Hexham (UK Parliament constituency)

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Hexham
County constituency
for the House of Commons
120px
Boundary of Hexham in Northumberland.
Outline map
Location of Northumberland within England.
County Northumberland
Electorate 60,499 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements Hexham, Corbridge, Stocksfield, Ponteland, Prudhoe, Wylam, Haydon Bridge, Haltwhistle
Current constituency
Created 1885
Member of parliament Guy Opperman (Conservative)
Number of members One
Created from North Northumberland and South Northumberland
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency North East England

Hexham is a constituency[n 1] in Northumberland represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Guy Opperman, a Conservative.[n 2]

Constituency profile

This large seat reaches to the Pennines and traverses Hadrians Wall which runs almost due east-west through England, includes substantial agricultural holdings, forestry, wood processing, food, minerals, and manufactured hardware industries and has been held by the Conservative Party and rarely with only marginal majorities since 1924. In the midst of the northwest of the area is Kielder Water and running between this area and the middle of the seat is the southern portion of Kielder Forest, and in the west, the attractions of the precipitous Haltwhistle Burn, Viaduct and Castle. SSE of Hexham is the Derwent Reservoir.[2] Aside from the geographical highlights as set out above this area also houses a portion of Newcastle's commuting middle-class; Hexham was the only Conservative seat in the North East between 1997–2010, and the only one in Northumberland from 1973 until the Conservatives won Berwick-upon-Tweed in 2015.

Demonstrated by latest published old age dependency ratios, a slightly larger than national average proportion of the electorate is retired.[3] Whilst the result in 1997 saw the Labour Party within touching distance of winning the seat generally, results suggest the seat is a safe seat for candidates of the Conservative party.[4]

History

The seat was created under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. Colonel Douglas Clifton Brown, who was Speaker of the House of Commons during the latter years of the World War II, represented the seat for two separate tenures (from 1918–23, and from 1924–51).

Boundaries

The constituency is named after the town of Hexham in Northumberland. It includes the former Tynedale district and part of the former Castle Morpeth district.[n 3]

Boundary review

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Northumberland, the Boundary Commission for England has made only minor changes to the existing boundaries of the Hexham constituency. The electoral wards used in its formation are:

  • The entire former district of Tynedale
  • The former Castle Morpeth wards of Heddon-on-the-Wall, Ponteland East, Ponteland North, Ponteland South, Ponteland West, Stamfordham and Stannington

Members of Parliament

Election Member[5] Party
1885 Miles MacInnes Liberal
1892 Nathaniel George Clayton Conservative
1893 Miles MacInnes Liberal
1895 Wentworth Beaumont, later Viscount Allendale Liberal
1907 by-election Richard Durning Holt Liberal
1918 Douglas Clifton Brown Coalition Conservative
1923 Victor Harold Finney Liberal
1924 Douglas Clifton Brown Conservative
1943 Speaker
1951 Rupert Speir Conservative
1966 Geoffrey Rippon Conservative
1987 Alan Amos Conservative
1992 Peter Atkinson Conservative
2010 Guy Opperman Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s

General Election 2015: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Guy Opperman[6] 22,834 52.7 +9.5
Labour Liam Carr[7] 10,803 24.9 +5.9
UKIP David Nicholson[8] 4,302 9.9 N/A
Liberal Democrat Jeff Reid[9] 2,961 6.8 -23.1
Green Lee Williscroft-Ferris[10] 2,445 5.6 N/A
Majority 12,031 27.8 +9.5
Turnout 43,345 71.5
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 2010: Hexham[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Guy Opperman 18,795 43.2 +0.8
Liberal Democrat Andrew Duffield 13,007 29.9 +4.2
Labour Antoine Tinnion 8,253 19.0 −11.4
Independent Steven Ford 1,974 4.5 N/A
BNP Quentin Hawkins 1,205 2.8 N/A
Independent Colin Moss 249 0.6 N/A
Majority 5,788 13.3
Turnout 43,483 70.8 +2.2
Conservative hold Swing −1.7

