The seat was created in the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. The last Liberal to serve the seat lost his seat at the 1922 general election and the last Conservative to serve the seat held it from 1931-1935, since which it has been served by MPs from the Labour Party.
Since 1935, just five people have served as MP for Jarrow; the first, Ellen Wilkinson, served as Labour's first Minister of Education during the first Attlee government. While the seat has been loyally Labour by comfortable margins since 1935, it has seen unusual swings a number of times; in the 1983 Conservative landslide, incumbent MP Don Dixon actually increased his majority; in the close 1992 election his majority fell somewhat despite the general swing to Labour; and in 2001 his successor Stephen Hepburn managed to increase his majority to 51.1% (incidentally the biggest any candidate has ever held in the seat).
Boundaries[edit]
Map of present boundaries
1885–1918: The Boroughs of Jarrow and South Shields, the Sessional Division of South Shields, and part of the parish of Heworth.
1918–1950: The Borough of Jarrow, and the Urban Districts of Felling and Hebburn.
1950–1955: The Borough of Jarrow, and the Urban Districts of Boldon, Felling, and Hebburn.
1955–1983: The Borough of Jarrow, and the Urban Districts of Boldon and Hebburn.
1983–1997: The Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside wards of Bede, Biddick Hall, Boldon Colliery, Cleadon and East Boldon, Fellgate and Hedworth, Hebburn Quay, Hebburn South, Monkton, Primrose, and Whitburn and Marsden.
1997–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside wards of Bede, Boldon Colliery, Cleadon and East Boldon, Fellgate and Hedworth, Hebburn Quay, Hebburn South, Monkton, Primrose, and Whitburn and Marsden, and the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead ward of Wrekendyke.
2010–present: The Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside wards of Bede, Boldon Colliery, Cleadon and East Boldon, Fellgate and Hedworth, Hebburn North, Hebburn South, Monkton, and Primrose, and the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead wards of Pelaw and Heworth, and Wardley and Leam Lane.
Following boundary changes taking effect at the 2010 general election, the constituency consists of part of the metropolitan district of South Tyneside, including the settlements of Jarrow, Boldon, Cleadon and Hebburn, as well as two wards from the adjacent Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, covering Pelaw and Wardley.[2]
Constituency profile[edit]
In 2005 The Guardian described the constituency as:
'[A] former shipbuilding town south of Newcastle famous for its march against unemployment in the 1930s.'
Members of Parliament[edit]
Election
Member[3]
Party!
1885
Charles Palmer
Liberal
1907 by-election
Pete Curran
Labour
Jan 1910
Godfrey Mark Palmer
Liberal
1922
Robert John Wilson
Labour
1931
William Pearson
Conservative
1935
Ellen Wilkinson
Labour
1947 by-election
Ernest Fernyhough
Labour
1979
Don Dixon
Labour
1997
Stephen Hepburn
Labour
2019
Independent
2019
Kate Osborne
Labour
Elections[edit]
Elections in the 2010s[edit]
General election 2019: Jarrow[4]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Kate Osborne
18,363
45.1
–20.0
Conservative
Nick Oliver
11,243
27.6
+2.6
Brexit Party
Richard Monaghan
4,122
10.1
+10.1
Independent
John Robertson
2,991
7.3
+7.3
Liberal Democrats
David Wilkinson
2,360
5.8
+3.1
Green
James Milne
831
2.0
+0.3
Independent
Shaun Sadler
614
1.5
+1.5
SDP
Mark Conway
212
0.5
+0.5
Majority
7,120
17.5
-22.6
Turnout
40,736
62.6
–3.8
Labour hold
Swing
–11.3
General election 2017: Jarrow[5]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Stephen Hepburn
28,020
65.1
+9.4
Conservative
Robin Gwynn
10,757
25.0
+7.9
UKIP
James Askwith
2,338
5.4
−14.3
Liberal Democrats
Peter Maughan
1,163
2.7
−0.5
Green
David Herbert
745
1.7
–1.7
Majority
17,263
40.1
+4.1
Turnout
43,023
66.4
+6.0
Labour hold
Swing
