Sedgefield (UK Parliament constituency)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sedgefield
County constituency

Sedgefield shown within County Durham, and County Durham shown within England
Created: 1918, 1983
MP: Phil Wilson
Party: Labour Party
Type: House of Commons
County: County Durham
EP constituency: North East England

Sedgefield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. Sedgefield is situated in County Durham, an area renowned for its mining history and very strong affiliation to the Labour Party.

From its recreation in 1983 until 27 June 2007, the seat had been held by Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister. He resigned as a Member of Parliament on the same day as he resigned as Prime Minister, which triggered a by-election.[1]

At the by-election on 19 July 2007, the Labour candidate Phil Wilson was elected on a reduced majority.

Contents

[edit] Boundaries

The seat, in County Durham in the North East region of England, comprises:

[edit] Boundary review

Following the review of parliamentary representation in County Durham, the Boundary Commission for England has made only minor changes to the Sedgefield constituency. It will be fought on the new boundaries at the 2009 or 2010 UK general election.

The electoral wards used in the modified seat are;

  • Bishop Middleham and Cornforth, Broom, Chilton, Ferryhill, Fishburn and Old Trimdon, Greenfield Middridge, Neville and Simpasture, New Trimdon and Trimdon Grange, Sedgefield, Shafto St Marys, West and Woodham from Sedgefield.
  • Thornley and Wheatley Hill, and Wingate from Easington
  • Heighington and Coniscliffe, Hurworth, Middleton St George, and Sadberge and Whessoe from Darlington

[edit] History

The constituency has been in use for two separate periods. It was first created in time for the 1918 general election, and then abolished for the February 1974 election. It was recreated in 1983 and has existed ever since.

[edit] Members of Parliament

Sedgefield attracts much attention as, until 2007, its only MP since the constituency's recreation in 1983 was Tony Blair, former leader of the Labour Party and former Prime Minister.

Election Member Party
1918 Constituency created
1918 Rowland Burdon Coalition Conservative
1922 John Herriotts Labour
1923 Leonard Ropner Conservative
1929 John Herriotts Labour
1931 Roland Jennings Conservative
1935 John Leslie Labour
1950 Joseph Slater Labour
1970 David Reed Labour
1974 Constituency abolished
1983 Constituency re-established
1983 Tony Blair Labour
2007 Phil Wilson Labour

[edit] Elections

[edit] Elections in the 2000s

Sedgefield by-election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phil Wilson 12,528 44.8 -14.1
Liberal Democrat Greg Stone 5,572 19.9 +8.0
Conservative Graham Robb 4,082 14.6 +0.2
British National Party Andrew Spence 2,494 8.9 N/A
Independent Paul Gittins 1,885 6.7 N/A
UK Independence Toby Horton 536 1.9 +0.3
Green Chris Haine 348 1.2 N/A
English Democrats Stephen Gash 177 0.6 N/A
Christian Vote Tim Grainger 177 0.6 N/A
Monster Raving Loony Alan Hope 129 0.5 +0.1
Anti Crime Norman Scarth 34 0.1 N/A
Majority 6,956 24.9 -19.6
Turnout 27,962 43.05 -19.15
Labour hold Swing -11

In the 2005 election Tony Blair was returned as MP for Sedgefield. Sedgefield also had more candidates standing, 15, than any other constituency in the UK. One candidate, Reg Keys, was the father of a military policeman killed while serving in Iraq and a founder member of Military Families Against the War. He stood on a platform of opposition to the Iraq War.

