Northampton North

Northampton North
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Location within the East Midlands
CountyNorthamptonshire
Electorate75,713 (March 2020)[1]
Major settlementsNorthampton (part)
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentLucy Rigby (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromNorthampton

Northampton North is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Lucy Rigby, a member of the Labour Party.[n 2] The constituency is a considered a bellwether, as it has reflected the national result at every general election since it was created in February 1974.

Constituency profile

Northampton North is a constituency in Northamptonshire in the East Midlands of England. It covers the centre and north of the town of Northampton, including the neighbourhoods of Dallington, Kingsthorpe, Abington and Spinney Hill.

Northampton is one of the UK's largest towns without city status. It is a historic town and was traditionally a major centre for shoemaking. Northampton underwent significant development and expansion during the 1970s after its designation as a new town, the intention of which was to accommodate overspill from Birmingham and London. This constituency has below-average levels of wealth; high rates of deprivation are present in the town centre and in Dallington, whilst the northern, outer suburbs are more affluent.[2] House prices across the constituency are generally similar to the rest of the East Midlands but lower than the UK average.[3]

This constituency has a large young adult population and a low proportion of retirees.[4] Residents have below-average household income, low rates of homeownership,[3] and the child poverty rate is high.[5] They have low levels of education and a high proportion work in the retail and manufacturing sectors.[3][6] The percentage of residents claiming unemployment benefits is high.[5] White people made up 77% of the population in the 2021 census; around a quarter of the White population are of non-British origin, including large Polish and Romanian communities. Black people and Asians each made up 9% of residents.[7]

At the local council, the town centre neighbourhoods are represented by Labour Party councillors whilst the outer suburbs elected Reform UK representatives. An estimated 59% of voters in Northampton North supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the UK-wide figure of 52%.[3]

History

This constituency was created for the election of February 1974 when the old constituency of Northampton was split into Northampton North and Northampton South.

Since creation it has been a bellwether, electing an MP from the winning (or largest governing) party in every general election.

Boundaries

Historic

1974–1983: The County Borough of Northampton wards of Abington, Dallington, Kingsthorpe, Park, St David, and St George.[8]

1983–2010: The Borough of Northampton wards of Abington, Boughton Green, Dallington and Kings Heath, Headlands, Kingsthorpe, Lings, Lumbertubs, Park, St Alban, St George, Thorplands, and Welford.

2010–2024: The Borough of Northampton wards of Abington, Boughton Green, Eastfield, Headlands, Kingsley, Kingsthorpe, Lumbertubs, Parklands, St David, and Thorplands.

NB: with effect from 1 April 2021, the Borough of Northampton was abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of West Northamptonshire.[9]

Current

Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following wards of the District of West Northamptonshire (as they existed on 1 April 2021):

  • Abington and Phippsville; Boothville and Parklands; Castle; Dallington Spencer; Headlands; Kingsthorpe North; Kingsthorpe South; St. George; Talavera.[10]

The constituency was expanded considerably with the addition of Northampton town centre from Northampton South.

Further to a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2025[11], the constituency now comprises the following wards of West Northamptonshire:

  • Abington and Phippsville; Blackthorn and Rectory Farm (small part); Castle (most); Dallington Spencer (most); Headlands; Kingsley and Semilong; Kingsthorpe North; Kingsthorpe South (nearly all); Moulton (small part); Parklands; Talavera.[12]

Members of Parliament

Northampton prior to 1974

ElectionMember[13] Party
Feb 1974 Maureen Colquhoun Labour
1979 Tony Marlow Conservative
1997 Sally Keeble Labour
2010 Michael Ellis Conservative
2024 Lucy Rigby Labour

Elections

Northampton North election results 1983-2024

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Northampton North[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lucy Rigby 18,209 43.5 +1.4
Conservative Dan Bennett 9,195 22.0 −27.8
Reform Antony Antoniou 7,010 16.8 N/A
Green Eishar Bassan 2,558 6.1 +3.6
Liberal Democrats Chris Leggett 2,251 5.4 −0.3
Workers Party Khalid Razzaq 1,531 3.7 N/A
Independent Paul Clark 1,059 2.5 N/A
Majority 9,014 21.5 N/A
Turnout 41,813 55.3 −12.2
Registered electors 75,575
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +14.6

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[15]
Party Vote %
Conservative25,42749.8
Labour21,49542.1
Liberal Democrats2,9065.7
Green1,4152.5
Turnout 51,084 67.5
Electorate 75,713