+0.8
General election 2015: Jarrow[6]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Stephen Hepburn
21,464
55.7
+1.8
UKIP
Steve Harrison[7]
7,583
19.7
New
Conservative
Nick Mason
6,584
17.1
–3.5
Green
David Herbert[8]
1,310
3.4
New
Liberal Democrats
Stan Collins[9]
1,238
3.2
–15.3
TUSC
Norman Hall[10]
385
1.0
New
Majority
13,881
36.0
+2.7
Turnout
38,564
60.4
+0.1
Labour hold
Swing
–9.0
General election 2010: Jarrow[11]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Stephen Hepburn
20,910
53.9
−4.9
Conservative
Jeff Milburn
8,002
20.6
+7.8
Liberal Democrats
Tom Appleby
7,163
18.5
−4.0
BNP
Andy Swaddle
2,709
7.0
New
Majority
12,908
33.3
Turnout
38,784
60.3
+5.5
Labour hold
Swing
−6.4
Elections in the 2000s[edit]
General election 2005: Jarrow[12]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Stephen Hepburn
20,554
60.5
−5.6
Liberal Democrats
Bill Schardt
6,650
19.6
+4.6
Conservative
Linkson A.S. Jack
4,807
14.1
−0.6
UKIP
Alan Badger
1,567
4.6
+2.5
Safeguard the National Health Service
Roger Nettleship
400
1.2
New
Majority
13,904
40.9
-10.2
Turnout
33,978
55.0
−0.1
Labour hold
Swing
−5.1
General election 2001: Jarrow[13]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Stephen Hepburn
22,777
66.1
+1.2
Liberal Democrats
James Selby
5,182
15.0
+3.9
Conservative
Donald Wood
5,056
14.7
−0.2
UKIP
Alan Badger
716
2.1
New
Independent
Alan J. Le Blond
391
1.1
New
Socialist (GB)
John Bissett
357
1.0
0.0
Majority
17,595
51.1
+1.1
Turnout
34,479
55.1
−13.6
Labour hold
Swing
Elections in the 1990s[edit]
General election 1997: Jarrow[14]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Stephen Hepburn
28,497
64.9
+2.8
Conservative
Mark C. Allatt
6,564
14.9
−8.8
Liberal Democrats
Tim N. Stone
4,865
11.1
−3.1
Independent Labour
Alan J. Le Blond
2,538
5.8
New
Referendum
Peter W. Mailer
1,034
2.4
New
Socialist (GB)
John Bissett
444
1.0
New
Majority
21,933
50.0
+11.6
Turnout
43,942
68.7
-5.7
Labour hold
Swing
General election 1992: Jarrow[15][16]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Don Dixon
28,956
62.1
−1.3
Conservative
Terence F. Ward
11,049
23.7
+0.5
Liberal Democrats
Keith Orrell
6,608
14.2
+0.9
Majority
17,907
38.4
−1.8
Turnout
46,613
74.4
0.0
Labour hold
Swing
−0.9
Elections in the 1980s[edit]
General election 1987: Jarrow[17]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Don Dixon
29,651
63.4
+7.9
Conservative
Paul Yeoman
10,856
23.2
−1.6
Liberal
Peter Freitag
6,230
13.3
−6.7
Majority
18,795
40.2
+9.7
Turnout
46,737
74.4
+3.0
Labour hold
Swing
General election 1983: Jarrow[18]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Don Dixon
25,151
55.3
-0.5
Conservative
S. Copland
11,274
24.8
-4.3
Liberal
John A. Lennox
9,094
20.0
+10.9
Majority
13,877
30.5
+3.8
Turnout
45,519
71.4
-6.1
Labour hold
Swing
Elections in the 1970s[edit]
General election 1979: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Don Dixon
24,057
55.8
−7.0
Conservative
D. Auld
12,529
29.1
+6.8
Liberal
A. McDonnell
3,907
9.1
−5.8
Independent Labour
H. Downey
2,247
5.2
New
Independent
N. Brown
374
0.9
New
Majority
11,528
26.7
-13.8
Turnout
43,114
77.5
+6.1
Labour hold
Swing
General election October 1974: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
24,558
62.8
−3.9
Conservative
B. Bolam
8,707
22.3
−10.0
Liberal
L. Ormston
5,818
14.9
New
Majority
15,851
40.5
+7.1
Turnout
39,083
71.4
-15.4
Labour hold
Swing
General election February 1974: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
27,740
66.7
+3.2
Conservative
B. Bolam
13,848
33.3
-3.2
Majority
13,892
33.4
+6.4
Turnout
41,588
86.8
+12.4
Labour hold
Swing
General election 1970: Jarrow[19]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
25,861
63.5
-4.1
Conservative
Derrick Robson
14,847
36.5
+4.1
Majority
11,014
27.0
-8.2
Turnout
40,708
74.4
-2.3
Labour hold
Swing
Elections in the 1960s[edit]
General election 1966: Jarrow[20]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
26,006
67.6
+3.4
Conservative
Derrick Robson
12,449
