This large seat[what is its area?] 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.
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[which year?] 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
Year
Member[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:
Liberal: Richard Durning Holt
Unionist: Alan Percy [19]
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
List of Parliamentary constituencies in Northumberland
Notes and references
Notes
^A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
^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.
^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.
^"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.
^"OS Maps - online and App mapping system | Ordnance Survey Shop". getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk.
^"2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on January 29, 2016.
^"Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk.
^Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 3)
^"Hexham Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
^"Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^Daniel, Brian. "Lib Dem Jeff Reid to battle Tory MP Guy Opperman at general election - The Journal". www.thejournal.co.uk.
^"Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Hexham". BBC News.
^"Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
^"Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^"Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
^The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
^Newcastle Journal 12 Mar 1914
^ a b c d e f g h i jCraig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
^ a bDebrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
^ a b c d e f gThe Liberal Year Book, 1907
^ a bDebrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
^Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886