North Shropshire (constituency)

North Shropshire
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of North Shropshire in West Midlands region
CountyShropshire
Electorate77,052 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsWem, Whitchurch, Ellesmere, Oswestry and Market Drayton
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentHelen Morgan (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromOswestry and Wrekin[2]
1832–1885
SeatsTwo
Replaced byOswestry
Wellington
Newport

North Shropshire is a constituency in the county of Shropshire, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Helen Morgan of the Liberal Democrats after a by-election on 16 December 2021, and retained by her with an increased majority in the 2024 general election. The former MP, Owen Paterson of the Conservatives, resigned his seat on 5 November 2021 when faced with suspension from the Commons for a breach of advocacy rules and the consequent possibility of a recall petition. The seat had previously been a safe seat for the Conservatives.

Constituency profile

North Shropshire is a constituency in Shropshire in the West Midlands region of England. Its largest town is Oswestry, which has a population of around 18,000.[3] Other settlements include the towns of Ellesmere, Wem, Whitchurch and Market Drayton and the villages of Gobowen and St Martin's.

This is a large, rural constituency with many historic market towns and small villages. It is largely agricultural, with dairy farming and brewing being important local industries. The constituency borders Wales to the north and west. Oswestry and its surroundings have a significant Welsh influence; many villages along the border have Welsh names and many residents identify as Welsh.[4] The constituency has average levels of wealth and deprivation,[5] and house prices are generally similar to the rest of the West Midlands region but lower than the UK average.[6]

North Shropshire has a large retired population and a low proportion of young adults.[7] Residents have average levels of education and high rates of homeownership. Rates of household income and child poverty are in line with national averages.[6][8] A high proportion of residents work in the agriculture, retail and manufacturing sectors,[9] and the percentage claiming unemployment benefits is low.[8] White people made up 97% of the population at the 2021 census.[10]

Most of the constituency is represented by Liberal Democrats at the local council, with some Reform UK councillors elected in St Martin's and Green Party councillors elected in Gobowen and part of Oswestry. Voters in North Shropshire strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 60% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide figure of 52%.[6]

Boundaries

Context: 1832–1868. Extract from 1837 result: the central, doubly blue area.

1832–1885: The Hundreds of Oswestry, Pimhill, North Bradford and South Bradford, as well as the Liberty of Shrewsbury.[11]

1983–1997: The District of North Shropshire, the Borough of Oswestry, and the District of The Wrekin wards of Church Aston, Edgmond, Ercall Magna, Newport East, Newport North, and Newport West.

1997–2024: The District of North Shropshire and the Borough of Oswestry.

The district councils of North Shropshire and Oswestry were abolished in 2009, but the constituency boundaries remained unaltered.

2024–present: The County of Shropshire electoral districts of: Ellesmere Urban; Gobowen, Selattyn and Weston Rhyn; Llanymynech; Market Drayton East; Market Drayton West; Oswestry East; Oswestry South; Oswestry West; Prees; Ruyton and Baschurch; St. Martin’s; St. Oswald; Shawbury; The Meres; Wem; Whitchurch North; Whitchurch South; Whittington.[12]

The constituency was reduced in size to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring the electoral districts of Cheswardine and Hodnet to The Wrekin.

History

From its first creation in 1832 to the abolition of the first creation in 1885 the constituency covered approximately half of the county and elected two members, formally Knights of the Shire. In 1885 the county was (together with South Shropshire) divided between four constituencies: Ludlow, Newport, Oswestry and Wellington.

In 1983 the constituency was revived in a smaller form as the successor to the Oswestry seat and elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Its first MP was John Biffen, who had been MP for Oswestry since a 1961 byelection. He served in various cabinet roles under Margaret Thatcher from 1979 until he fell out of favour after the 1987 general election. Biffen retired for the 1997 general election and was succeeded by fellow Conservative Owen Paterson.

