History of parliamentary constituencies and boundaries in Tyne and Wear

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The ceremonial county of Tyne and Wear was created under the Local Government Act 1972, which came into effect on 1 April 1974, comprising the urban areas around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear, previously parts of the historic counties of Northumberland and Durham. It returned 12 MPs to the UK Parliament from 2010 to 2024. Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, coming into effect for the 2024 general election, the boundary commission proposed two cross-county boundary seats with Northumberland and one with Durham, in addition to 10 constituencies wholly within the county boundaries, .

Contents

Numbers of seats

The table below shows the number of MPs representing Tyne and Wear at each major redistribution of seats affecting the county.

YearCounty
seats1
Borough
seats1
Total
1974–1983211314
1983–1997-1313
1997–2010-1313
2010–2024-1212
2024–present32911

1Since 1950, seats have been classified as County or Borough Constituencies.

2Approximate equivalent number of constituencies. Prior to the redistribution coming into effect for the 1983 general election, several constituencies were split between Tyne and Wear and the counties of Northumberland or Durham.

3Approximate equivalent number of constituencies. 10 constituencies wholly within Tyne and Wear; two shared with Northumberland; and one shared with Durham.

Constituencies timeline

  County seat  Borough seat

Constituencies1974-19831983-19971997-20102010-20242024-present
Tynemouth ←present
Blyth (part)←1983
Cramlington and Killingworth (part)2024-present
North Tyneside 1997-2024
Wallsend ←1997
Newcastle upon Tyne North ←present
Newcastle upon Tyne East ←19972010-2024
Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend 1997-20102024-present
Newcastle upon Tyne Central ←2024
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West 2024-present
Newcastle upon Tyne West ←1983
Hexham (part)←1983Wholly within Northumberland2024-present
Blaydon ←2024
Blaydon and Consett (part)2024-present
Gateshead West ←1983
Gateshead Central and Whickham 2024-present
Tyne Bridge 1983-2010
Gateshead 2010-2024
Gateshead East ←1997
Gateshead East and Washington West 1997-2010
Jarrow and Gateshead East 2024-present
Jarrow ←2024
South Shields ←present
Sunderland North ←2010
Sunderland Central 2010-present
Sunderland South ←2010
Houghton and Sunderland South 2010-20242024-present
Houghton-le-Spring (part)←1983
Houghton and Washington 1983-1997
Houghton and Washington East 1997-2010
Chester-le-Street (part)←1983
Washington and Sunderland West 2010-2024
Washington and Gateshead South 2024-present

Boundary reviews

1974

At the time of its creation, Tyne and Wear contained the equivalent of approximately 14 constituencies. North of the River Tyne, previously part of Northumberland, they comprised the four Newcastle upon Tyne constituencies and those of Wallsend and Tynemouth1, together with small areas of Hexham and Blyth. South of the River Tyne and around the River Wear, previously part of Durham, they comprised the two Gateshead and two Sunderland constituencies and those of Blaydon, Jarrow and South Shields, together with most of Houghton-le-Spring and parts of Chester-le-Street.

1 Apart from the small community of Seaton Sluice.

1983

The next change to parliamentary constituency boundaries, following the recommendations of the Third Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, reflected the change in county boundaries and reorganisation of local government authorities in 1974. The review did not come into effect for a further nine years, at the 1983 general election, and resulted in a reduction of one seat. This was achieved by effectively abolishing the existing seats of Newcastle upon Tyne Central and Gateshead West and creating a new constituency named Tyne Bridge which spanned the River Tyne.

The boundaries of Newcastle upon Tyne Central were completely redrawn with only a small part of the existing constituency retained. The majority of the old seat was incorporated into Tyne Bridge, with eastern parts transferred to Newcastle upon Tyne East. The reconstituted seat comprised the bulk of the existing Newcastle upon Tyne North seat, combined with parts of the abolished constituency of Newcastle upon Tyne West and small area transferred from Wallsend.

