Blaydon is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons since 2017 by Liz Twist of the Labour Party.[n 2]
Constituency profile
The seat has been a safe seat for the Labour Party since 1945.
Historically the area's economy relied on coal mining from the Victorian period until the decline of mining in the latter half of the 20th century.
Today the economy is supported by engineering and service industries on Tyneside, and agriculture.
The constituency is on the western upland outskirts of Gateshead and its communities are separated by green buffers.
Boundaries
1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Blaydon, Ryton, Tanfield, and Whickham.
1950–1983: The Urban Districts of Blaydon, Ryton, and Whickham.
1983–2010: The Borough of Gateshead wards of Birtley, Blaydon, Chopwell and Rowlands Gill, Crawcrook and Greenside, Lamesley, Ryton, Whickham North, Whickham South, and Winlaton.
2010–present: The Borough of Gateshead wards of Birtley, Blaydon, Chopwell and Rowlands Gill, Crawcrook and Greenside, Dunston Hill and Whickham East, Lamesley, Ryton, Crookhill and Stella, Whickham North, Whickham South and Sunniside, and Winlaton and High Spen.
The Blaydon constituency currently comprises the towns of Blaydon, Whickham, Ryton, Birtley and surrounding villages in the south and west of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead.
Blaydon was affected by the planned 2018 Boundary Commission changes, with the electorate projected to increase from 66,409 to 76,791.
Members of Parliament
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Blaydon[4] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Liz Twist | 19,794 | 43.3 | 12.8 |
| Conservative | Adrian Pepper | 14,263 | 31.2 | 3.1 |
| Brexit Party | Michael Robinson | 5,833 | 12.8 | New |
| Liberal Democrats | Vicky Anderson | 3,703 | 8.1 | 1.0 |
| Green | Diane Cadman | 1,279 | 2.8 | 1.6 |
| Liberal | Kathy King | 615 | 1.3 | New |
| Space Navies Party | Lisabela Marschild | 118 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Independent | Lee Garrett | 76 | 0.2 | New |
Majority | 5,531 | 12.1 | 15.9 |
Turnout | 45,681 | 67.3 | 2.9 |
| Labour hold | Swing | 8.0 | |
General election 2017: Blaydon[5] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Liz Twist | 26,979 | 56.1 | +6.9 |
| Conservative | Tom Smith | 13,502 | 28.1 | +10.6 |
| Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Wallace | 4,366 | 9.1 | −3.1 |
| UKIP | Ray Tolley | 2,459 | 5.1 | −12.4 |
| Green | Paul McNally | 583 | 1.2 | −2.5 |
| Libertarian | Michael Marchetti[6] | 114 | 0.2 | New |
| Space Navies Party | Lisabela Marschild | 81 | 0.2 | New |
Majority | 13,477 | 28.0 | -3.7 |
Turnout | 48,084 | 70.2 | +4.0 |
| Labour hold | Swing | -1.85 | |
General election 2015: Blaydon[7] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Dave Anderson | 22,090 | 49.2 | -0.6 |
| UKIP | Mark Bell | 7,863 | 17.5 | New |
| Conservative | Alison Griffiths | 7,838 | 17.4 | +1.5 |
| Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Wallace | 5,497 | 12.2 | -17.1 |
| Green | Paul McNally[8] | 1,648 | 3.7 | New |
Majority | 14,227 | 31.7 | +11.4 |
Turnout | 44,936 | 66.2 | 0.0 |
| Labour hold | Swing | -9.0 | |
General election 2010: Blaydon[9][10] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Dave Anderson | 22,297 | 49.6 | −1.9 |
| Liberal Democrats | Neil Bradbury | 13,180 | 29.3 | −8.5 |
| Conservative | Glenn Hall | 7,159 | 15.9 | +7.9 |
| BNP | Keith McFarlane | 2,277 | 5.1 | New |
Majority | 9,117 | 20.3 | +6.6 |
Turnout | 44,913 | 66.2 | +4.0 |
| Labour hold | Swing | −4.5 | |
Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Blaydon[11] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | David Anderson | 20,120 | 51.5 | −3.3 |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter J. Maughan | 14,785 | 37.9 | +4.1 |
| Conservative | Dorothy Luckhurst | 3,129 | 8.0 | −3.4 |
| UKIP | Norman R. Endacott | 1,019 | 2.6 | New |
Majority | 5,335 | 13.7 | -7.3 |
Turnout | 39,053 | 62.6 | +5.2 |
| Labour hold | Swing | −3.7 | |
General election 2001: Blaydon[12] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | John McWilliam | 20,340 | 54.8 | −5.2 |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter J. Maughan | 12,531 | 33.8 | +10.0 |
| Conservative | Mark A. Watson | 4,215 | 11.4 | −1.8 |
Majority | 7,809 | 21.0 | -15.2 |
Turnout | 37,086 | 57.4 | −13.6 |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Blaydon[13] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | John McWilliam | 27,535 | 60.0 | +7.3 |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter J. Maughan | 10,930 | 23.8 | +3.1 |