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Atkinson 17,605 42.4 −2.2
Labour Kevin Graham 12,585 30.3 −8.3
Liberal Democrat Andrew Duffield 10,673 25.7 +10.7
English Democrats Ian Riddell 521 1.3 +1.3
Imperial Thomas Davison 129 0.3 +0.3
Majority 5,020 12.1
Turnout 41,513 68.8 −2.1
Conservative hold Swing +3.0
General Election 2001: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Atkinson 18,917 44.6 +5.8
Labour Paul Brannen 16,388 38.6 +0.4
Liberal Democrat Philip Latham 6,380 15.0 −2.4
UKIP Alan Patterson 728 1.7 −0.8
Majority 2,529 6.0
Turnout 42,413 70.9 −6.6
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Atkinson 17,701 38.8
Labour Ian McMinn 17,479 38.2
Liberal Democrat Philip Carr 7,959 17.4
Referendum Robert Waddell 1,362 3.0
UKIP David Lott 1,170 2.6
Majority 222 0.5
Turnout 45,671 77.5
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1992: Hexham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Atkinson 24,967 52.4 +2.8
Labour Ian Carr Fry Swithenbank 11,529 24.2 +6.2
Liberal Democrat Jonathan C. Wallace 10,344 21.7 −10.0
Green John P. Hartshorne 781 1.6 +0.9
Majority 13,438 28.2 +10.3
Turnout 47,621 82.4 +2.3
Conservative hold Swing −1.7

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Amos 22,370 49.6
Liberal Evan MacFarlane Robson 14,304 31.7
Labour Mike Wood 8,103 18.0
Green Sheila Marjorie Wood 336 0.7
Majority 8,066 17.9
Turnout 80.0
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1983: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aubrey Geoffrey Frederick Rippon 21,374 51.5
Liberal E.M. Robson 13,066 31.5
Labour Stephen Byers 7,056 17.0
Majority 8,308 20.0
Turnout 73.36
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aubrey Geoffrey Frederick Rippon 25,483 48.0
Labour Stuart Bell 16,935 31.9
Liberal John Warren Shipley 10,697 20.1
Majority 8,548 16.1
Turnout 79.5
Conservative hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aubrey Geoffrey Frederick Rippon 21,352 43.53
Labour E Wade 16,711 34.07
Liberal Roy Cairncross 10,991 22.41
Majority 4,641 9.46
Turnout 75.37
Conservative hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aubrey Geoffrey Frederick Rippon 24,059 45.46
Labour E Wade 16,129 30.48
Liberal Roy Cairncross 12,730 24.06
Majority 7,930 14.99
Turnout 82.62
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1970: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aubrey Geoffrey Frederick Rippon 24,516 51.96
Labour John E Miller 16,645 35.28
Liberal David Cogan 6,021 12.76
Majority 7,871 16.68
Turnout 75.31
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Aubrey Geoffrey Frederick Rippon 20,889 48.10
Labour James B. Lamb 16,105 37.08
Liberal Douglas A. Robson 6,434 14.82
Majority 4,784 11.02
Turnout 78.05
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Malise Speir 22,468 50.70
Labour John Alderson 14,127 31.88
Liberal Douglas A. Robson 7,722 17.42
Majority 8,341 18.82
Turnout 81.88
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Malise Speir 25,500 62.99
Labour Wilfrid Hubert Wace Roberts 14,980 37.01
Majority 10,520 25.99
Turnout 81.11
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Malise Speir 23,462 64.00
Labour William Edward Garrett 13,198 36.00
Majority 10,264 28.00
Turnout 77.28
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Malise Speir 23,267 59.61
Labour Thomas L. MacDonald 15,768 40.39
Majority 7,499 19.21
Turnout 82.42
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Speaker Douglas Clifton Brown 24,703 85.06
Independent Liberal Alexander Hancock 4,154 14.40
Majority 20,549 71.21
Turnout 61.88
Speaker hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

General Election 1945: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Speaker Douglas Clifton Brown 16,431 58.23
Labour Ernest Kavanagh 11,786 41.77
Majority 4,645 16.46
Turnout 73.80
Speaker hold Swing
  • 1943: Douglas Clifton-Brown becomes Speaker of the House of Commons.