Newcastle upon Tyne North was also reconstituted, with no part of the existing constituency retained. The new boundaries comprised about half of the abolished Newcastle upon Tyne West seat, including Newburn, together with areas which had been absorbed into the metropolitan borough, transferred from Wallsend (South Gosforth) and Hexham (part of Castle Ward). Wallsend now included a small area transferred from Blyth (Earsdon and Backworth).

The abolished seat of Gateshead West was absorbed into Gateshead East and Tyne Bridge. Blaydon gained the former parishes of Birtley and Lamesley from the abolished constituency of Chester-le-Street. Houghton-le-Spring gained the new town of Washington, which had also been part of Chester-le-Street, and lost the town of Seaham and surrounding communities, which had been retained in County Durham (transferred to Easington). It was consequently renamed Houghton and Washington.

Parts of Jarrow were transferred to South Shields to equalise their electorates. Sunderland North, Sunderland South and Tynemouth were largely unchanged. [1]

1997

Under the Fourth Periodic Review, the following transfers between constituencies were made:

Wards transferredFromTo
Sandyford Newcastle upon Tyne EastNewcastle upon Tyne Central
Wallsend
Northumberland
Wallsend
(renamed North Tyneside)
Newcastle upon Tyne East
(renamed Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
RiversideTynemouthNorth Tyneside
Deckham
Saltwell
Gateshead EastTyne Bridge
WrekendykeGateshead EastJarrow
Biddick Hall JarrowSouth Shields
South Hylton Sunderland NorthSunderland South
Washington South
Washington West
Houghton and Washington
(renamed Houghton and Washington East)
Gateshead East
(renamed Gateshead East and Washington West)
Ryhope Sunderland SouthHoughton and Washington East [2]

2010

The Fifth Review resulted in a further reduction in the county’s representation, from 13 to 12 MPs, with the abolition of the cross-river constituency of Tyne Bridge.

The part of Tyne Bridge to the north of the River Tyne was transferred to Newcastle upon Tyne Central, with eastern parts of this seat being moved back to the re-established seat of Newcastle upon Tyne East (replacing Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend). The North Tyneside borough wards of Wallsend and Northumberland were transferred back out to the North Tyneside constituency, with Valley ward moving to Tynemouth.

The majority of the Tyne Bridge constituency, south of the Tyne, was incorporated into a re-established Gateshead constituency. This also included the Gateshead borough wards in the abolished constituency of Gateshead East and Washington West, with the exception of the Pelaw and Heworth ward which was transferred to Jarrow. The South Tyneside borough ward of Whitburn and Marsden was transferred from Jarrow to South Shields.

The boundaries of the three constituencies in the city of Sunderland were radically redrawn with Sunderland North, Sunderland South, and Houghton and Washington East being replaced by Sunderland Central, Houghton and Sunderland South, and Washington and Sunderland West. The last of these included the two Washington wards which had been in Gateshead East and Washington West, thus reuniting the town of Washington.

Blaydon and Newcastle upon Tyne North were affected by ward boundary changes. [3] [4]

2024

For the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which redrew the constituency map ahead of the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the Boundary Commission for England opted to combine Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside with Northumberland as a sub-region of the North East Region, with the creation of two cross-county boundary constituencies comprising an expanded Hexham seat and a new seat named Cramlington and Killingworth. Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland were combined with County Durham, resulting in another cross-county boundary constituency, named Blaydon and Consett.

To the north of the River Tyne, the constituency of North Tyneside was abolished; Newcastle upon Tyne East was once again largely absorbed into the re-established seat of Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend; Newcastle upon Tyne Central was expanded westwards and renamed Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West; and Newcastle upon Tyne North was completely reconfigured with less than half its previous electorate being included within its new boundaries.

To the south of the River Tyne, Blaydon was abolished, with the knock-on impact resulting in Gateshead Central and Whickham replacing Gateshead, Jarrow and Gateshead East replacing Jarrow, and Washington and Gateshead South replacing Washington and Sunderland West.

