1950–1983: The County Borough of Tynemouth, and the Urban District of Whitley Bay.
1983–1997: The Borough of North Tyneside wards of Chirton, Collingwood, Cullercoats, Monkseaton, North Shields, Riverside, St Mary's, Seatonville, Tynemouth, and Whitley Bay.
1997–2010: The Borough of North Tyneside wards of Chirton, Collingwood, Cullercoats, Monkseaton, North Shields, St Mary's, Seatonville, Tynemouth, and Whitley Bay.
2010–present: The Borough of North Tyneside wards of Chirton, Collingwood, Cullercoats, Monkseaton North, Monkseaton South, Preston, St Mary's, Tynemouth, Valley, and Whitley Bay.
The seat has historically shown the highest level of support for the Conservative Party in the Tyne and Wear area, with the Conservatives holding the seat for 47 years from 1950-1997; though sometimes with only narrow majorities. However, since the 1997 general election, it has been represented by Alan Campbell of the Labour Party
This has tended to be one of the more Conservative-leaning seats in the North East of England, where the party has traditionally struggled against the Labour Party. As a relatively middle-class area, it returned Conservative MPs from 1950-1997; albeit often on narrow majorities. It has been represented by Labour since 1997, though the Conservatives remain strong at a local level. Similar to Sefton Central on Merseyside, despite being a traditionally strong Conservative area in a Labour-dominated county, the area has swung significantly to Labour during the twenty-first century, and has been won by semi-marginal to safe margins by Labour candidates at every general election since 1997, with significant swings to Labour seen in both 2015 and 2017.
Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 close to the national average of 3.8%, at 3.9% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian, lower than the regional average by 0.5%.[2]
Members of Parliament
Constituency created (1885)
Election
Member[3]
Party!
1885
Richard Donkin
Conservative
1900
Frederick Leverton Harris
Conservative
1906
Herbert James Craig
Liberal
1918
Charles Percy
Conservative
1922
Alexander Russell
Conservative
1945
Grace Colman
Labour
1950
Irene Ward
Conservative
Feb 1974
Neville Trotter
Conservative
1997
Alan Campbell
Labour
Elections
Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: Tynemouth [4]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Alan Campbell
26,928
48.0
9.0
Conservative
Lewis Bartoli
22,071
39.4
2.9
Liberal Democrats
John Appleby
3,791
6.8
3.0
Brexit Party
Ed Punchard
1,963
3.5
New
Green
Julia Erskine
1,281
2.3
1.2
Majority
4,857
8.6
12.9
Turnout
56,034
72.5
2.0
Labour hold
Swing
5.9
General election 2017: Tynemouth [5][6]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Alan Campbell
32,395
57.0
8.8
Conservative
Nick Varley
20,729
36.5
3.7
Liberal Democrats
John Appleby
1,724
3.0
UKIP
Stuart Haughton
1,257
2.2
10.0
Green
Julia Erskine[7]
629
1.1
2.7
Independent
Anthony "The Durham Cobbler" Jull
124
0.2
New
Majority
11,666
20.5
4.1
Turnout
56,858
74.5
5.5
Labour hold
Swing
2.6
General election 2015: Tynemouth [8]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Alan Campbell
25,791
48.2
2.9
Conservative
Glenn Hall[9]
17,551
32.8
1.6
UKIP
Gary Legg[10]
6,541
12.2
10.5
Green
Julia Erskine[11]
2,017
3.8
2.8
Liberal Democrats
John Paton-Day[12]
1,595
3.0
11.9
Majority
8,240
15.4
4.5
Turnout
53,495
69.0
0.6
Labour hold
Swing
2.3
For the 2010 election, this was the primary target seat for the Conservatives in North East England following impressive local council victories since 2006 and the recent marginality of Alan Campbell's 2005 re-election. However, they failed to take the seat and any of its surrounding seats, which remained Labour.