Paterson was appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in May 2010 and from the September 2012 Cabinet reshuffle, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,[13] until another reshuffle in June 2014. Paterson resigned as an MP in November 2021 for breaching Commons lobbying rules while working for two firms as a consultant.[14] A by-election was held on 16 December 2021, triggered by the resignation and was won by Helen Morgan for the Liberal Democrats with a 34% swing. The swing was seventh largest in United Kingdom by-election history.[15]

In December 2023, the Labour Party included the seat in its published list of 211 non-battleground seats, indicating they did not see it as necessary to win in order to gain a majority at the 2024 general election,[16] when it was retained by Helen Morgan on a further swing to the Liberal Democrats. Compared to the notional 2019 results the overall swing was 41.3%.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1832–1885

  • Constituency created in 1832
ElectionFirst member[17]First partySecond member[17]Second party
1832 Sir Rowland Hill, Bt Tory[18][19][20] John Cotes Whig[18][19][20]
1834 Conservative[18]
1835 William Ormsby-Gore Conservative[18]
1843 by-election Viscount Clive Conservative[18]
1848 by-election John Whitehall Dod Conservative
1857 Hon. Rowland Hill Conservative
1859 John Ormsby-Gore Conservative
1865 Hon. Charles Cust Conservative
1866 by-election Hon. Adelbert Brownlow-Cust Conservative
1867 by-election Viscount Newport Conservative
1876 by-election Stanley Leighton Conservative
1885 Constituency abolished

MPs since 1983

Oswestry and Wrekin prior to 1983

ElectionMember[17]Party
1983 John Biffen Conservative
1997 Owen Paterson Conservative
2021 by-election Helen Morgan Liberal Democrats

Elections

Results over time

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: North Shropshire[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Helen Morgan 26,214 52.9 +42.5
Conservative Simon Baynes 10,903 22.0 −39.7
Reform Mark Whittle 7,687 15.5 N/A
Labour Natalie Rowley 3,423 6.9 −15.5
Green Craig Emery 1,234 2.5 −0.8
Independent Samuel Cladingbowl 133 0.3 N/A
Majority 15,311 30.9 N/A
Turnout 49,594 64.1 −3.8
Registered electors 77,573
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +41.3

Vote share changes for the 2024 election are compared to the notional results from the 2019 election, not the 2021 by-election.

2021 North Shropshire by-election[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Helen Morgan 17,957 47.2 +37.2
Conservative Neil Shastri-Hurst 12,032 31.6 −31.1
Labour Ben Wood 3,686 9.7 −12.4
Green Duncan Kerr 1,738 4.6 +1.4
Reform Kirsty Walmsley 1,427 3.8 New
UKIP Andrea Allen 378 1.0 New
Reclaim Martin Daubney 375 1.0 New
Monster Raving Loony Alan "Howling Laud" Hope 118 0.3 N/A
Independent Suzie Akers-Smith 95 0.2 New
Heritage James Elliot 79 0.2 New
Rejoin EU Boris Been Bunged 58 0.2 New
Freedom Alliance Earl Jesse 57 0.1 New
Party Party Russell Dean 19 0.1 New
No description Yolande Kenward 3 0.0 New
Majority 5,925 15.6 N/A
Turnout 38,022 46.3 −21.6
Rejected ballots 74 0.2
Registered electors 82,314
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +34.2

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: North Shropshire[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Owen Paterson 35,444 62.7 +2.2
Labour Graeme Currie 12,495 22.1 −9.0
Liberal Democrats Helen Morgan 5,643 10.0 +4.7
Green John Adams 1,790 3.2 +0.1
Shropshire Party Robert Jones 1,141 2.0 New
Majority 22,949 40.6 +11.2
Turnout 56,513 67.9 −1.1
Conservative hold Swing +5.6
General election 2017: North Shropshire[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Owen Paterson 33,642 60.5 +9.0
Labour Graeme Currie 17,287 31.1 +11.2
Liberal Democrats Tom Thornhill 2,948 5.3 −0.7
Green Duncan Kerr 1,722 3.1 −1.8
Majority 16,355 29.4 −2.2
Turnout 55,599 69.0 +1.4
Conservative hold Swing -1.1
General election 2015: North Shropshire[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Owen Paterson 27,041 51.5 ±0.0
Labour Graeme Currie 10,457 19.9 +1.8
UKIP Andrea Allen[26] 9,262 17.6 +12.9
Liberal Democrats Tom Thornhill 3,184 6.0 −14.9
Green Duncan Kerr 2,575 4.9 +3.3
Majority 16,584 31.6 +1.0
Turnout 52,483 67.6 +0.9
Conservative hold Swing -0.9

