Wellingborough and Rushden (UK Parliament constituency)

Wellingborough and Rushden
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Wellingborough and Rushden in the East Midlands
CountyNorthamptonshire
Electorate76,669 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsWellingborough, Rushden, Higham Ferrers, Irchester and Finedon
Current constituency
Created1918 (as Wellingborough)
Member of ParliamentGen Kitchen (Labour)
Created fromEast Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire

Wellingborough and Rushden is a constituency in Northamptonshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The seat is currently held by Labour MP Gen Kitchen, after the recall of MP Peter Bone in December 2023 which resulted in a by-election in February 2024.

Prior to the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency was known as Wellingborough up until the 2024 general election.[2]

History

This seat was created under the Representation of the People Act 1918.

Political history

Wellingborough's earliest years were left-leaning. Between 1964 and 2005, the seat kept on producing examples of bellwether results and rarely showed itself to be safe for more than one government term. Departing from this are two years where the result has defied the most common result nationwide, by leaning towards the Conservative Party, in 1974 (twice). Since 2010 it became a safe seat for the Conservatives until the 2024 by-election.

In the 2016 EU referendum, Wellingborough voted 62.4% leave (25,679 votes) to 37.6% remain (15,462 votes)[3]

Prominent frontbenchers

Sir Geoffrey Shakespeare was a Lloyd-Georgist National Liberal who served in junior ministerial roles through much of the Second World War, including briefly as the Secretary for Overseas Trade in 1940.

Boundaries

Historic (Wellingborough)

Map
Map of boundaries 2010-2024

1918–1950: The Borough of Higham Ferrers, the Urban Districts of Finedon, Irthlingborough, Raunds, Rushden, and Wellingborough, the Rural District of Wellingborough, and in the Rural District of Thrapston the parishes of Chelveston cum Caldecott, Hargrave, and Stanwick.

1950–1974: The Borough of Higham Ferrers, the Urban Districts of Irthlingborough, Raunds, Rushden, and Wellingborough, the Rural District of Wellingborough, and in the Rural District of Oundle and Thrapston the civil parishes of Chelveston cum Caldecott and Hargrave.

1974–1983: The Borough of Higham Ferrers, the Urban Districts of Irthlingborough, Oundle, Raunds, Rushden, and Wellingborough, and the Rural Districts of Oundle and Thrapston, and Wellingborough.[4]

1983–2010: The Borough of Wellingborough, and the District of East Northamptonshire wards of Higham Ferrers, Rushden East, Rushden North, Rushden South, and Rushden West.

2010–2021: The Borough of Wellingborough wards of Brickhill, Castle, Croyland, Finedon, Great Doddington and Wilby, Hemmingwell, Irchester, North, Queensway, Redwell East, Redwell West, South, Swanspool, and Wollaston, and the District of East Northamptonshire wards of Higham Ferrers, Rushden East, Rushden North, Rushden South, and Rushden West.

2021–2024: With effect from 1 April 2021, the Borough of Wellingborough and the District of East Northamptonshire were abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of North Northamptonshire.[5] From that date, the constituency comprised the District of North Northamptonshire wards of Brickhill and Queensway, Croyland and Swanspool; Earls Barton (part), Finedon, Hatton Park, Higham Ferrers, Irchester, Irthlingborough, Rushden Pemberton West and Rushden South.

Current (Wellingborough and Rushden)

Further to the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 April 2021):

  • The District of North Northamptonshire wards of: Brickhill and Queensway; Croyland and Swanspool; Finedon; Hatton Park; Higham Ferrers; Irchester (polling districts WIA and WIB); Irthlingborough (polling districts SD and SF); Rushden Pemberton West; Rushden South.[6]

The parts of the Earls Barton ward were transferred to Daventry. In addition, parts of the Irchester ward were transferred to South Northamptonshire, whilst the parts of the Irthlingborough ward were transferred in from Corby.

The constituency is named after the towns of Wellingborough and Rushden. It also includes the small town of Higham Ferrers, which was itself a borough constituency until its abolition as one of the rotten boroughs in 1832.