Movements between constituencies are detailed in the table below [5] [6]

Communities transferredFromTo
Killingworth, Camperdown, Wideopen North TynesideCramlington and Killingworth
Wallsend North TynesideNewcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
North Shields North TynesideTynemouth
Benton, Longbenton North TynesideNewcastle upon Tyne North
Shiremoor, Backworth TynemouthCramlington and Killingworth
Jesmond Newcastle upon Tyne EastNewcastle upon Tyne North
Lemington, Denton Newcastle upon Tyne NorthNewcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Newburn, Throckley Newcastle upon Tyne NorthHexham
Blaydon, Ryton BlaydonBlaydon and Consett
Whickham BlaydonGateshead Central and Whickham
Birtley, Lamesley BlaydonWashington and Gateshead South
Felling GatesheadJarrow and Gateshead East
South Hylton, Pennywell Washington and Sunderland WestHoughton and Sunderland South

Maps

Communities Timeline

The table below shows which constituencies represented selected communities within the current county from 1885 onwards.

Metropolitan boroughCommunity1885-19181918-19501950-19551955-19741974-19831983-19971997-20102010-20242024-present
Gateshead Bensham Gateshead Gateshead West Tyne Bridge Gateshead Gateshead Central & Whickham
Birtley Chester-le-Street Blaydon Washington & Gateshead South
Blaydon Chester-le-StreetBlaydon Blaydon & Consett
Dunston Chester-le-StreetBlaydonTyne BridgeGatesheadGateshead Central & Whickham
Felling Jarrow Gateshead East Gateshead East &Washington West Gateshead Jarrow & Gateshead East
Heworth Jarrow
Low Fell GatesheadGateshead EastGatesheadGateshead Central & Whickham
Ryton Chester-le-StreetBlaydon Blaydon & Consett
Saltwell GatesheadGateshead WestGateshead EastTyne BridgeGatesheadGateshead Central & Whickham
Town centreTyne Bridge
Whickham Chester-le-StreetBlaydon
Wrekenton Chester-le-StreetGateshead EastGateshead East & Washington WestGateshead
Metropolitan boroughCommunity1885-19181918-19501950-19551955-19741974-19831983-19971997-20102010-present2024-present
Newcastle upon Tyne Benwell Tyneside Newcastle upon Tyne West Newcastle upon Tyne Central Tyne Bridge Newcastle upon Tyne Central Newcastle upon Tyne Central & West
Byker Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne East Newcastle upon Tyne CentralNewcastle upon Tyne East Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend Newcastle upon Tyne EastNewcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
City centreNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne CentralTyne BridgeNewcastle upon Tyne CentralNewcastle upon Tyne Central & West
Elswick Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne West Newcastle upon Tyne North
Fenham TynesideNewcastle upon Tyne WestNewcastle upon Tyne Central
Gosforth Tyneside Wallsend Newcastle upon Tyne Central / NorthNewcastle upon Tyne North
Heaton Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne NorthNewcastle upon Tyne EastNewcastle upon Tyne East & WallsendNewcastle upon Tyne EastNewcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
Jesmond Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne NorthNewcastle upon Tyne CentralNewcastle upon Tyne EastNewcastle upon Tyne North
Kenton Tyneside Wansbeck Newcastle upon Tyne WestNewcastle upon Tyne Central
Newburn Newcastle upon Tyne NorthHexham
Walker TynesideNewcastle upon Tyne EastNewcastle upon Tyne East & WallsendNewcastle upon Tyne EastNewcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
Westgate Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne CentralNewcastle upon Tyne NorthNewcastle upon Tyne CentralNewcastle upon Tyne Central & West
Woolsington TynesideWansbeck Hexham Newcastle upon Tyne NorthHexham
Metropolitan boroughCommunity1885-19181918-19501950-19551955-19741974-19831983-19971997-20102010-present2024-present
North Tyneside Backworth Wansbeck Blyth Wallsend North Tyneside Tynemouth Cramlington & Killingworth
Dudley Tyneside WallsendNorth TynesideCramlington & Killingworth
Longbenton Newcastle upon Tyne North
Monkseaton WansbeckTynemouth
North Shields TynemouthNorth TynesideTynemouth
Tynemouth Tynemouth
Wallsend TynesideWallsend Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend North TynesideNewcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
Whitley Bay WansbeckTynemouth
Willington Quay TynesideWallsendTynemouthNorth TynesideNewcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
Metropolitan boroughCommunity1885-19181918-19501950-19551955-19741974-19831983-19971997-20102010-present2024-present
South Tyneside Cleadon Jarrow Houghton-le-Spring JarrowSouth Shields
Harton JarrowHoughton-le-Spring South Shields
Hebburn Jarrow Jarrow & Gateshead East
Jarrow
Monkton JarrowHoughton-le-SpringJarrow
South Shields South Shields
The Boldons JarrowHoughton-le-SpringJarrowSouth Shields/ Jarrow & Gateshead East
Whitburn JarrowHoughton-le-SpringJarrowSouth Shields
Metropolitan boroughCommunity1885-19181918-19501950-19551955-19741974-19831983-19971997-20102010-present2024-present
SunderlandCity centreSunderlandSunderland NorthSunderland Central
Fulwell Houghton-le-SpringSunderland North
Hendon SunderlandSunderland South
Hetton-le-Hole Houghton-le-SpringCity of DurhamHoughton-le-SpringHoughton & WashingtonHoughton & Washington EastHoughton & Sunderland South
Houghton-le-Spring Houghton-le-Spring
North Hylton Houghton-le-SpringSunderland NorthWashington & Sunderland WestWashington & Gateshead South
Pallion SunderlandSunderland SouthSunderland NorthSunderland Central
Ryhope Houghton-le-SpringSunderland SouthHoughton & Washington East
Silksworth Houghton-le-SpringSunderland SouthHoughton & Sunderland South
South Hylton Houghton-le-SpringSunderland NorthSunderland SouthWashington & Sunderland WestHoughton and Sunderland South
Southwick SunderlandSunderland NorthSunderland Central
Washington (East)Chester-le-StreetHoughton & WashingtonHoughton & Washington EastWashington & Sunderland WestWashington & Gateshead South
Washington (West)Gateshead East & Washington West
Metropolitan boroughCommunity1885-19181918-19501950-19551955-19741974-19831983-19971997-20102010-present2024-present

