North West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)

North West Norfolk is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by James Wild, a Conservative.[n 2]

North West Norfolk
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of North West Norfolk in Norfolk
Location of Norfolk within England
CountyNorfolk
Electorate73,269 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlementsKings Lynn and Hunstanton
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentJames Wild (Conservative)
Number of membersOne
Created fromKing's Lynn
1885–1918
Number of membersOne
Replaced byKing's Lynn
Created fromNorth Norfolk and West Norfolk

History

Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the three two-member county divisions of Norfolk were replaced with six single-member divisions, including the newly created North-Western Division of Norfolk, largely formed from parts of the abolished Western Division. It was abolished at the next redistribution of seats under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act 1918, when it was largely absorbed by the expanded county constituency of King's Lynn. It was re-established for the February 1974 general election, replacing the abolished King's Lynn constituency.

The first MP in the re-established constituency was Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler, who had gained King's Lynn, largely a bellwether seat, from one of Harold Wilson's government colleagues in the Labour Party. He therefore effectively held the seat in the two 1974 elections, and in 1979; however, by March 1981, he became distanced from the Conservatives and defected to the newly formed Social Democratic Party shortly before the 1983 Conservative landslide, in which Brocklebank-Fowler lost his seat to the replacement Conservative candidate Henry Bellingham.

Bellingham increased his precarious lead over Brocklebank-Fowler at the 1987 general election. Therefore, at the following election, Brocklebank-Fowler chose to contest another area[n 3] and Labour's candidate regained second place in this constituency, almost doubling their share of the vote. Labour gained the seat at the 1997 general election; however, Bellingham regained the seat at the 2001 general election and subsequently increased his majority in both 2005 and 2010. His majority fell slightly in 2015, but he retained the seat in the 2017 general election with 60% of the vote, having been knighted in the New Year's honours list of 2016.

The 2010 election saw political party infighting when the Labour candidate for North West Norfolk, Manish Sood[n 4][2] stated in an interview with the local newspaper Lynn News that Gordon Brown was

"the worst prime minister we have had in this country."

This gained national attention and resulted in Labour disowning their candidate. Sood did not attend the count and stated he would watch it from his home in Leicester.[3] He ended up finishing third, behind Bellingham and the Liberal Democrat candidate William Summers, whose party received their best ever result in the constituency,[4] with an 18.3% swing from Labour to the others.[5][6][7]

Constituency profile

Norfolk North West constituency covers an extensive hinterland in the far corner of East Anglia - remote from London, but close to Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, with which the area shares more economic links.

A minority of King's Lynn contain severe poverty marked by unemployment,[8] social housing dependency and social problems - within relatively affluent East Anglia, only Jaywick and Great Yarmouth from 2001-2004 scored higher in deprivation indices. Contrasted with this is the bulk of the area: the tourist resort Hunstanton, retail, military, public sector and commercial activity of Kings Lynn and the royal estate at Sandringham, along with many small villages and more than 50% undulating cultivated farmland — incomes and types of dwelling are close to the national average. The most frequent result has been of a fairly marginal but not negligible majority for a Conservative, who have won it 8 out of the last 9 general elections.

Labour's share of the vote fell from a winning 43.8% in the 1997 election to just 13.3% in 2010, marking the steepest decline from the start to end of the thirteen years of Labour government.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of King's Lynn, and the Sessional Divisions of Brothercross, Freebridge Lynn, Freebridge Marshall, and Gallow and Smithdon.[9]

As King's Lynn formed a separate Parliamentary Borough, only non-resident freeholders of the Borough were entitled to vote in this constituency.

On abolition, the bulk of the Division was amalgamated with the abolished Parliamentary Borough of King's Lynn to form the new King's Lynn Division of Norfolk.  Eastern areas, including Fakenham, were transferred to the Northern Division.

1974–1983: The Municipal Borough of King's Lynn, the Urban Districts of Hunstanton and Wells-next-the-Sea, and the Rural Districts of Docking, Freebridge Lynn, Marshland, and Walsingham.[10]

The re-established constituency was formed from the abolished county constituency of King's Lynn with the addition of Wells-next-the-Sea and the Rural District of Walsingham, which included Fakenham, transferred from North Norfolk. This area is currently in the constituencies of North Norfolk and Broadland.

1983–2010: The Borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk wards of Burnham, Chase, Clenchwarton, Creake, Dersingham, Docking, Gayton, Gaywood Central, Gaywood North, Gaywood South, Grimston, Heacham, Hunstanton, Lynn Central, Lynn North, Lynn South West, Mershe Lande, Middleton, North Coast, Priory, Rudham, St Lawrence, St Margaret's, Snettisham, Spellowfields, The Walpoles, The Woottons, Valley Hill, West Walton, West Winch, and Wiggenhall.[11][12]

Wells-next-the-Sea and areas comprising the former Rural District of Walsingham, including Fakenham, were transferred back to North Norfolk.  Minor realignment of the boundary with South West Norfolk.