General election 2019: Northampton North[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Ellis 21,031 53.2 +6.0
Labour Sally Keeble 15,524 39.3 −5.9
Liberal Democrats Martin Sawyer 2,031 5.1 +2.6
Green Katherine Pate 953 2.4 +0.8
Majority 5,507 13.9 +11.9
Turnout 39,539 66.7 −2.0
Conservative hold Swing +6.0
General election 2017: Northampton North[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Ellis 19,065 47.2 +4.8
Labour Sally Keeble 18,258 45.2 +11.1
UKIP Jonathan Bullock 1,404 3.5 −12.6
Liberal Democrats George Smid 1,015 2.5 −1.1
Green Steve Miller 636 1.6 −2.2
Majority 807 2.0 −6.2
Turnout 40,411 68.7
Conservative hold Swing -3.1
General election 2015: Northampton North[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Ellis 16,699 42.4 +8.3
Labour Sally Keeble 13,454 34.1 +4.8
UKIP Tom Rubython 6,354 16.1 +13.0
Green Tony Clarke 1,503 3.8 +2.7
Liberal Democrats Angela Paterson 1,401 3.6 −24.3
Majority 3,245 8.2 +3.4
Turnout 39,711
Conservative hold Swing +1.7
General election 2010: Northampton North[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Ellis 13,735 34.1 +4.4
Labour Sally Keeble 11,799 29.3 −10.9
Liberal Democrats Andrew Simpson 11,250 27.9 +1.0
BNP Ray Beasley 1,316 3.3 New
UKIP Jim MacArthur 1,238 3.1 +0.6
Green Tony Lochmuller 443 1.1 New
Independent Eamonn Fitzpatrick 334 0.8 New
Christian Timothy Webb 98 0.2 New
Independent Malcolm Mildren 58 0.1 New
Majority 1,936 4.8 N/A
Turnout 40,271 62.7 +5.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +6.9

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Northampton North[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sally Keeble 16,905 40.2 −9.2
Conservative Damian Collins 12,945 30.8 +0.4
Liberal Democrats Andrew Simpson 10,317 24.5 +6.8
UKIP John Howsam 1,050 2.5 +1.1
SOS! Northampton Paul Witherington 495 1.2 New
CPA Andrew Otchie 336 0.8 New
Majority 3,960 9.4 −9.6
Turnout 42,048 57.9 +1.9
Labour hold Swing -4.8
General election 2001: Northampton North[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sally Keeble 20,507 49.4 −3.3
Conservative John Whelan 12,614 30.4 −3.0
Liberal Democrats Richard Church 7,363 17.7 +5.0
UKIP Dusan Torbica 596 1.4 +0.5
Socialist Alliance Gordon White 414 1.0 New
Majority 7,893 19.0 0.0
Turnout 41,494 56.0 −14.1
Labour hold Swing -3.15

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Northampton North[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sally Keeble 27,247 52.7 +14.1
Conservative Tony Marlow 17,247 33.4 −12.4
Liberal Democrats L. Dunbar 6,579 12.7 −2.5
UKIP D. Torbica 474 0.9 New
Natural Law B. Spivack 161 0.3 −0.1
Majority 10,000 19.0 N/A
Turnout 51,708 70.1 −8.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.3
General election 1992: Northampton North[24][25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tony Marlow 24,865 45.8 −2.0
Labour JM Thomas 20,957 38.6 +8.7
Liberal Democrats R. Church 8,236 15.2 −5.9
Natural Law B Spivack 232 0.4 New
Majority 3,908 7.2 −10.7
Turnout 54,290 78.5 +3.9
Conservative hold Swing −5.4

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Northampton North[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tony Marlow 24,816 47.8 +0.8
Labour Owen Granfield 15,560 29.9 +3.0
Liberal Tony Rounthwaite 10,960 21.1 −5.0
Green Michael Green 471 0.9 New
Workers Revolutionary S. Colling 156 0.3 New
Majority 9,256 17.9 −2.2
Turnout 51,963 74.6
Conservative hold Swing -1.1
General election 1983: Northampton North[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tony Marlow 23,129 47.0
Labour David Offenbach 13,269 26.9
Liberal Anthony Rounthwaite 12,829 26.1
Majority 9,860 20.1
Turnout 49,227
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Northampton North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tony Marlow 18,597 48.22
Labour Maureen Colquhoun 13,934 36.13
Liberal Anthony Rounthwaite 5,659 14.67
National Front R G W Rickord 373 0.97 New
Majority 4,663 12.09 N/A
Turnout 38,563
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.11
General election October 1974: Northampton North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Maureen Colquhoun 16,314 43.80 +3.08
Conservative Richard Tracey 14,776 39.67 +1.53
Liberal R B Baker 6,160 16.54 −4.60
Majority 1,538 4.13 −4.60
Turnout 37,250
Labour hold Swing +0.78
General election February 1974: Northampton North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Maureen Colquhoun 16,321 40.72
Conservative C M Jackson 15,288 38.14
Liberal R B Baker 8,475 21.14
Majority 1,033 2.58
Turnout 39,994
Labour hold Swing -3.15

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ A borough 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. ↑ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. ↑ "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Seat Details - Northampton North". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "Constituency data: Population, by age". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Constituency dashboard". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Constituency data: businesses and industries". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Daventry, Wellingborough and Northampton) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/604, retrieved 26 February 2023
  9. ↑ "The Northamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2020".
  10. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part I.
  11. ↑ LGBCE. "West Northamptonshire | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Seat Details - Northampton North". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 3)
  14. ↑ "Northampton North results". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  15. ↑ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  16. ↑ "Northampton North Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  17. ↑ "BBC Local Live: Northamptonshire". BBC News. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  18. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "BBC News - Election 2010 - Constituency - Northampton North". bbc.co.uk.
  21. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  26. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

52°16′N 0°52′W / 52.26°N 0.87°W / 52.26; -0.87

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