +19.5
General election 1900: North West Durham[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Llewellyn Atherley-Jones 5,158 50.1 −8.3
Conservative J. Joicey 5,137 49.9 +8.3
Majority 21 0.2 −16.6
Turnout 10,295 75.0 −6.9
Registered electors 13,725
Liberal hold Swing −8.3

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1895: North West Durham[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Llewellyn Atherley-Jones 5,428 58.4 −5.5
Conservative J. Joicey 3,869 41.6 +5.5
Majority 1,559 16.8 −11.0
Turnout 9,297 81.9 +4.3
Registered electors 11,346
Liberal hold Swing −5.5
General election 1892: North West Durham[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Llewellyn Atherley-Jones 5,121 63.9 N/A
Liberal Unionist John D Dunville[32] 2,891 36.1 New
Majority 2,230 27.8 N/A
Turnout 8,012 77.6 N/A
Registered electors 10,330
Liberal hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1886: North West Durham[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Llewellyn Atherley-Jones Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1885: North West Durham[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Llewellyn Atherley-Jones 5,081 62.2
Conservative Arthur Bootle-Wilbraham 3,085 37.8
Majority 1,996 24.4
Turnout 8,166 85.6
Registered electors 9,543
Liberal win (new seat)

See also

Notes
  1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)

References
  1. "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – North East | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  3. "Redistribution of Seats Act 1885". pp. 155–156.
  4. "Redistribution of Seats Act 1885". pp. 155–156.
  5. "HMSO Boundary Commission Report 1885, Durham".
  6. Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. p. 59. ISBN 0-900178-09-4. OCLC 539011.
  7. Craig, Fred W. S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. p. 129. ISBN 0-900178-09-4. OCLC 539011.
  8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983" (PDF). p. 23.
  9. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". In the County of Durham.
  10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". National Archives. Retrieved 21 June 2016. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  11. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 4)
  12. "Durham North West Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  13. "See which candidates will be standing in your constituency in the General Election". The Northern Echo.
  14. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. "Durham North West". BBC News. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  16. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. http://www.durham.gov.uk/PDFApproved/ParliamentaryElection2010_SoPN_Rev_NWD.pdf
  18. "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Durham North West". BBC News.
  19. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  24. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. "UK General Election results: June 1983 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  27. "UK General Election results: May 1979 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  28. "UK General Election results: October 1974 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  29. "UK General Election results: February 1974 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  30. "UK General Election results 1970 [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  31. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  32. "Mr. John Dunville in North-West Durham". Belfast News Letter. 14 November 1890. p. 3. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
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