2010–present: The Borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk wards of Brancaster, Burnham, Clenchwarton, Dersingham, Docking, Fairstead, Gayton, Gaywood Chase, Gaywood North Bank, Grimston, Heacham, Hunstanton, North Lynn, North Wootton, Old Gaywood, Priory, Rudham, St Margaret's with St Nicholas, Snettisham, South and West Lynn, South Wootton, Spellowfields, Springwood, Valley Hill, Walpole, and West Winch.[13]

Small area transferred to South West Norfolk.

The present constituency includes two former Parliamentary Boroughs, those of Castle Rising, which was abolished as a 'rotten borough' in 1832, and King's Lynn, abolished in 1918.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1918
ElectionMember[14] Party
1885 Joseph Arch Liberal
1886 Lord Henry Cavendish-Bentinck Conservative
1892 Joseph Arch Liberal
1900 Sir George White Liberal
1912 by-election Edward Hemmerde Liberal
1918 constituency abolished: see King's Lynn

MPs since 1974
ElectionMember[14] Party
Feb. 1974 Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler Conservative
1981 SDP
1983 Henry Bellingham Conservative
1997 George Turner Labour
2001 Sir Henry Bellingham Conservative
2019 James Wild Conservative

Elections

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: North West Norfolk[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Wild 30,627 65.7 +5.5
Labour Joanne Rust 10,705 23.0 -9.0
Liberal Democrats Rob Colwell 3,625 7.8 +4.9
Green Michael De Whalley 1,645 3.5 +1.8
Majority 19,922 42.7 +14.5
Turnout 46,602 64.7 -3.1
Conservative hold Swing +7.25
General election 2017: North West Norfolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Bellingham[17] 29,408 60.2 +8.1
Labour Joanne Rust 15,620 32.0 +9.2
UKIP Michael Stone 1,539 2.9 −14.6
Liberal Democrats Rupert Moss-Eccardt 1,393 2.9 −0.7
Green Michael de Whalley[18] 851 1.7 −2.0
Majority 13,788 28.2 −1.2
Turnout 48,811 67.7 +2.3
Conservative hold Swing −0.5
General election 2015: North West Norfolk[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Bellingham[17] 24,727 52.2 -2.0
Labour Joanne Rust 10,779 22.8 +9.5
UKIP Richard Toby Coke[17] 8,412 17.8 +13.9
Green Michael de Whalley[18] 1,780 3.8 +2.2
Liberal Democrats Hugh Lanham[19] 1,673 3.5 -19.7
Majority 13,948 29.4 -1.6
Turnout 47,597 65.4 +0.1
Conservative hold Swing -3.75
General election 2010: North West Norfolk[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Bellingham 25,916 54.2 +4.3
Liberal Democrats William Summers 11,106 23.2 +8.5
Labour Manish Sood 6,353 13.3 -18.3
UKIP John Gray 1,841 3.9 +0.2
BNP David Fleming 1,839 3.8 +3.8
Green Mike de Whalley 745 1.6 +1.6
Majority 14,810 31.0 +12.9
Turnout 47,800 65.3 +3.7
Conservative hold Swing -2.1

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: North West Norfolk[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Bellingham 25,471 50.3 +1.8
Labour Damien Welfare 16,291 32.2 -9.5
Liberal Democrats Simon Higginson 7,026 13.9 +5.5
UKIP Michael Stone 1,861 3.7 +2.3
Majority 9,180 18.1 +11.3
Turnout 50,649 61.6 -3.5
Conservative hold Swing +5.7
General election 2001: North West Norfolk[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Bellingham 24,846 48.5 +7.0
Labour George Turner 21,361 41.7 -2.1
Liberal Democrats Ian Mack 4,292 8.4 -1.2
UKIP Ian Durrant 704 1.4 N/A
Majority 3,485 6.8
Turnout 51,203 65.1 -9.7
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: North West Norfolk[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Turner 25,250 43.8 +10.2
Conservative Henry Bellingham 23,911 41.5 -10.6
Liberal Democrats Evelyn Knowles 5,513 9.6 -4.2
Referendum Roger Percival 2,923 5.1 N/A
Majority 1,339 2.3
Turnout 74.7 -6.0
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 10.4
General election 1992: North West Norfolk[25][26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Bellingham 32,554 52.1 +1.6
Labour George Turner 20,990 33.6 +16.1
Liberal Democrats AM Waterman 8,599 13.8 −18.2
Natural Law SRA Pink 330 0.5 N/A
Majority 11,564 18.5 −0.1
Turnout 62,473 80.7 +1.8
Conservative hold Swing −7.3