Constituency profile

Strengths in local industries here or in neighbouring Northampton and Kettering include in printing, logistics and distribution, automotive (assembly and design), construction, food processing and advanced engineering sectors. Despite this, a decline in the traditional local industries such as quarrying, furniture making and textiles pushes workless claimants who were registered jobseekers in November 2012 higher than the national (and regional) average of 3.8%, at 4.5% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[7]

Members of Parliament

East Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire prior to 1918

Election Member[8] Party
1918 Walter Smith Labour
1922 Geoffrey Shakespeare National Liberal
1923 William Cove Labour
1929 George Dallas Labour
1931 Archibald James Conservative
1945 George Lindgren Labour
1959 Michael Hamilton Conservative
1964 Harry Howarth Labour
1969 by-election Peter Fry Conservative
1997 Paul Stinchcombe Labour
2005 Peter Bone Conservative
2023 Independent[9]
2024 by-election Gen Kitchen Labour
Renamed as Wellingborough and Rushden
2024 Gen Kitchen Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Wellingborough and Rushden[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gen Kitchen 17,734 40.3 +12.0
Conservative David Goss 12,248 27.8 −34.6
Reform UK Ben Habib 9,456 21.5 N/A
Green Paul Mannion 2,704 6.1 +3.4
Liberal Democrats Christopher Townsend 1,570 3.6 −3.1
SDP Jeremy Brittin 273 0.6 N/A
Majority 5,486 12.5 New
Turnout 43,985 56.9 Decrease4.7
Registered electors 77,559
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase23.3
2024 Wellingborough by-election[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gen Kitchen 13,844 45.9 +19.4
Conservative Helen Harrison 7,408 24.6 −37.6
Reform UK Ben Habib 3,919 13.0 New
Liberal Democrats Ana Gunn 1,422 4.7 −3.2
Independent Marion Turner-Hawes 1,115 3.7 New
Green Will Morris 1,020 3.4 −0.1
Independent Kevin Watts 533 1.8 New
Britain First Alex Merola 477 1.6 New
Monster Raving Loony Nick the Flying Brick 217 0.7 New
Independent Andre Pyne-Bailey 172 0.6 New
Independent Ankit Post-Mortem 18 0.1 New
Majority 6,436 21.3 N/A
Turnout 30,145 38.0 −26.3
Registered electors 79,376
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +28.5

Elections in the 2010s

2019 general election: Wellingborough[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bone 32,277 62.2 +4.8
Labour Andrea Watts 13,737 26.5 –7.5
Liberal Democrats Suzanna Austin 4,078 7.9 +4.6
Green Marion Turner-Hawes 1,821 3.5 +1.7
Majority 18,540 35.7 +12.3
Turnout 51,913 64.3 –2.9
Conservative hold Swing +6.15
2017 general election: Wellingborough[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bone 30,579 57.4 +5.3
Labour Andrea Watts 18,119 34.0 +14.5
UKIP Alan Shipham 1,804 3.4 –16.2
Liberal Democrats Chris Nelson 1,782 3.3 –1.1
Green Jonathan Hornett 956 1.8 –2.6
Majority 12,460 23.4 –9.1
Turnout 53,240 67.2 +1.8
Conservative hold Swing –4.55
2015 general election: Wellingborough[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bone 26,265 52.1 +3.9
UKIP Jonathan Munday[17] 9,868 19.6 +16.4
Labour Richard Garvie1 9,839 19.5 –5.9
Liberal Democrats Chris Nelson 2,240 4.4 –12.7
Green Marion-Turner-Hawes 2,218 4.4 +3.5
Majority 16,397 32.5 +9.7
Turnout 50,430 65.4 –1.8
Conservative hold Swing –6.3

1: After nominations were closed, Garvie was suspended from the Labour Party after he was convicted of fraud after buying £900 of train tickets with a closed bank account.[18] He still appeared on ballot papers as Labour.

