Hexham (UK Parliament constituency)

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]

Hexham
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Hexham in Northumberland
Location of Northumberland within England
CountyNorthumberland
Electorate60,499 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsHexham, Corbridge, Stocksfield, Ponteland, Prudhoe, Wylam, Haydon Bridge, Haltwhistle
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentGuy Opperman (Conservative)
Number of membersOne
Created fromNorth Northumberland and South Northumberland

Constituency profile

This large seat reaches to the Pennines and is traversed by Hadrian's Wall, which runs almost due east–west through England. It includes substantial agricultural holdings, forestry, wood processing, food, minerals, and manufactured hardware industries. It 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] As well as those rural areas, the constituency also includes part of Newcastle's middle-class suburbs.

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. Despite this middle-class population there are also some more working-class areas: Prudhoe frequently elects Labour councillors and has demographics similar to neighbouring parts of Blaydon, a safe Labour seat. There is also some deprivation in rural areas, particularly around Haltwhistle.

Based on the latest published old age dependency ratios, a slightly larger proportion of the electorate than the national average is retired.[3] In 1997 the Labour Party nearly won the seat, but more usually Hexham is a safe seat for the Conservative party.[4] Indeed, from 1997 to 2010, Hexham was the only Conservative seat in the North East region.

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 in the Fifth Periodical 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
YearMember[5]Party
1885 Miles MacInnes Liberal
1892 Nathaniel Clayton Conservative
1893 Miles MacInnes Liberal
1895 Wentworth Beaumont
1907 Richard Durning Holt
1918 Douglas Clifton Brown Unionist
1923 Victor Finney Liberal
1924 Douglas Clifton Brown Unionist
1943 Speaker
1951 Rupert Speir Conservative
1966 Geoffrey Rippon
1987 Alan Amos
1992 Peter Atkinson
2010 Guy Opperman

Elections

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Hexham[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Guy Opperman 25,152 54.5 0.4
Labour Penny Grennan 14,603 31.6 2.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Howse 4,672 10.1 3.0
Green Nick Morphet 1,723 3.7 1.0
Majority 10,549 22.9 2.9
Turnout 46,150 75.3 0.2
Conservative hold Swing 1.5
General election 2017: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Guy Opperman 24,996 54.1 1.4
Labour Co-op Stephen Powers 15,760 34.1 9.2
Liberal Democrats Fiona Hall 3,285 7.1 0.3
Green Wesley Foot 1,253 2.7 2.9
UKIP Francis Miles 930 2.0 7.9
Majority 9,236 20.0 7.8
Turnout 46,224 75.1 3.6
Conservative hold Swing 3.9
General election 2015: Hexham[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Guy Opperman 22,834 52.7 9.5
Labour Liam Carr 10,803 24.9 5.9
UKIP David Nicholson 4,302 9.9 New
Liberal Democrats Jeff Reid[8] 2,961 6.8 23.1
Green Lee Williscroft-Ferris 2,445 5.6 New
Majority 12,031 27.8 9.5
Turnout 43,345 71.5 0.7
Conservative hold Swing 1.8
General election 2010: Hexham[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Guy Opperman 18,795 43.2 0.8
Liberal Democrats Andrew Duffield 13,007 29.9 4.2
Labour Antoine Tinnion 8,253 19.0 11.4
Independent Steven Ford 1,974 4.5 New
BNP Quentin Hawkins 1,205 2.8 New
Independent Colin Moss 249 0.6 New
Majority 5,788 13.3 1.2
Turnout 43,483 70.8 2.2
Conservative hold Swing 1.7