Class War originally selected Al Derby as a candidate here, but he changed to Wolverhampton North East.[27]

General election 2010: North Shropshire[28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Owen Paterson 26,692 51.5 +1.9
Liberal Democrats Ian Croll 10,864 20.9 +1.2
Labour Ian McLaughlan 9,406 18.1 −7.8
UKIP Sandra List 2,432 4.7 −0.1
BNP Phil Reddall 1,667 3.2 New
Green Steve Boulding 808 1.6 New
Majority 15,828 30.6 +6.9
Turnout 51,869 65.7 +4.3
Conservative hold Swing +0.3

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: North Shropshire[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Owen Paterson 23,061 49.6 +1.0
Labour Sandra Samuels 12,041 25.9 −9.3
Liberal Democrats Steve Bourne 9,175 19.7 +6.9
UKIP Ian Smith 2,233 4.8 +2.3
Majority 11,020 23.7 +10.3
Turnout 46,510 61.4 −1.7
Conservative hold Swing +5.1
General election 2001: North Shropshire[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Owen Paterson 22,631 48.6 +8.4
Labour Mike Ion 16,390 35.2 −0.8
Liberal Democrats Ben Jephcott 5,945 12.8 −7.6
UKIP David Trevanion 1,165 2.5 New
Independent Russell Maxfield 389 0.8 New
Majority 6,241 13.4 +9.2
Turnout 46,520 63.1 −9.5
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: North Shropshire[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Owen Paterson 20,730 40.2
Labour Ian Lucas 18,535 36.0
Liberal Democrats John Stevens 10,489 20.4
Referendum Denis Allen 1,764 3.4 New
Majority 2,195 4.2
Turnout 51,518 72.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1992: Shropshire North[33][34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Biffen 32,443 50.5 −1.7
Liberal Democrats John Stevens 16,232 25.3 −2.1
Labour Bob Hawkins 15,550 24.2 +3.8
Majority 16,211 25.2 +0.4
Turnout 64,225 77.7 +2.2
Conservative hold Swing +0.2

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Shropshire North[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Biffen 30,385 52.2 −1.2
Liberal Gordon Smith 15,970 27.4 −4.2
Labour Bob Hawkins 11,866 20.4 +5.7
Majority 14,415 24.8 +3.0
Turnout 58,221 75.5 +2.8
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Shropshire North[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Biffen 28,496 53.4
Liberal David Evans 16,829 31.6
Labour Helen Jones 7,860 14.7
Independent For Referendum J.L. Phillimore 135 0.3
Majority 11,667 21.8
Turnout 53,320 72.7
Conservative win (new seat)

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stanley Leighton Unopposed
Conservative George Bridgeman Unopposed
Registered electors 7,729
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1870s

1876 North Shropshire by-election (1 seat)[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stanley Leighton 2,737 50.3 N/A
Conservative Salusbury Kynaston Mainwaring[38] 2,700 49.7 N/A
Majority 37 0.6 N/A
Turnout 5,437 74.1 N/A
Registered electors 7,342
Conservative hold
  • Caused by Gore's elevation to the peerage, becoming Lord Harlech.
General election 1874: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Ormsby-Gore Unopposed
Conservative George Bridgeman Unopposed
Registered electors 7,557
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Ormsby-Gore 3,602 38.2 N/A
Conservative George Bridgeman 3,403 36.1 N/A
Liberal Richard George Jebb[39] 2,412 25.6 N/A
Majority 991 10.5 N/A
Turnout 5,915 (est) 77.7 (est) N/A
Registered electors 7,611
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
1867 North Shropshire by-election[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Bridgeman Unopposed
Conservative hold
  • Caused by Brownlow-Cust's elevation to the peerage, becoming 3rd Earl Brownlow.
1866 North Shropshire by-election[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Adelbert Brownlow-Cust Unopposed
Conservative hold
  • Caused by Cust's resignation.
General election 1865: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Ormsby-Gore Unopposed
Conservative Charles Cust Unopposed
Registered electors 5,315
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Ormsby-Gore Unopposed
Conservative Rowland Hill Unopposed
Registered electors 4,110
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Whitehall Dod Unopposed
Conservative Rowland Hill Unopposed
Registered electors 4,227
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1852: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Whitehall Dod Unopposed
Conservative William Ormsby-Gore Unopposed
Registered electors 4,685
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1840s