2010 general election: Wellingborough[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bone 24,918 48.2 +5.5
Labour Jayne Buckland 13,131 25.4 –16.0
Liberal Democrats Kevin Barron 8,848 17.1 +5.6
UKIP Adrian Haynes 1,636 3.2 +0.9
BNP Rob Walker 1,596 3.1 New
English Democrat Terry Spencer 530 1.0 New
Green Jonathan Hornett 480 0.9 New
TUSC Paul Crofts 249 0.5 New
Independent Gary Donaldson 240 0.5 New
Independent Marcus Lavin 33 0.1 New
Majority 11,787 22.8 +21.5
Turnout 51,661 67.2 +1.4
Conservative hold Swing +10.8

Elections in the 2000s

2005 general election: Wellingborough[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bone 22,674 42.8 +0.6
Labour Paul Stinchcombe 21,987 41.5 –5.3
Liberal Democrats Richard Church 6,147 11.6 +2.3
UKIP James Wrench 1,214 2.3 +0.6
Veritas Nicholas Alex 749 1.4 New
Socialist Labour Andy Dickson 234 0.4 New
Majority 687 1.3 N/A
Turnout 53,005 66.5 +2.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +2.9
2001 general election: Wellingborough[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Stinchcombe 23,867 46.8 +2.6
Conservative Peter Bone 21,512 42.2 –1.6
Liberal Democrats Peter Gaskell 4,763 9.3 –0.1
UKIP Tony Ellwood 864 1.7 −0.4
Majority 2,355 4.6 +4.2
Turnout 51,006 64.1 –10.7
Labour hold Swing +2.1

Elections in the 1990s

1997 general election: Wellingborough[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Stinchcombe 24,854 44.2 +10.3
Conservative Peter Fry 24,667 43.8 –9.6
Liberal Democrats Peter Smith 5,279 9.4 –3.4
UKIP Tony Ellwood 1,192 2.1 New
Natural Law Annie Lorys 297 0.5 New
Majority 187 0.4 N/A
Turnout 56,289 74.8 –7.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +9.9
1992 general election: Wellingborough[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Fry 32,302 53.4 +0.7
Labour Phil Sawford 20,486 33.9 +6.7
Liberal Democrats Julie Trevor 7,714 12.8 –7.3
Majority 11,816 19.5 –6.0
Turnout 60,502 81.9
Conservative hold Swing –3.0

Elections in the 1980s

1987 general election: Wellingborough[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Fry 29,038 52.7 +3.8
Labour James Currie 14,968 27.2 +1.2
Liberal Leslie Stringer 11,047 20.1 –4.6
Majority 14,070 25.5 +2.6
Turnout 55,053
Conservative hold Swing +1.3
1983 general election: Wellingborough[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Fry 25,715 48.9 –3.4
Labour John H. Mann 13,659 26.0 –8.9
Liberal Leslie Stringer 12,994 24.7 +12.9
Independent D.M.P. Garnett 228 0.4 +0.1
Majority 12,056 22.9 +5.5
Turnout 52,596
Conservative hold Swing +2.8

Elections in the 1970s

1979 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Fry 37,812 52.3 +9.5
Labour D.A. Forwood 25,278 34.9 –5.3
Liberal L.E. Stringer 8,506 11.8 –5.2
National Front S.F. Wright 529 0.7 New
Independent D.M.P. Garnett 228 0.3 New
Majority 12,534 17.4 +14.8
Turnout 72,353 81.25 +1.6
Conservative hold Swing +7.4
October 1974 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Fry 29,078 42.8 +2.3
Labour John H. Mann 27,320 40.2 +2.9
Liberal Penelope Jessel 11,500 17.0 –3.9
Majority 1,758 2.6 –0.6
Turnout 67,898 79.61 –5.39
Conservative hold Swing –0.3
February 1974 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Fry 29,099 40.5 –11.7
Labour John H. Mann 26,829 37.3 –10.5
Liberal Penelope Jessel 15,049 20.9 New
Ind. Conservative D.T. James 897 1.2 New
Majority 2,720 3.2 –1.3
Turnout 71,874 85.00 –1.34
Conservative hold Swing –0.6
1970 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Fry 27,459 52.2 +4.6
Labour John H. Mann 25,107 47.8 –4.6
Majority 2,352 4.4 N/A
Turnout 52,566 81.34 –5.12
Conservative hold Swing +4.6

Elections in the 1960s

1969 Wellingborough by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Fry 22,548 54.4 +6.8
Labour John H. Mann 16,499 39.8 –7.8
Independent M.P. Coney 2,421 5.8 New
Majority 6,049 14.6 N/A
Turnout 41,468
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +7.3
1966 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Howarth 24,705 52.4 +10.1
Conservative John Lawson Leatham 22,472 47.6 +5.4
Majority 2,233 4.8 +4.7
Turnout 54,566 86.46 –0.6
Labour hold Swing
1964 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Howarth 19,592 42.26 –7.17
Conservative Michael Hamilton 19,545 42.16 –8.51
Liberal Philip Arthur John Pettit 7,227 15.59 New
Majority 47 0.10 N/A
Turnout 46,364 87.11
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1950s