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: North West Norfolk[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Bellingham 29,393 50.6
SDP Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler 18,568 31.9
Labour Frank Dignan 10,184 17.5
Majority 10,825 18.62
Turnout 78.85
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: North West Norfolk[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Bellingham 23,358 43.49
SDP Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler 20,211 37.63
Labour Mike Tilbury 10,139 18.88
Majority 3,147 5.86
Turnout 77.63
Conservative gain from SDP Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: North West Norfolk
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler 33,796 51.01
Labour RL Williams 25,868 39.04
Liberal M Mynott 6,588 9.94
Majority 7,928 11.97
Turnout 79.15
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: North West Norfolk
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler 27,513 43.99
Labour RL Williams 26,170 41.84
Liberal RA Walker 8,862 14.17
Majority 1,343 2.15
Turnout 78.43
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: North West Norfolk
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler 27,823 42.35
Labour Derek Page 27,020 41.13
Liberal RA Walker 10,852 16.52
Majority 803 1.22
Turnout 83.07
Conservative win (new seat)

Elections in the 1910s
Edward Hemmerde
1912 North West Norfolk by-election[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Edward Hemmerde 5,613 53.1 -2.8
Conservative Neville Jodrell 4,965 46.9 +2.8
Majority 648 6.2 5.6
Turnout 10,578 87.7 +4.4
Liberal hold Swing -2.8
General election December 1910: North West Norfolk[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George White 5,407 55.9 -0.1
Conservative Neville Jodrell 4,264 44.1 +0.1
Majority 1,143 11.8 -0.2
Turnout 83.3 -2.7
Liberal hold Swing -0.1
General election January 1910 North West Norfolk[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George White 5,596 56.0
Conservative Neville Jodrell 4,388 44.0
Majority 1,208 12.0
Turnout 9,984 86.0
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s
General election 1906 North West Norfolk[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George White 5,772 66.0 +13.1
Conservative William Lancaster 2,972 34.0 −13.1
Majority 2,800 32.0 +26.2
Turnout 8,744 78.5 +3.6
Registered electors 11,140
Liberal hold Swing +13.1
George White
General election 1900 North West Norfolk[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George White 4,287 52.9 −4.9
Liberal Unionist William Howell Browne Ffolkes 3,811 47.1 +4.9
Majority 476 5.8 −9.8
Turnout 8,098 74.9 −1.5
Registered electors 10,811
Liberal hold Swing −4.9

Elections in the 1890s
General election 1895 North West Norfolk[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Joseph Arch 4,817 57.8 +1.6
Conservative Edward Kenrick Banbury Tighe[30] 3,520 42.2 −1.6
Majority 1,297 15.6 +3.2
Turnout 8,337 76.4 −10.8
Registered electors 10,916
Lib-Lab hold Swing +1.6
General election 1892 North West Norfolk[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Joseph Arch 4,911 56.2 +6.3
Conservative Henry Cavendish-Bentinck 3,822 43.8 −6.3
Majority 1,089 12.4 N/A
Turnout 8,733 87.2 +9.2
Registered electors 10,019
Lib-Lab gain from Conservative Swing +6.3

Elections in the 1880s
General election 1886 North West Norfolk[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Cavendish-Bentinck 4,084 50.1 +4.0
Lib-Lab Joseph Arch 4,064 49.9 −4.0
Majority 20 0.2 N/A
Turnout 8,148 78.0 −1.3
Registered electors 10,444
Conservative gain from Lib-Lab Swing +4.0
General election 1885 North West Norfolk[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Lib-Lab Joseph Arch 4,461 53.9 N/A
Conservative Henry Cavendish-Bentinck 3,821 46.1 N/A
Majority 640 7.8 N/A
Turnout 8,282 79.3 N/A
Registered electors 10,444
Lib-Lab 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. South Norfolk constituency
  4. At the time a Leicester councillor
References
  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. "Thousands celebrate Diwali event". BBC News. 28 October 2008. Archived from the original on 5 December 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  3. PM attack Labour candidate stayed at home Diss Express 6 May 2010
  4. Chris Bishop (8 May 2010). "Henry Bellingham increases his NW Norfolk majority". Norwich Evening News.
  5. "Election 2010: Brown worst PM says Labour candidate". BBC News. 16 April 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  6. "Brown is 'worst PM ever'". BBC News. 16 April 2010. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  7. Mason, Trevor (4 May 2010). "Disowned candidate Manish Sood unrepentant over PM blast". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  8. Unemployment claimants by constituency Archived 9 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian
  9. Great Britain, Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales. The public general acts. unknown library. Proprietors of the Law Journal Reports, 1884.
  10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  11. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  12. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  13. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  14. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 2)
  15. "Norfolk North West Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  16. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. "Norfolk North West 2015". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  18. "West Norfolk Greens hold AGM". lynnnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  19. http://www.libdems.org.uk/general_election_candidates#East Archived 19 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine of England
  20. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. "Politics". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  24. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  27. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  29. British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  30. "The Representation of North-West Norfolk: A Conservative candidate". Norwich Mercury. 2 June 1894. p. 3. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
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