General election 2010: Tynemouth [13][14]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Alan Campbell
23,860
45.3
3.0
Conservative
Wendy Morton
18,121
34.4
2.2
Liberal Democrats
John Appleby
7,845
14.9
0.2
BNP
Dorothy Brooke
1,404
2.7
New
UKIP
Natasha Payne
900
1.7
New
Green
Julia Erskine
538
1.0
New
Majority
5,739
10.9
1.2
Turnout
52,668
69.6
3.6
Labour hold
Swing
0.4
Elections in the 2000s
Michael McIntyre was councillor for the Whitley Bay Ward at the time of polling. The Conservatives hoped to snatch the seat, but could only diminish Alan Campbell's majority. In the Mayoral election held on the same day, Mayor Linda Arkley (Conservative) narrowly lost re-election.
General election 2005: Tynemouth [15]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Alan Campbell
20,143
47.0
6.2
Conservative
Michael McIntyre
16,000
37.3
3.8
Liberal Democrats
Colin Finlay
6,716
15.7
4.1
Majority
4,143
9.7
10.0
Turnout
42,859
66.9
0.5
Labour hold
Swing
5.0
Labour MP Alan Campbell was returned in 2001 with a smaller majority on the back of Tony Blair's second landslide.
General election 2001: Tynemouth [16]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Alan Campbell
23,364
53.2
2.2
Conservative
Karl Poulsen
14,686
33.5
0.2
Liberal Democrats
Penny Reid
5,108
11.6
2.8
UKIP
Michael Rollings
745
1.7
0.8
Majority
8,678
19.7
2.4
Turnout
43,903
67.4
9.7
Labour hold
Swing
Elections in the 1990s
In 1997 Labour won their largest Tynemouth majority ever. The Conservatives chose Gateshead Councillor Martin Callanan as their candidate to replace the retiring Neville Trotter. He would subsequently become a North East MEP and later a peer.
General election 1997: Tynemouth [17]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Alan Campbell
28,318
55.4
+10.4
Conservative
Martin Callanan
17,045
33.3
-12.7
Liberal Democrats
Andrew Duffield
4,509
8.8
+0.7
Referendum
Clive Rook
819
1.6
New
UKIP
Frank Rogers
462
0.9
New
Majority
11,273
22.1
N/A
Turnout
51,153
77.11
−3.3
Labour gain from Conservative
Swing
+11.5
In 1992 Neville Trotter narrowly won his final term as the Labour candidate's fourth attempt failed. Many council seats were also unexpectedly won on the back of John Major's victory such as Whitley Bay and Monkseaton.
General election 1992: Tynemouth [18][19]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Neville Trotter
27,731
46.0
+2.8
Labour
Patrick Cosgrove
27,134
45.0
+6.2
Liberal Democrats
Philip J.S. Selby
4,855
8.1
−9.9
Green
Andrew Buchanan-Smith
543
0.9
New
Majority
597
1.0
−3.4
Turnout
60,263
80.4
+2.3
Conservative hold
Swing
−1.7
Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: Tynemouth [20]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Neville Trotter
25,113
43.2
-4.9
Labour
Patrick Cosgrove
22,530
38.8
+7.5
Liberal
David Mayhew
10,446
18.0
-2.1
Majority
2,583
4.4
-12.8
Turnout
58,089
78.1
+3.5
Conservative hold
Swing
-6.42
1983: Neville Trotter's biggest majority on the back of Mrs. Thatcher's landslide.
General election 1983: Tynemouth [21]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Neville Trotter
27,029
48.1
-3.5
Labour
Patrick Cosgrove
17,420
31.3
-7.2
Liberal
D.F. Mayhew
11,153
20.1
+10.3
Majority
9,609
17.2
+4.2
Turnout
55.602
74.6
-3.1
Conservative hold
Swing
+2.0
Elections in the 1970s
1979: Patrick 'Paddy' Cosgrove's first of four attempts to win the seat. Cosgrove was the Labour councillor for Whitley Bay Ward.
General election 1979: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Neville Trotter
29,941
51.57
Labour
Patrick Joseph Cosgrove[n 3]
22,377
38.55
Liberal
R. Pinkney
5,736
9.88
Majority
7,564
13.02
Turnout
58,054
77.69
Conservative hold
Swing
General election October 1974: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Neville Trotter
24,510
43.16
Labour
J.E. Miller
21,389
37.66
Liberal
Rodney S. Turner
10,895
19.18
Majority
3,121
5.50
Turnout
56,794
74.29
Conservative hold
Swing
February 1974: Neville Trotter, a Newcastle City Councillor and Chartered Accountant, becomes MP.