By-election, 16 February 1848: Shropshire North[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Whitehall Dod Unopposed
Conservative hold
  • Caused by Herbert's succession to the peerage, becoming 3rd Earl of Powis
General election 1847: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Herbert Unopposed
Conservative William Ormsby-Gore Unopposed
Registered electors 4,876
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
By-election, 16 January 1843: Shropshire North[37][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Herbert Unopposed
Registered electors 4,876
Conservative hold
  • Caused by Hill's succession to the peerage, becoming 2nd Viscount Hill
General election 1841: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rowland Hill Unopposed
Conservative William Ormsby-Gore Unopposed
Registered electors 5,075
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37][18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Rowland Hill Unopposed
Conservative William Ormsby-Gore Unopposed
Registered electors 4,910
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
General election 1835: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37][18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Rowland Hill Unopposed
Conservative William Ormsby-Gore Unopposed
Registered electors 4,653
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Whig
General election 1832: Shropshire North (2 seats)[37][18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Tory Rowland Hill 2,981 41.7
Whig John Cotes (1799-1874) 2,117 29.6
Tory William Ormsby-Gore 2,045 28.6
Turnout 4,296 91.8
Registered electors 4,682
Majority 864 12.1
Tory win (new seat)
Majority 72 1.0
Whig win (new seat)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – West Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  2. ↑ "'Shropshire North', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  3. ↑ "Oswestry". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "National identity - Census Maps, ONS". ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 "Seat Details - Shropshire North". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Constituency data: Population, by age". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Constituency dashboard". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Constituency data: businesses and industries". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. LXIV. An Act to settle and describe the Divisions of Counties, and the Limits of Cities and Boroughs, in England and Wales, in so far as respects the Election of Members to serve in Parliament". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 300–383. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  12. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 8 West Midlands region.
  13. ↑ "David Cameron's right turn in cabinet reshuffle". The Guardian. 4 September 2012.
  14. ↑ "Tory MP Owen Paterson resigns amid standards row". BBC News. BBC. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  15. ↑ McGuinness, Alan (17 December 2021). "North Shropshire: Liberal Democrats pull off shock win as Tory by-election defeat piles further pressure on Boris Johnson". Sky News. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  16. ↑ Belger, Tom (8 December 2023). "Labour selections: Full list of 211 'non-battleground' seats now open to applications". labourlist.org. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 3)
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Stooks Smith, Henry (1845). The Parliaments of England, from 1st George I., to the Present Time. Vol II: Oxfordshire to Wales Inclusive. London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. pp. 15–16. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via Google Books.
  19. 1 2 "York Herald". 22 December 1832. p. 2. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. 1 2 "Result of the Elections in Shropshire". Morning Post. 24 December 1832. p. 2. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ↑ "UK parliamentary election - 4 July 2024". Shropshire Council. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  22. ↑ "16-Dec-2021 By-election". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  23. ↑ "Shropshire North parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  24. ↑ "Shrewsbury & Atcham Parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  25. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  26. ↑ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  27. ↑ "Al Derby". Who Can I Vote For? by Democracy Club. 14 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  28. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  29. ↑ web.manager@shropshire.gov.uk. "Democracy – Shropshire Council" (PDF). www.shropshire.gov.uk.
  30. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  32. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  33. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  34. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  35. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  36. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. pp. 446–447. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  38. ↑ "North Shropshire". York Herald. 7 January 1876. p. 6. Retrieved 19 January 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  39. ↑ "North Shropshire Election". Wellington Journal. 14 November 1868. p. 4. Retrieved 17 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.

Sources

  • UK Polling Report
  • Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 446–447. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.

52°51′N 2°48′W / 52.85°N 2.80°W / 52.85; -2.80

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