1959 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Hamilton 22,964 50.67 +1.61
Labour George Lindgren 22,358 49.33 –1.61
Majority 606 1.34 N/A
Turnout 45,322 86.72
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +1.61
1955 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Lindgren 22,745 51.04 –1.35
Conservative Arthur Jones 21,819 48.96 +1.35
Majority 926 2.08
Turnout 44,564 86.01
Labour hold Swing –1.35
1951 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Lindgren 24,113 52.39 +5.29
Conservative F Richard Parsons 21,912 47.61 +19.15
Majority 2,201 4.78
Turnout 46,025 88.38
Labour hold Swing
1950 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Lindgren 21,640 47.10 –10.61
Conservative Jaspar Carlisle Sayer 13,075 28.46 –13.83
Liberal Edwin Malindine 11,227 24.44 New
Majority 8,565 18.64
Turnout 45,942 89.51
Labour hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

1945 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Lindgren 22,416 57.71
Conservative Archibald James 16,426 42.29
Majority 5,990 15.42 N/A
Turnout 38,842 74.39
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Elections in the 1930s

1935 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald James 18,085 50.52
Labour George Dallas 17,713 49.48
Majority 372 1.04
Turnout 35,798 77.26
Conservative hold Swing
1931 general election: Wellingborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Archibald James 22,127 61.02
Labour George Dallas 14,137 38.98
Majority 7,990 22.04 N/A
Turnout 36,264 81.24
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1920s

G. Dallas
1929 general election: Wellingborough [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Dallas 15,300 42.2 +2.2
Liberal Richard Pattinson Winfrey 11,255 31.0 +2.2
Unionist Archibald James 9,703 26.8 –4.4
Majority 4,045 11.2 +2.4
Turnout 36,258 83.3 –0.7
Registered electors 43,548
Labour hold Swing +0.0
1924 general election: Wellingborough [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Cove 11,381 40.0 −2.1
Unionist Ralph A Raphael 8,900 31.2 +5.8
Liberal Humphrey Mackworth Paul 8,223 28.8 –3.7
Majority 2,481 8.8 –0.8
Turnout 28,504 84.0 +4.1
Registered electors 33,934
Labour hold Swing –4.0
1923 general election: Wellingborough [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Cove 11,175 42.1 –0.3
Liberal Geoffrey Shakespeare 8,638 32.5 –25.1
Unionist Robert Massy-Dawson Sanders 6,747 25.4 New
Majority 2,537 9.6 N/A
Turnout 26,560 79.9 +0.5
Registered electors 33,226
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +12.4
1922 general election: Wellingborough [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Geoffrey Shakespeare 14,995 57.6 +10.1
Labour Walter Smith 11,057 42.4 –8.1
Majority 3,938 15.2 N/A
Turnout 26,052 79.4 +17.5
Registered electors 32,820
National Liberal gain from Labour Swing N/A

Elections in the 1910s

1918 general election: Wellingborough[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Walter Smith 10,290 52.5
C Liberal Milner Gray 9,313 47.5
Majority 977 5.0
Turnout 19,603 61.9
Registered electors 31,669
Labour win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

See also

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. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – East Midlands | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  3. ^ "EU Referendum local results – W". BBC News.
  4. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Daventry, Wellingborough and Northampton) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/604, retrieved 26 February 2023
  5. ^ "The Northamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2020".
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
  7. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
  8. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 2)
  9. ^ Allegretti, Aubrey (17 October 2023). "Peter Bone loses Tory whip after bullying and harassment finding". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Wellingborough and Rushden - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Wellingborough Parliamentary by-election". BBC News. 16 February 2024..
  12. ^ "Wellingborough Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  13. ^ a b "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ^ a b Wellingborough BBC News | Election 2010
  15. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Election 2015:Wellingborough Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  17. ^ "UK Polling Report".
  18. ^ Gosling, Francesca. "Labour's candidate for Wellingborough and Rushden Richard Garvie suspended after conviction for fraud". Nothampton Chronicle & Echo.
  19. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. ^ a b c d e Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.

Sources

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