Sedgefield (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox
Name = Sedgefield
Map1 = Sedgefield
Type = County
Map2 = Durham
Entity = County Durham
County = County Durham
Year = 1918, 1983
MP = Phil Wilson
Party = Labour Party
EP = North East England

Sedgefield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. Sedgefield is situated in County Durham, an area renowned for its mining history and very strong affiliation to the Labour Party.

From its recreation in 1983 until 27 June 2007, the seat had been held by Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister. He resigned as a Member of Parliament on the same day as he resigned as Prime Minister, which triggered a by-election. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6243558.stm Blair resigns as prime minister] , BBC News, 27 June 2007]

At the by-election on 19 July 2007, the Labour candidate Phil Wilson was elected on a reduced majority.

Boundaries

The seat, in County Durham in the North East region of England, comprises:
*most of the Borough of Sedgefield, including Sedgefield town, Newton Aycliffe, Ferryhill and parts of Trimdon
*most of the area (but not the electorate) of the Borough of Darlington, surrounding the actual town of Darlington on 3 sides
*in the south of Easington district, Wingate, Thornley, Wheatley Hill and the rest of Trimdon.

Boundary review

Following the review of parliamentary representation in County Durham, the Boundary Commission for England has made only minor changes to the Sedgefield constituency. It will be fought on the new boundaries at the 2009 or 2010 UK general election.

The electoral wards used in the modified seat are;
*Bishop Middleham and Cornforth, Broom, Chilton, Ferryhill, Fishburn and Old Trimdon, Greenfield Middridge, Neville and Simpasture, New Trimdon and Trimdon Grange, Sedgefield, Shafto St Marys, West and Woodham from Sedgefield.
*Thornley and Wheatley Hill, and Wingate from Easington
*Heighington and Coniscliffe, Hurworth, Middleton St George, and Sadberge and Whessoe from Darlington

History

The constituency has been in use for two separate periods. It was first created in time for the 1918 general election, and then abolished for the February 1974 election. It was recreated in 1983 and has existed ever since.

Members of Parliament

Sedgefield attracts much attention as, until 2007, its only MP since the constituency's recreation in 1983 was Tony Blair, former leader of the Labour Party and former Prime Minister.

Elections

Elections in the 2000s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Phil Wilson
votes = 12,528
percentage = 44.8
change = -14.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Greg Stone
votes = 5,572
percentage = 19.9
change = +8.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Graham Robb
votes = 4,082
percentage = 14.6
change = +0.2Election box candidate with party link
party = British National Party
candidate = Andrew Spence
votes = 2,494
percentage = 8.9
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Paul Gittins
votes = 1,885
percentage = 6.7
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Toby Horton
votes = 536
percentage = 1.9
change = +0.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Green Party of England and Wales
candidate = Chris Haine
votes = 348
percentage = 1.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = English Democrats Party
candidate = Stephen Gash
votes = 177
percentage = 0.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Operation Christian Vote
candidate = Tim Grainger
votes = 177
percentage = 0.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Official Monster Raving Loony Party
candidate = Alan Hope
votes = 129
percentage = 0.5
change = +0.1Election box candidate
party = Anti Crime
candidate = Norman Scarth
votes = 34
percentage = 0.1
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 6,956
percentage = 24.9
change = -19.6Election box turnout
votes = 27,962
percentage = 43.05
change = -19.15Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = -11

In the 2005 election Tony Blair was returned as MP for Sedgefield. Sedgefield also had more candidates standing, 15, than any other constituency in the UK. One candidate, Reg Keys, was the father of a military policeman killed while serving in Iraq and a founder member of Military Families Against the War. He stood on a platform of opposition to the Iraq War.