Elections in the 1930s

General Election 1935: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Col. Douglas Clifton Brown 17,241 62.55
Labour Ernest Kinghorn 10,324 37.45
Majority 6,917 25.09
Turnout 75.92
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1931: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Col. Douglas Clifton Brown 20,578 73.14
Labour E. O. Dunnico 7,557 26.86
Majority 13,021 46.28
Turnout 79.21
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

General Election 1929: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Douglas Clifton Brown 11,069 39.1 -8.9
Liberal Rt Hon Sir Francis Dyke Acland 9,103 32.2 +2.9
Labour Ernest Owen Dunnico 8,135 28.7 +6.0
Majority 1,966 6.9 -11.8
Turnout 80.2 -2.0
Unionist hold Swing -5.9
General Election 1924: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Douglas Clifton Brown 10,741 48.0 +4.0
Liberal Victor Harold Finney 6,551 29.3 -26.7
Labour C R Flynn 5,089 22.7 n/a
Majority 4,190 18.7 30.7
Turnout 82.2
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +10.3
General Election 1923: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Victor Harold Finney 11,293 56.0 +25.0
Unionist Douglas Clifton Brown 8,887 44.0 -0.8
Majority 2,406 12.0 25.8
Turnout 75.6 -3.7
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +12.9
General Election 1922: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Douglas Clifton Brown 9,369 44.8 -4.1
Liberal Victor Harold Finney 6,486 31.0 +6.1
Labour George William Shield 5,050 24.2
Majority 2,883 13.8 -10.2
Turnout 79.3 +16.9
Unionist hold Swing -5.1

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Col. Douglas Clifton Brown 7,763 48.9
Labour William Weir 4,168 26.2 n/a
Liberal Maj. Hon. Wentworth Henry Canning Beaumont 3,948 24.9
Majority 3,595 22.7
Turnout 62.4
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing
  • endorsed by the Coalition Government
General Election December 1910
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Durning Holt 5,124 54.2
Conservative Alfred Henry Chaytor 4,334 45.8
Majority 8.4
Turnout 83.4
Liberal hold Swing
General Election January 1910
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Durning Holt 5,478 55.4
Conservative C. Loftus Bates 4,417 44.6
Majority 1,061 10.8
Turnout 87.3
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s

Hexham by-election, 1907
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Durning Holt 5,401
Conservative C. Loftus Bates 4,241
Majority 1,160
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing
File:Wentworth Beaumont.jpg
Wentworth Beaumont
General Election 1906
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wentworth Beaumont 5,632
Conservative C. Clayton 3,547
Majority 2,085
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing

See also

Notes and references

Notes
  1. ↑ A county 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.
  3. ↑ Tynedale and Castle Morpeth district councils were abolished in April 2009 in favour of a unitary Northumberland County Council.
References

Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Ordnance survey website
  3. ↑ 2011 census interactive maps
  4. ↑ 2001 Census
  5. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 3)[self-published source][better source needed]
  6. ↑ http://electionresults.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/hexham-2015.html
  7. ↑ http://www.labour.org.uk/hexham-liam-carr
  8. ↑ http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/ukip-name-hexham-s-election-candidate-1.1150203
  9. ↑ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/lib-dem-jeff-reid-battle-6938355
  10. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/tynedalegreenparty
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Constituency represented by the Speaker
1943–1951		 Succeeded by
Cirencester and Tewkesbury

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