32.4
-3.4
Majority
13,557
35.2
+6.8
Turnout
38,455
76.7
-3.3
Labour hold
Swing
General election 1964: Jarrow[21]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
26,053
64.2
+1.5
Conservative
Tommy T Hubble
14,503
35.8
-1.6
Majority
11,550
28.4
+3.1
Turnout
40,556
80.0
-0.3
Labour hold
Swing
Elections in the 1950s[edit]
General election 1959: Jarrow[22]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
25,638
62.7
-0.6
Conservative
Tommy T Hubble
15,286
37.4
+1.0
Majority
10,352
25.3
-1.6
Turnout
40,924
80.3
+1.2
Labour hold
Swing
General election 1955: Jarrow[23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
24,706
63.3
-2.9
Conservative
Marjorie Dickinson
14,304
36.4
+1.6
Majority
10,402
26.9
-3.5
Turnout
39,010
79.1
-5.5
Labour hold
Swing
General election 1951: Jarrow[24]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
35,963
66.2
+3.2
Conservative
John Cox
19,217
34.8
+3.3
Majority
16,746
30.4
-1.1
Turnout
55,180
84.6
+1.8
Labour hold
Swing
General election 1950: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
33,751
63.0
-3.0
Conservative
John L. Cox
16,895
31.5
-2.5
Liberal
Edward Glover Stephen Chalkley
2,940
5.5
New
Majority
16,856
31.5
-0.6
Turnout
53,586
82.8
+0.4
Labour hold
Swing
Elections in the 1940s[edit]
1947 Jarrow by-election[25]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ernest Fernyhough
20,694
59.3
-6.7
Conservative
William Scott
13,078
37.5
+3.5
Ind. Labour Party
W. Moody
1,114
3.2
New
Majority
7,616
21.8
-10.3
Turnout
34,886
Labour hold
Swing
N/A
General election 1945: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ellen Wilkinson
22,656
66.0
+12.9
Liberal National
Stanley Holmes
11,649
34.0
-12.9
Majority
11,007
32.1
+25.9
Turnout
34,305
82.4
+1.6
Labour hold
Swing
Elections in the 1930s[edit]
General election 1935: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Ellen Wilkinson
20,324
53.1
+7.2
Conservative
William Pearson
17,974
46.9
−7.2
Majority
2,350
6.2
N/A
Turnout
38,298
80.8
+0.3
Labour gain from Conservative
Swing
General election 1931: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
William Pearson
21,263
54.1
+16.6
Labour
Robert Wilson
18,071
45.9
-16.6
Majority
3,192
8.2
N/A
Turnout
39,334
80.5
+5.2
Conservative gain from Labour
Swing
Elections in the 1920s[edit]
General election 1929: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Robert Wilson
22,751
62.5
+5.1
Unionist
Longinus Vivian Rogers
13,638
37.5
−5.1
Majority
9,113
25.0
+10.2
Turnout
36,389
75.3
−5.6
Registered electors
48,313
Labour hold
Swing
+5.1
General election 1924: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Robert Wilson
18,203
57.4
−6.5
Unionist
Albert Baucher
13,527
42.6
+6.5
Majority
4,676
14.8
−13.0
Turnout
31,730
80.9
+13.7
Registered electors
39,237
Labour hold
Swing
−6.5
General election 1923: Jarrow [26]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Robert John Wilson
16,570
63.9
+10.0
Unionist
John Lindsley
9,348
36.1
+4.2
Majority
7,222
27.8
+5.8
Turnout
25,918
67.2
−15.0
Registered electors
38,548
Labour hold
Swing
+2.9
General election 1922: Jarrow [26]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Robert Wilson
17,208
53.9
+14.9
Unionist
Charles Harrie Innes-Hopkins
10,166
31.9
New
Liberal
Ernest Young
4,522
14.2
−46.8
Majority
7,042
22.0
N/A
Turnout
31,896
82.2
+27.2
Registered electors
38,808
Labour gain from Liberal
Swing
+30.9
Elections in the 1910s[edit]
General election 1918: Jarrow
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
C
Liberal
Godfrey Palmer
12,544
61.0
+27.0
Labour
John Hill
8,034
39.0
+5.7
Majority
4,510
22.0
+21.3
Turnout
20,578
55.0
−26.9
Registered electors
37,389
Liberal hold
Swing
+10.7
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election December 1910: Jarrow[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Godfrey Palmer
5,097
34.0
0.0
Conservative
James Kirkley
4,986
33.3
+0.8
Labour
Alexander Gordon Cameron
4,892
32.7
−0.8
Majority
111
0.7
+0.2
Turnout
14,975
81.9