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: SedgefieldElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tony Blair
votes = 24,421
percentage = 58.9
change = -6.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Gp Capt Al Lockwood
votes = 5,972
percentage = 14.4
change = -6.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Robert Browne
votes = 4,935
percentage = 11.9
change = +2.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Reg Keys
votes = 4,252
percentage = 10.3
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = William Brown
votes = 646
percentage = 1.6
change = -0.8Election box candidate with party link
party = National Front (UK)
candidate = Mark Farrell
votes = 253
percentage = 0.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Veritas (political party)
candidate = Fiona Luckhurst-Matthews
votes = 218
percentage = 0.5
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Berony Abraham
votes = 205
percentage = 0.5
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Official Monster Raving Loony Party
candidate = Melodie Staniforth
votes = 157
percentage = 0.4
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Blair Must Go Party
candidate = Jonathan Cockburn
votes = 103
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Senior Citizens Party
candidate = Terry Pattinson
votes = 97
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = UK Pensioners Party
candidate = Cherri Gilham
votes = 82
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Helen John
votes = 68
percentage = 0.2
change = -0.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = John Barker
votes = 45
percentage = 0.1
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Julian Brennan
votes = 17
percentage = 0.0
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 18,449
percentage = 44.5
change = Election box turnout
votes = 41,475
percentage = 62.2
change = +0.2Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = 0.2

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: SedgefieldElection box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tony Blair
votes = 26,110
percentage = 64.9
change = -6.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Douglas Carswell
votes = 8,397
percentage = 20.9
change = +3.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Andrew Duffield
votes = 3,624
percentage = 9.0
change = +2.5Election box candidate with party link
party = United Kingdom Independence Party
candidate = Andrew Spence
votes = 974
percentage = 2.4
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Brian Gibson
votes = 518
percentage = 1.3
change = +0.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Rock 'n' Roll Loony Party
candidate = Chris Driver
votes = 375
percentage = 0.9
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Helen John
votes = 260
percentage = 0.6
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 17,713
percentage = 44.0
change = Election box turnout
votes = 40,258
percentage = 62.0
change = -10.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1990s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tony Blair
votes = 33,526 | percentage = 71.2 | change = +10.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Elizabeth Pitman
votes = 8,383 | percentage = 17.8 | change = -11.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Ronald Beadle
votes = 3,050 | percentage = 6.5 | change = -4.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Referendum Party
candidate = Miriam Hall
votes = 1,683 | percentage = 3.6 | change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Socialist Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Brian Gibson
votes = 474 | percentage = 1.0 | change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 25,143
percentage = 53.4
change = +21.8Election box turnout
votes = 47,116
percentage = 72.6
change = -4.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tony Blair
votes = 28,453 | percentage = 60.5 | change = +4.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Nicholas Jopling
votes = 13,594 | percentage = 28.9 | change = +1.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Democrats (UK)
candidate = Gary Huntington
votes = 4,982 | percentage = 10.6 | change = -5.5Election box majority
votes = 14,859
percentage = 31.6
change = +3.4Election box turnout
votes = 47,029
percentage = 77.1
change = +0.9Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1980s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tony Blair
votes = 25,965 | percentage = 56.0 | change = +8.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = N. B. S. Hawkins
votes = 12,907 | percentage = 27.9 | change = -1.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic Party (UK)
candidate = R. I. Andrew
votes = 7,477 | percentage = 16.1 | change = -6.5Election box majority
votes = 13,058
percentage = 28.2
change = +9.8Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 76.2
change = +3.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Tony Blair
votes = 21,401 | percentage = 47.6 | change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Toby Horton
votes = 13,120 | percentage = 29.2 | change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic Party (UK)
candidate = D. Shand
votes = 10,183 | percentage = 22.6 | change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = M. Logan-Salton
votes = 298 | percentage = 0.7 | change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 8,281
percentage = 18.4
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 72.9
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing = "N/A"