General election February 1974: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Neville Trotter
26,824
44.22
Labour
D. Carlton
20,437
33.69
Liberal
Rodney S. Turner
13,393
22.08
Majority
6,387
10.53
Turnout
60,654
80.02
Conservative hold
Swing
1970: Jeremy Beecham would later become leader of Newcastle City Council and a Peer.
General election 1970: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Irene Ward
30,773
51.36
Labour
Jeremy Beecham
23,927
39.93
Liberal
Rodney S. Turner
5,221
8.71
New
Majority
6,846
11.43
Turnout
59,921
75.85
Conservative hold
Swing
Elections in the 1960s
1966: Gordon Adam would latterly become a North East MEP and make a failed bid to become Elected Mayor of North Tyneside in 2001.
General election 1966: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Irene Ward
29,210
49.62
Labour
Gordon Adam
25,814
43.85
Independent
James C. Edwards
3,846
6.53
New
Majority
3,396
5.77
Turnout
58,870
78.45
Conservative hold
Swing
General election 1964: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Irene Ward
33,342
56.29
Labour
Albert Booth
25,894
43.71
Majority
7,448
12.58
Turnout
59,236
78.96
Conservative hold
Swing
Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Irene Ward
32,810
56.37
Labour
William H. Hutchinson
18,866
32.42
Liberal
David N. Thompson
6,525
11.21
Majority
13,994
23.95
Turnout
58,201
80.53
Conservative hold
Swing
General election 1955: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Irene Ward
30,949
55.12
Labour
James Finegan
20,113
35.82
Liberal
Roy Cairncross
5,082
9.05
New
Majority
10,836
19.30
Turnout
56,144
79.35
Conservative hold
Swing
General election 1951: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Irene Ward
33,800
56.39
Labour
Grace Colman
26,144
43.61
Majority
7,656
12.78
Turnout
59,944
84.54
Conservative hold
Swing
General election 1950: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Irene Ward
28,785
49.30
Labour
Grace Colman
23,148
39.65
Liberal
E.B. Slack
6,452
11.05
Majority
5,637
9.65
Turnout
58,385
84.01
Conservative gain from Labour
Swing
Elections in the 1940s
General election 1945: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Labour
Grace Colman
13,963
46.07
Conservative
Alexander Russell
10,884
35.91
Liberal
Kenneth Paterson Chitty
5,460
18.02
Majority
3,079
10.16
N/A
Turnout
30,307
76.85
Labour gain from Conservative
Swing
Elections in the 1930s
General election 1935: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Alexander Russell
16,003
47.1
-4.7
Labour
Samuel Segal
10,145
29.8
+6.0
Liberal
John Stanley Holmes
7,868
23.1
-1.3
Majority
5,858
17.3
-10.1
Turnout
34,016
79.22
-4.9
Conservative hold
Swing
General election 1931: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Alexander Russell
17,607
51.8
+14.8
Liberal
John Stanley Holmes
8,295
24.4
-8.7
Labour
T.H. Knight
8,110
23.8
-6.1
Majority
9,312
27.38
+23.5
Turnout
34,012
84.15
+0.8
Conservative hold
Swing
Elections in the 1920s
General election 1929: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Unionist
Alexander Russell
11,785
37.0
-8.2
Liberal
Richard Irvin
10,545
33.1
+5.7
Labour
John Stuart Barr
9,503
29.9
+2.5
Majority
1,240
3.9
-13.9
Turnout
31,833
83.3
-1.3
Unionist hold
Swing
-7.0
General election 1924: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Unionist
Alexander Russell
11,210
45.2
+4.2
Liberal
Harry Barnes
6,820
27.4
-10.9
Labour
John Stuart Barr
6,818
27.4
+6.7
Majority
4,390
17.8
+15.1
Turnout
24,848
84.6
+3.5
Unionist hold
Swing
+7.5
Harry Barnes
General election 1923: Tynemouth
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Unionist
Alexander Russell
9,612
41.0
-7.1
Liberal
Harry Barnes
9,008
38.3
+9.3
Labour
W. Pitt
4,875
20.7
-2.2
Majority