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gateshead East (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1950–1997

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Tyneside Council</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 Tyne and Wear County Council election</span> Election

The 1973 Tyne and Wear County Council election was held on 12 April 1973 as part of the first elections to the new local authorities established by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales. 104 councillors were elected from 95 electoral divisions across the region's five boroughs. Each division returned either one or two county councillors each by First-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office. The election took place ahead of the elections to the area's metropolitan borough councils, which followed on 10 May 1973.

The county of Northumberland has returned four MPs to the UK Parliament since 1983. Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, coming into effect for the 2024 general election, the boundary commission proposed that two of the four constituencies be shared with the county of Tyne and Wear.

The county of Durham returned 7 MPs to the UK Parliament from 1983 to 2024. Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, coming into effect for the 2024 general election, the boundary commission proposed that one constituency be shared with the county of Tyne and Wear. In addition, the unitary authority of Darlington, which had previously been included with Durham, was now included with the four unitary authorities which make up the former county of Cleveland. For the purposes of this series of articles, Darlington continues to be included with Durham.

References

  1. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983" (PDF). pp. 74–75.
  2. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". In the County of Tyne and Wear.
  3. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". In Tyne and Wear.
  4. "Boundary Commission for England Fifth Periodical Report" (PDF). pp. 166–177.
  5. "Political boundaries across the North East could change - here's what it could mean for you". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  6. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report". Boundary Commission for England. paras 643-685. Retrieved 9 July 2023.