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: Hexham[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Atkinson 17,605 42.4 −2.2
Labour Kevin Graham 12,585 30.3 −8.3
Liberal Democrats Andrew Duffield 10,673 25.7 +10.7
English Democrat Ian Riddell 521 1.3 New
Imperial Thomas Davison 129 0.3 New
Majority 5,020 12.1 +6.1
Turnout 41,513 68.8 −2.1
Conservative hold Swing +3.0
General election 2001: Hexham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Atkinson 18,917 44.6 +5.8
Labour Paul Brannen 16,388 38.6 +0.4
Liberal Democrats Philip Latham 6,380 15.0 −2.4
UKIP Alan Patterson 728 1.7 −0.9
Majority 2,529 6.0 +5.4
Turnout 42,413 70.9 −6.6
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: Hexham[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Atkinson 17,701 38.8 -13.6
Labour Ian McMinn 17,479 38.2 +14.0
Liberal Democrats Philip Carr 7,959 17.4 -4.3
Referendum Robert Waddell 1,362 3.0 New
UKIP David Lott 1,170 2.6 New
Majority 222 0.6 -27.6
Turnout 45,671 77.5 -4.9
Conservative hold Swing +13.8
General election 1992: Hexham[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Atkinson 24,967 52.4 +2.8
Labour Ian Swithenbank 11,529 24.2 +6.2
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Wallace 10,344 21.7 −10.0
Green John Hartshorne 781 1.6 +0.9
Majority 13,438 28.2 +10.3
Turnout 47,621 82.4 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing −1.7

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Hexham[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Amos 22,370 49.6 -1.6
Liberal Euan Robson 14,304 31.7 +0.2
Labour Mike Wood 8,103 18.0 +1.0
Green Sheila Wood 336 0.7 New
Majority 8,066 17.9 -2.1
Turnout 45,113 80.0 +6.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Hexham[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Rippon 21,374 51.5 +3.5
Liberal Euan Robson 13,066 31.5 +11.4
Labour Stephen Byers 7,056 17.0 -14.9
Majority 8,308 20.0 +3.9
Turnout 41,496 73.36 -6.1
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Rippon 25,483 48.0 +4.5
Labour Stuart Bell 16,935 31.9 -2.2
Liberal John Shipley 10,697 20.1 -2.3
Majority 8,548 16.1 +6.6
Turnout 53,115 79.5 +4.1
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Rippon 21,352 43.53
Labour Eric Wade 16,711 34.07
Liberal Roy Cairncross 10,991 22.41
Majority 4,641 9.46
Turnout 49,054 75.37
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey Rippon 24,059 45.46
Labour Eric Wade 16,129 30.48
Liberal Roy Cairncross 12,730 24.06
Majority 7,930 14.99
Turnout 52,918 82.62
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey 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 47,182 75.31
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoffrey 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 43,428 78.05
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Speir 22,468 50.70
Labour John Alderson 14,127 31.88
Liberal Douglas A. Robson 7,722 17.42 New
Majority 8,341 18.82
Turnout 44,317 81.88
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Speir 25,500 62.99
Labour Wilfrid Roberts 14,980 37.01
Majority 10,520 25.98
Turnout 40,480 81.11
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Speir 23,462 64.00
Labour Edward Garrett 13,198 36.00
Majority 10,264 28.00
Turnout 36,660 77.28
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Hexham[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Speir 23,267 59.61 New
Labour Co-op Thomas L. MacDonald 15,768 40.39
Majority 7,499 19.22 N/A
Turnout 39,035 82.42
Conservative gain from Speaker Swing
General election 1950: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Speaker Douglas Clifton Brown 24,703 85.06
Independent Liberal Alexander Hancock 4,154 14.40 New
Majority 20,549 71.66
Turnout 28,857 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 28,217 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 Douglas Clifton Brown 17,241 62.55
Labour Ernest Kinghorn 10,324 37.45
Majority 6,917 25.10
Turnout 27,565 75.92
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1931: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Douglas Clifton Brown 20,578 73.14
Labour E. O. Dunnico 7,557 26.86
Majority 13,021 46.28
Turnout 28,135 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 Francis 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 28,307 80.2 −2.0
Registered electors 35,304
Unionist hold Swing −5.9
General election 1924: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Douglas Clifton Brown 10,741 48.0 +4.0
Liberal Victor Finney 6,551 29.3 −26.7
Labour Charles Flynn 5,089 22.7 New
Majority 4,190 18.7 N/A
Turnout 22,381 82.2 +6.6
Registered electors 27,237
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +15.4
General election 1923: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Victor Finney 11,293 56.0 +25.0
Unionist Douglas Clifton Brown 8,887 44.0 −0.8
Majority 2,406 12.0 N/A
Turnout 20,180 75.6 −3.7
Registered electors 26,732
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 Finney 6,486 31.0 +6.1
Labour George Shield 5,050 24.2 −2.0
Majority 2,883 13.8 −8.9
Turnout 20,905 79.3 +16.9
Registered electors 26,372
Unionist hold Swing −5.1