604
2.7
-16.4
Turnout
23,495
81.1
-2.4
Unionist hold
Swing
-8.2
General election 1922: Tynemouth [22]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Unionist
Alexander Russell
11.244
48.1
+13.4
Liberal
Herbert Craig
6,787
29.0
-3.2
Labour
George Harold Humphrey
5,362
22.9
+7.7
Majority
4,457
19.1
+16.6
Turnout
23,393
83.5
+19.7
Unionist hold
Swing
+8.4
Elections in the 1910s
Craig
General election 1918: Tynemouth [22]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
C
Unionist
Charles Percy
5,883
34.7
−14.2
Liberal
Herbert Craig
5,434
32.2
−18.9
Independent Labour
George Harold Humphrey
2,566
15.2
New
Independent
Henry Gregg (British politician)
2,495
14.8
New
National
Dixon Scott
517
3.1
New
Majority
449
2.5
N/A
Turnout
16,895
63.8
−15.6
Unionist gain from Liberal
Swing
+2.4
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
1918: Dixon Scott was the founder of Newcastle's 'News Cinema', the modern 'Tyneside Cinema'.
General election December 1910: Tynemouth [23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Herbert Craig
4,106
51.1
−1.8
Conservative
Charles Percy
3,939
48.9
+1.8
Majority
177
2.2
−3.6
Turnout
8,045
79.4
-3.9
Registered electors
10,122
Liberal hold
Swing
−1.8
General election January 1910: Tynemouth [23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Herbert Craig
4,487
52.9
−2.0
Conservative
Edward George Spencer-Churchill[24]
3,993
47.1
+2.0
Majority
494
5.8
−4.0
Turnout
8,480
83.3
-3.3
Registered electors
10,122
Liberal hold
Swing
−2.0
Elections in the 1900s
Herbert Craig
General election January 1906: Tynemouth [23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Liberal
Herbert Craig
4,286
54.9
+8.0
Conservative
Frederick Leverton Harris
3,522
45.1
−8.0
Majority
764
9.8
N/A
Turnout
7,808
86.6
+4.6
Registered electors
9,019
Liberal gain from Conservative
Swing
+8.0
General election 1900: Tynemouth [23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Frederick Leverton Harris[25]
3,501
53.1
+1.4
Liberal
F.D. Blake
3,094
46.9
−1.4
Majority
407
6.2
+2.8
Turnout
6,595
82.0
+2.0
Registered electors
8,041
Conservative hold
Swing
+1.4
Elections in the 1890s
General election 1895: Tynemouth [23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Richard Donkin
3,168
51.7
−1.2
Liberal
Francis Blake[26]
2,959
48.3
+1.2
Majority
209
3.4
−2.4
Turnout
6,127
80.0
−0.9
Registered electors
7,659
Conservative hold
Swing
−1.2
James Annand
General election 1892: Tynemouth [23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Richard Donkin
3,121
52.9
−2.2
Liberal
James Annand
2,783
47.1
+2.2
Majority
338
5.8
−4.4
Turnout
5,904
80.9
+4.8
Registered electors
7,300
Conservative hold
Swing
−2.2
Elections in the 1880s
General election 1886: Tynemouth [23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Richard Donkin
2,795
55.1
−2.1
Liberal
William Thomas Raymond[27]
2,277
44.9
+2.1
Majority
518
10.2
−4.2
Turnout
5,072
76.1
−3.3
Registered electors
6,669
Conservative hold
Swing
−2.1
General election 1885: Tynemouth [23]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Conservative
Richard Donkin
3,027
57.2
Liberal
Joseph Spence[28]
2,269
42.8
Majority
758
14.4
Turnout
5,296
79.4
Registered electors
6,669
Conservative win (new seat)
See also
List of Parliamentary constituencies in Tyne and Wear
Notes and references
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.
^Cosgrove was a Whitley Bay councillor and leading North East barrister
References
^"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.
^Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
^Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "T" (part 2)
^"Tynemouth Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 24 November 2019.