| Conservative | Mark A. Watson | 6,048 | 13.2 | -13.5 |
| Independent | Richard J. Rook | 1,412 | 3.1 | New |
Majority | 16,605 | 36.2 | +10.2 |
Turnout | 45,925 | 71.0 | -6.7 |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1992: Blaydon[14][15] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | John McWilliam | 27,028 | 52.7 | +2.4 |
| Conservative | Peter Pescod | 13,685 | 26.7 | +2.5 |
| Liberal Democrats | Paul Nunn | 10,602 | 20.7 | −4.8 |
Majority | 13,343 | 26.0 | +1.1 |
Turnout | 51,315 | 77.7 | +2.0 |
| Labour hold | Swing | −0.1 | |
Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Blaydon[16] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | John McWilliam | 25,277 | 50.30 | |
| SDP | Paul Nunn | 12,789 | 25.47 | |
| Conservative | Peter Pescod | 12,147 | 24.19 | |
Majority | 12,488 | 24.87 | |
Turnout | 50,213 | 75.73 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1983: Blaydon[17] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | John McWilliam | 21,285 | 44.39 | |
| Conservative | A. Williams | 14,063 | 29.33 | |
| SDP | M. Carr | 12,607 | 26.29 | New |
Majority | 7,222 | 15.06 | |
Turnout | 47,955 | 73.23 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Blaydon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | John McWilliam | 24,687 | 53.40 | |
| Conservative | T. Middleton | 16,178 | 35.00 | |
| Liberal | David Hutton | 5,364 | 11.60 | |
Majority | 8,509 | 18.40 | |
Turnout | 46,229 | 79.07 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Blaydon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Robert Woof | 23,743 | 57.27 | |
| Conservative | A.A. Craig | 10,277 | 24.79 | |
| Liberal | Paul Barker | 7,439 | 17.94 | New |
Majority | 13,466 | 32.48 | |
Turnout | 41,409 | 69.20 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Blaydon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Robert Woof | 22,279 | 58.65 | |
| Conservative | A.A. Craig | 15,705 | 41.35 | |
Majority | 6,574 | 17.30 | |
Turnout | 37,984 | 67.25 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Blaydon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Robert Woof | 25,724 | 64.88 | |
| Conservative | Norman H. D'Aguiar | 13,926 | 35.12 | |
Majority | 11,798 | 29.76 | |
Turnout | 39,650 | 72.30 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Blaydon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Robert Woof | 26,629 | 69.21 | |
| Conservative | Bernard Bligh | 11,849 | 30.79 | |
Majority | 14,780 | 38.42 | |
Turnout | 38,478 | 77.45 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Blaydon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Robert Woof | 25,926 | 66.72 | |
| Conservative | Neville Cooper Bailey | 12,932 | 33.28 | |
Majority | 12,994 | 33.44 | |
Turnout | 38,858 | 80.01 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Blaydon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Robert Woof | 25,969 | 65.43 | |
| Conservative | Godfrey William Iredell | 13,719 | 34.57 | |
Majority | 12,250 | 30.86 | |
Turnout | 39,688 | 82.94 | |
| Labour hold | Swing | | |
1956 Blaydon by-election Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | Robert Woof | 18,791 | 69.94 | +3.47 |
| Conservative | John Morley Reay-Smith | 8,077 | 30.06 | -3.47 |
Majority | 10,714 | 39.88 | +6.94 |
Turnout | 26,868 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | -3.4 | |
Election in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
General election 1922: Blaydon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Labour | William Whiteley | 14,722 | 53.9 | +12.3 |
| Unionist | Sir Frank Robert Simpson, 1st Baronet | 7,963 | 29.2 | New |
| National Liberal | Frederick William Cook | 4,606 | 16.9 | -35.9 |
Majority | 6,759 | 24.7 | N/A |
Turnout | 27,291 | 77.0 | +19.6 |
Registered electors | 35,434 | | |
| Labour gain from Coalition Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
Elections in the 1910s
Waring
General election 1918: Blaydon[19] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
C | Coalition Liberal | Walter Waring | 9,937 | 52.8 | |
| Labour | William Whiteley | 7,844 | 41.6 | |
| Liberal | Thomas George Graham | 1,064 | 5.6 | |
Majority | 2,093 | 11.2 | |
Turnout | 18,845 | 57.4 | |
| Coalition Liberal win (new seat) |
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
See also
Notes and references
- Notes
- ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ 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
External links