Elections in the 1970s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = David Reed
votes = 36,867
percentage = 60.5
change = -4.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = A. A. Beck
votes = 24,036
percentage = 39.5
change = +4.1Election box majority
votes = 12,831
percentage = 21.1
change = -8.2Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 72.7
change = -3.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1960s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Joseph Slater
votes = 34,058
percentage = 64.7
change = +4.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = C. F. Thring
votes = 18,620
percentage = 35.4
change = -4.1Election box majority
votes = 15,438
percentage = 29.3
change = +8.0Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 76.0
change = -3.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Joseph Slater
votes = 32,273
percentage = 60.7
change = +2.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = C. F. Thring
votes = 20,931
percentage = 39.3
change = -2.2Election box majority
votes = 11,342
percentage = 21.3
change = +4.4Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 79.5
change = -3.0Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1950s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Joseph Slater
votes = 30,642
percentage = 58.5
change = -1.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = D. Appleby
votes = 21,771
percentage = 41.5
change = +1.2Election box majority
votes = 8,871
percentage = 16.9
change = -2.5Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 82.5
change = +2.6Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Joseph Slater
votes = 27,221
percentage = 59.7
change = -2.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = D. Appleby
votes = 18,368
percentage = 40.3
change = +2.6Election box majority
votes = 8,853
percentage = 19.4
change = -5.2Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 79.9
change = -6.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Joseph Slater
votes = 28,219
percentage = 62.3
change = -0.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = E. H. Harrison
votes = 17,095
percentage = 37.7
change = +0.2Election box majority
votes = 11,124
percentage = 24.6
change = -0.4Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 86.4
change = -0.6Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = Joseph Slater
votes = 27,946
percentage = 62.5
change = - 1.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = J. E. S. Walford
votes = 16,782
percentage = 37.5
change = + 1.3Election box majority
votes = 11,164
percentage = 25.0
change = - 2.6Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 87.0
change = + 9.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1940s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Leslie
votes = 27,051
percentage = 63.8
change = + 11.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = J. E. S. Walford
votes = 15,360
percentage = 36.2
change = - 11.5Election box majority
votes = 11,691
percentage = 27.6
change = + 23.0Election box turnout
votes = 42,411
percentage = 77.5
change = - 3.9Election box hold with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1930s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Leslie
votes = 20,375
percentage = 52.3
change = + 11.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Roland Jennings
votes = 18,604
percentage = 47.7
change = - 11.1Election box majority
votes = 1,771
percentage = 4.6
change = - 13.0Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 81.4
change = - 3.0Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Roland Jennings
votes = 21,956
percentage = 58.8
change = + 19.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Herriotts
votes = 15,404
percentage = 41.2
change = - 6.5Election box majority
votes = 6,552
percentage = 17.6
change = + 9.6Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 84.4
change = + 1.4Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Elections in the 1920s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Herriotts
votes = 15,749
percentage = 47.7
change = + 0.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Leonard Ropner
votes = 13,043
percentage = 39.5
change = - 13.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = W. Leeson
votes = 4,236
percentage = 12.8
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 2,706
percentage = 8.2
change = + 2.8Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 83.0
change = - 2.4Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Leonard Ropner
votes = 13,968
percentage = 52.7
change = + 2.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Herriotts
votes = 12,552
percentage = 47.3
change = - 2.7Election box majority
votes = 1,416
percentage = 5.4
change = + 5.4Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 85.4
change = + 10.9Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = Leonard Ropner
votes = 11,093
percentage = 50.0
change = + 9.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Herriotts
votes = 11,087
percentage = 50.0
change = + 6.4Election box majority
votes = 6
percentage = 0.0
change = - 3.1Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 74.5
change = - 1.6Election box gain with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
loser = Labour Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Herriotts
votes = 9,756
percentage = 43.6
change = + 6.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = E. Waddington
votes = 9,067
percentage = 40.5
change = - 1.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = C. H. Brown
votes = 3,561
percentage = 15.9
change = - 5.2Election box majority
votes = 689
percentage = 3.1
change = - 2.2Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 76.1
change = + 12.7Election box gain with party link
winner = Labour Party (UK)
loser = Coalition Conservative
swing =

Elections in the 1910s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Coalition Conservative
candidate = Rowland Burdon
votes = 6,627
percentage = 42.1
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Labour Party (UK)
candidate = John Herriotts
votes = 5,801
percentage = 36.8
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Party (UK)
candidate = C. W. Starmer
votes = 3,333
percentage = 21.1
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 826
percentage = 5.3
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 63.4
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Coalition Conservative
swing =

ee also

*List of Parliamentary constituencies in County Durham

References