Elections in the 1910s
General election 1918: Hexham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Douglas Clifton Brown 7,763 48.9 +3.1
Labour William Weir 4,168 26.2 New
Liberal Wentworth Beaumont 3,948 24.9 −29.3
Majority 3,595 22.7 N/A
Turnout 15,879 62.4 −21.0
Registered electors 25,341
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +16.2
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

General Election 1914/15:

Percy

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected:

Holt
General election December 1910: Hexham [20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Durning Holt 5,124 54.2 −1.2
Conservative Alfred Henry Chaytor 4,334 45.8 +1.2
Majority 790 8.4 −2.4
Turnout 9,458 83.4 −3.9
Registered electors 11,335
Liberal hold Swing −1.2
General election January 1910: Hexham [20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Durning Holt 5,478 55.4 −6.0
Conservative Charles Loftus Bates 4,417 44.6 +6.0
Majority 1,061 10.8 −12.0
Turnout 9,895 87.3 +4.2
Registered electors 11,335
Liberal hold Swing −6.0

Elections in the 1900s
1907 Hexham by-election[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Richard Durning Holt 5,401 56.0 −5.4
Conservative Charles Loftus Bates 4,244 44.0 +5.4
Majority 1,157 12.0 −10.8
Turnout 9,645 86.8 +3.7
Registered electors 11,116
Liberal hold Swing −5.4
General election 1906: Hexham [20][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wentworth Beaumont 5,632 61.4 +10.3
Conservative Nathaniel George Clayton 3,547 38.6 −10.3
Majority 2,085 22.8 +20.6
Turnout 9,179 83.1 +3.5
Registered electors 11,049
Liberal hold Swing +10.3
Morpeth
General election 1900: Hexham [20][22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wentworth Beaumont 4,197 51.1 −1.5
Liberal Unionist Charles Howard 4,011 48.9 +1.5
Majority 186 2.2 −3.0
Turnout 8,208 79.6 −2.2
Registered electors 10,310
Liberal hold Swing −1.5

Elections in the 1890s
Beaumont
General election 1895: Hexham [20][22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Wentworth Beaumont 4,438 52.6 +3.1
Conservative Charles Edward Hunter 4,003 47.4 −3.1
Majority 435 5.2 N/A
Turnout 8,441 81.8 +0.4
Registered electors 10,316
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +3.1
1893 Hexham by-election [20][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Miles MacInnes 4,804 52.4 +2.9
Conservative Richard Clayton 4,358 47.6 −2.9
Majority 446 4.8 N/A
Turnout 9,162 87.3 +5.9
Registered electors 10,494
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +2.9
  • Caused after the 1892 result was declared void on petition.
General election 1892: Hexham [20][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative *Nathaniel George Clayton 4,092 50.5 +7.0
Liberal Miles MacInnes 4,010 49.5 -7.0
Majority 82 1.0 N/A
Turnout 8,102 81.4 +9.1
Registered electors 9,954
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +7.0
  • Clayton was unseated on petition

Elections in the 1880s
Melgund
General election 1886: Hexham [20][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Miles MacInnes 4,177 56.5 -2.1
Conservative Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound 3,220 43.5 +2.1
Majority 957 13.0 -4.2
Turnout 7,397 72.3 −14.2
Registered electors 10,237
Liberal hold Swing -2.1
Ridley
General election 1885: Hexham [20][22][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Miles MacInnes 5,193 58.6
Conservative Matthew Ridley 3,663 41.4
Majority 1,530 17.2
Turnout 8,856 86.5
Registered electors 10,237
Liberal win (new seat)

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. "Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. "OS Maps - online and App mapping system | Ordnance Survey Shop". getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk.
  3. "2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on January 29, 2016.
  4. "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
  5. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 3)
  6. "Hexham Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  7. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  8. Daniel, Brian. "Lib Dem Jeff Reid to battle Tory MP Guy Opperman at general election - The Journal". www.thejournal.co.uk.
  9. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  10. "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Hexham". BBC News.
  11. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  13. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  16. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
  19. Newcastle Journal 12 Mar 1914
  20. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  21. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  22. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  23. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  24. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Daventry		 Constituency represented by the Speaker
1943–1951		 Succeeded by
Cirencester and Tewkesbury

54.971°N 2.101°W / 54.971; -2.101

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