General Election 2005: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tony Blair 24,421 58.9 -6.0
Conservative Gp Capt Al Lockwood 5,972 14.4 -6.5
Liberal Democrat Robert Browne 4,935 11.9 +2.9
Independent Reg Keys 4,252 10.3 N/A
UK Independence William Brown 646 1.6 -0.8
National Front Mark Farrell 253 0.6 N/A
Veritas Fiona Luckhurst-Matthews 218 0.5 N/A
Independent Berony Abraham 205 0.5 N/A
Monster Raving Loony Melodie Staniforth 157 0.4 N/A
Blair Must Go Party Jonathan Cockburn 103 0.2 N/A
Senior Citizens Party Terry Pattinson 97 0.2 N/A
UK Pensioners Party Cherri Gilham 82 0.2 N/A
Independent Helen John 68 0.2 -0.4
Independent John Barker 45 0.1 N/A
Independent Julian Brennan 17 0.0 N/A
Majority 18,449 44.5
Turnout 41,475 62.2 +0.2
Labour hold Swing 0.2
General Election 2001: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tony Blair 26,110 64.9 -6.3
Conservative Douglas Carswell 8,397 20.9 +3.1
Liberal Democrat Andrew Duffield 3,624 9.0 +2.5
UK Independence Andrew Spence 974 2.4 N/A
Socialist Labour Brian Gibson 518 1.3 +0.3
Rock 'n' Roll Loony Chris Driver 375 0.9 N/A
Independent Helen John 260 0.6 N/A
Majority 17,713 44.0
Turnout 40,258 62.0 -10.3
Labour hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tony Blair 33,526 71.2 +10.8
Conservative Elizabeth Pitman 8,383 17.8 -11.1
Liberal Democrat Ronald Beadle 3,050 6.5 -4.1
Referendum Party Miriam Hall 1,683 3.6 N/A
Socialist Labour Brian Gibson 474 1.0 N/A
Majority 25,143 53.4 +21.8
Turnout 47,116 72.6 -4.5
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1992: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tony Blair 28,453 60.5 +4.5
Conservative Nicholas Jopling 13,594 28.9 +1.0
Liberal Democrat Gary Huntington 4,982 10.6 -5.5
Majority 14,859 31.6 +3.4
Turnout 47,029 77.1 +0.9
Labour hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tony Blair 25,965 56.0 +8.4
Conservative N. B. S. Hawkins 12,907 27.9 -1.3
Social Democrat R. I. Andrew 7,477 16.1 -6.5
Majority 13,058 28.2 +9.8
Turnout 76.2 +3.3
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1983: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tony Blair 21,401 47.6 N/A
Conservative Toby Horton 13,120 29.2 N/A
Social Democrat D. Shand 10,183 22.6 N/A
Independent M. Logan-Salton 298 0.7 N/A
Majority 8,281 18.4 N/A
Turnout 72.9 N/A
Labour hold Swing N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1970: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Reed 36,867 60.5 -4.2
Conservative A. A. Beck 24,036 39.5 +4.1
Majority 12,831 21.1 -8.2
Turnout 72.7 -3.3
Labour hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Slater 34,058 64.7 +4.0
Conservative C. F. Thring 18,620 35.4 -4.1
Majority 15,438 29.3 +8.0
Turnout 76.0 -3.5
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1964: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Slater 32,273 60.7 +2.2
Conservative C. F. Thring 20,931 39.3 -2.2
Majority 11,342 21.3 +4.4
Turnout 79.5 -3.0
Labour hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Slater 30,642 58.5 -1.2
Conservative D. Appleby 21,771 41.5 +1.2
Majority 8,871 16.9 -2.5
Turnout 82.5 +2.6
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1955: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Slater 27,221 59.7 -2.6
Conservative D. Appleby 18,368 40.3 +2.6
Majority 8,853 19.4 -5.2
Turnout 79.9 -6.5
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1951: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Slater 28,219 62.3 -0.2
Conservative E. H. Harrison 17,095 37.7 +0.2
Majority 11,124 24.6 -0.4
Turnout 86.4 -0.6
Labour hold Swing
General Election 1950: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joseph Slater 27,946 62.5 - 1.3
Conservative J. E. S. Walford 16,782 37.5 + 1.3
Majority 11,164 25.0 - 2.6
Turnout 87.0 + 9.5
Labour hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Leslie 27,051 63.8 + 11.5
Conservative J. E. S. Walford 15,360 36.2 - 11.5
Majority 11,691 27.6 + 23.0
Turnout 42,411 77.5 - 3.9
Labour hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Leslie 20,375 52.3 + 11.1
Conservative Roland Jennings 18,604 47.7 - 11.1
Majority 1,771 4.6 - 13.0
Turnout 81.4 - 3.0
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1931: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roland Jennings 21,956 58.8 + 19.3
Labour John Herriotts 15,404 41.2 - 6.5
Majority 6,552 17.6 + 9.6
Turnout 84.4 + 1.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Herriotts 15,749 47.7 + 0.4
Conservative Leonard Ropner 13,043 39.5 - 13.2
Liberal W. Leeson 4,236 12.8 N/A
Majority 2,706 8.2 + 2.8
Turnout 83.0 - 2.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1924: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Leonard Ropner 13,968 52.7 + 2.7
Labour John Herriotts 12,552 47.3 - 2.7
Majority 1,416 5.4 + 5.4
Turnout 85.4 + 10.9
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1923: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Leonard Ropner 11,093 50.0 + 9.5
Labour John Herriotts 11,087 50.0 + 6.4
Majority 6 0.0 - 3.1
Turnout 74.5 - 1.6
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General Election 1922: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Herriotts 9,756 43.6 + 6.8
Conservative E. Waddington 9,067 40.5 - 1.6
Liberal C. H. Brown 3,561 15.9 - 5.2
Majority 689 3.1 - 2.2
Turnout 76.1 + 12.7
Labour gain from Coalition Conservative Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: Sedgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Coalition Conservative Rowland Burdon 6,627 42.1 N/A
Labour John Herriotts 5,801 36.8 N/A
Liberal C. W. Starmer 3,333 21.1 N/A
Majority 826 5.3 N/A
Turnout 63.4 N/A
Coalition Conservative hold Swing

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Blair resigns as prime minister, BBC News, 27 June 2007
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Huntingdon		 Constituency represented by the Prime Minister
1997 – 2007		 Succeeded by
Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
Constituencies in North East England
Labour

Bishop Auckland | Blaydon | Blyth Valley | City of Durham | Darlington | Easington | Gateshead East and Washington West | Hartlepool | Houghton and Washington East | Jarrow | Middlesbrough | Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland | Newcastle upon Tyne Central | Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend | Newcastle upon Tyne North | North Durham | North Tyneside | North West Durham | Redcar | Sedgefield | South Shields | Stockton North | Stockton South | Sunderland North | Sunderland South | Tyne Bridge | Tynemouth | Wansbeck
Liberal Democrat

Berwick-upon-Tweed
Conservative

Hexham
North East European constituency: Labour (1) | Conservative (1) | Liberal Democrats (1)