Scunthorpe (constituency)

Scunthorpe is a constituency in Lincolnshire in England, within the North Lincolnshire borough. Its main settlement is the town of Scunthorpe, which has a population of around 83,000.^[2] The constituency also covers rural areas outside the town, including the small market towns of Kirton in Lindsey and Winterton and the village of Messingham.

Scunthorpe is a large industrial town. It was a small, rural settlement until the late 19th century when ironstone was discovered in the local area and the town became an important centre for iron and steel production. Whilst this industry has largely declined since the 1970s, Scunthorpe Steelworks remains in operation as the only factory in the UK capable of producing virgin as opposed to recycled steel.^[3][4] Large parts of the Scunthorpe are highly-deprived, although the rural areas and some of the town's suburbs are wealthier.^[5] Most residents live in semi-detached housing estates and the average house price is less than half the UK average.^[6][7]

Scunthorpe has an above-average population of retirees and a below-average proportion of young adults.^[8] Residents have low rates of income and average levels of homeownership.^[7] The child poverty rate is high.^[9] Residents generally have low levels of education and a high proportion work in the manufacturing sector.^[7][10] The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is in line with the UK-wide rate.^[9] White people made up 92% of the population at the 2021 census.^[11]

At the local council, the town of Scunthorpe is represented by the Labour Party whilst the rural towns and villages elected Conservative councillors. Voters in this constituency strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 68% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide rate of 52%.^[7]

Although there was talk in a local newspaper in the 1930s that the town of Scunthorpe should have a parliamentary constituency named after it, it was only after the boundary reviews implemented in 1997 that a constituency of this name was created. Previous incarnations of a constituency containing the steel town and small towns and villages around it had been called (going backwards in time) Glanford and Scunthorpe, Brigg and Scunthorpe, and Brigg.

Nic Dakin was elected in the 2010 general election with a lower share of the vote than achieved under the Blair Ministry by his predecessor, with 39.5% of the votes.

Glanford & Scunthorpe prior to 1997

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Humberside
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the Yorkshire and the Humber (region)