+3.3
Registered electors
18,292
Liberal hold
Swing
+0.1
General election January 1910: Jarrow [28][27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Godfrey Palmer
4,885
34.0
−27.2
Labour
Peter Francis Curran
4,818
33.5
−5.3
Conservative
James Kirkley
4,668
32.5
N/A
Majority
67
0.5
−21.9
Turnout
14,371
78.6
+1.4
Registered electors
18,292
Liberal hold
Swing
−11.0
Elections in the 1900s[edit]
1907 Jarrow by-election[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Pete Curran
4,698
33.1
−5.7
Conservative
Patrick Rose-Innes
3,930
27.6
New
Liberal
Spencer Leigh Hughes
3,474
24.4
−36.8
Irish Nationalist
John O'Hanlon
2,122
14.9
New
Majority
768
5.5
N/A
Turnout
14,224
82.7
+5.5
Registered electors
17,195
Labour gain from Liberal
Swing
+15.6
Charles Palmer
General election 1906: Jarrow[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Charles Palmer
8,047
61.2
N/A
Labour Repr. Cmte.
Pete Curran
5,093
38.8
New
Majority
2,954
22.4
N/A
Turnout
13,140
77.2
N/A
Registered electors
17,023
Liberal hold
Swing
N/A
General election 1900: Jarrow[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Charles Palmer
Unopposed
Liberal hold
Elections in the 1890s[edit]
General election 1895: Jarrow[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Charles Palmer
Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1892: Jarrow[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Charles Palmer
7,343
75.2
N/A
Independent Labour
Edward Dillon Lewis[29][30]
2,416
24.8
New
Majority
4,927
50.4
N/A
Turnout
9,759
68.6
N/A
Registered electors
14,231
Liberal hold
Swing
N/A
Elections in the 1880s[edit]
General election 1886: Jarrow[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Charles Palmer
Unopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1885: Jarrow[27]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Charles Palmer
5,702
76.6
Jarrow Radical and Labour Representation League
James Johnston
1,731
23.3
Majority
3,971
53.4
Turnout
7,433
57.6
Registered electors
12,897
Liberal win (new seat)
See also[edit]
List of Parliamentary constituencies in Tyne and Wear
Notes and references[edit]
Notes
^A borough 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.
References
^"Parliament constituency population 2011". Retrieved 6 July 2015.
^"Final Recommendations for Parliamentary Constituencies in Tyne and Wear". Boundary Commission for England. 2006-05-10. Archived from the original on 2009-11-02. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
^Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "J"
^"Statement of Persons Nominated - Jarrow" (PDF). Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. 2019-11-14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-11-16. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
^"Election Data 2017". Retrieved 12 June 2017.
^"Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2015-04-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^"News". southtyneside.greenparty.org.uk.
^http://northeastlibdems.org.uk/en/article/2015/1021524/stan-s-the-man-for-jarrow/[permanent dead link]
^http://www.tusc.org.uk/txt/320.pdf
^"Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^"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. 1970.
^The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1966.
^The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1964.
^The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1959.
^The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
^The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
^The Liberal Magazine, vols.55-56, p.269
^ a bBritish Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
^ a b c d e f g h iCraig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
^Times House of Commons, 1910; Politico’s Publishing, 2004 p62
^"Commercial Items". The Globe. 24 Jun 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
^"The Jarrow Election". Shields Daily Gazette. 18 Apr 1893. p. 4. Retrieved 22 November 2017.