Darlington (UK Parliament constituency)

Constituency profile

The Darlington constituency is located in County Durham and covers most of the Borough of Darlington. It contains the large town of Darlington and some villages and rural areas to its north and west, including Heighington. Historically a small market town, Darlington grew in population during the late 19th century as a centre for railway manufacturing. The town has high levels of deprivation, with much of it falling within the 10% most-deprived areas in England, although the south-western suburbs of Hummersknott and Blackwell are affluent.

On average, residents of Darlington have lower levels of income, education and professional employment compared to nationwide figures, and house prices are low. At the 2021 census, White people made up 94% of the population. At the local borough council, most of the town is represented by Labour Party councillors, whilst Conservatives and Greens were elected in the rural areas and the wealthy south-west of the town. An estimated 57% of voters in Darlington favoured leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, above the nationwide figure of 52%.

Boundaries

1868–1885

Under the Reform Act 1867, the proposed contents of the new parliamentary borough were defined as the townships of Darlington, Haughton-le-Skerne, and Cockerton. However, this was amended under the Boundary Act 1868, with the boundary defined as being coterminous with the Municipal Borough of Darlington.

See map on Vision of Britain website.

1885–1918

As defined in 1868 with minor amendments.

1918–1983

The County Borough of Darlington.

The boundaries were adjusted in 1918, 1950 and 1973 to reflect changes to the boundaries of the county borough.

1983–2010

The Borough of Darlington wards of Bank Top, Central, Cockerton East, Cockerton West, college, Eastbourne North, Eastbourne South, Harrowgate Hill, Haughton East, Haughton West, Hummersknott, Lascelles, Lingfield, Mowden, Northgate North, Northgate South, North Road, Park East, Park West, and Pierremont.

No change to boundaries.

2010–2024

The Borough of Darlington wards of Bank Top, Central, Cockerton East, Cockerton West, College, Eastbourne, Faverdale, Harrowgate Hill, Haughton East, Haughton North, Haughton West, Hummersknott, Lascelles, Lingfield, Mowden, Northgate, North Road, Park East, Park West, and Pierremont.

Minor change to reflect new ward boundaries.

2024–present

Following the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, from the 2024 general election, the constituency comprises the following:

The Borough of Darlington wards of: Bank Top & Lascelles; Brinkburn & Faverdale; Cockerton; College; Eastbourne; Harrowgate Hill; Haughton & Springfield; Heighington & Coniscliffe; Hummersknott; Mowden; North Road; Northgate; Park East; Park West; Pierremont; Red Hall & Lingfield; Stephenson; Whinfield.

The constituency was expanded slightly to bring the electorate within the permitted range, by adding the rural ward of Heighington & Coniscliffe from the abolished constituency of Sedgefield.

Political history

The seat has been held by all three major parties in its long existence, but has been a marginal constituency between the Labour and Conservative parties in the years since the Second World War. Labour held the seat for 27 years from 1992 with their candidate Jenny Chapman winning the seat in 2010 with a 3,388 majority down from 10,404 in the previous election. In 2015, her majority over the Conservatives fell to 3,158. In the 2019 general election Conservative Peter Gibson defeated Chapman with a 3,294 majority before being defeated himself in 2024 by Lola McEvoy of Labour by a margin of 2,298

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

In the 2015 election, 89 ballot papers were issued omitting the UKIP candidate before the error was corrected.

Elections in the 2000s

|access-date=19 December 2019 |archive-date=19 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219085105/https://www.darlington.gov.uk/your-council/democracy/elections-and-electoral-registration/past-election-results/uk-parliamentary-general-elections/uk-parliamentary-general-election-results-2001-to-2010/ |url-status=live

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Election in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

Election results 1868–1918

Elections in the 1860s

|reg. electors = 3,057

Elections in the 1870s

|reg. electors = 4,073

Elections in the 1880s

|reg. electors = 4,966

|reg. electors = 5,907 |reg. electors = 5,907

Elections in the 1890s

|reg. electors = 6,045

|reg. electors = 6,560

Pease's death causes a by-election.

|reg. electors = 6,952

Elections in the 1900s

|reg. electors = 9,078

Elections in the 1910s

|reg. electors = 10,097

|reg. electors = 10,097

General Election 1914–15:

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;

• Unionist: Herbert Pease
• Liberal: Alfred Scott
• Labour: T. Russell Williams

Notes

References

References

1. "A History of Darlington".
2. (19 February 2002). "A grandiose monument to the region's railway past". The Northern Echo.
3. "Constituency data: Deprivation in England".
4. Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Darlington
5. "Representation of the People Act 1867.".
6. (1807). "Boundary Act 1868".
7. "HMSO Boundary Commission Report 1868, Darlington".
8. "Redistribution of Seats Act 1885". Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports.
9. Craig, Fred W. S.. (1972). "Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885–1972;". Political Reference Publications.
10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983".
11. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995".
12. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007".
13. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
14. {{Rayment-hc. d. 1. (March 2012)
15. (7 June 2024). "Statement of Persons Nominated, Notice of Poll and Situation of Polling Stations". [[Darlington Borough Council]].
16. "Archived copy".
17. (13 December 2019). "UK Parliamentary (General) Election – 12 December 2019 results". Darlington Borough Council.
18. Sam Howarth. (23 April 2017). "Great to be at @JennyChapman #GE2017 launch in a sunny South Park today – let's win again in Darlington! 🌹".
19. (26 April 2017). "Watkins back for third go at Tooting. Macleod battles Cracknell for Brentford & Isleworth. Latest candidate news. – Conservative Home".
20. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
21. (17 August 2014). "Conservatives announce Parliamentary candidate for Darlington".
22. (28 January 2015). "Darlington UKIP candidate pledges to stop "appalling waste" of UK resources".
23. "Liberal Democrats announce their Darlington candidate for the General Election (From the Northern Echo)".
24. (15 January 2015). "Greens name election candidates".
25. (4 February 2015). "TUSC parliamentary candidates in May 2015".
26. ''Election 2015'', BBC, 8 May 2015
27. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
28. "Election 2010 – Darlington". BBC News.
29. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
30. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
31. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
32. "Darlington [Archive]".
33. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
34. (9 April 1992). "Politics Resources". Politics Resources.
35. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
36. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].
37. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949, FWS Craig
38. (17 July 1868). "H K Spark's Candidature". Durham Chronicle.
39. (6 April 1874). "Mr H. K. Spark and the Darlington Town Council". [[Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette]].
40. (28 May 1874). "Banquet to Mr Bowles at Darlington". [[The Northern Echo]].
41. (1977). "British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885". Macmillan Press.
42. (2 July 1885). "Mr H. K. Spark Again". [[Hartlepool Mail.
43. (31 March 1880). "Yesterday's Nominations". [[Sheffield Daily Telegraph]].
44. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
45. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
46. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886
47. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
48. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
49. ''Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough'' 24 June 1914