Stoke-on-Trent North
Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1950 onwards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stoke-on-Trent North is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by David Williams, a member of the Labour Party.[n 2]
| Stoke-on-Trent North | |
|---|---|
| Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
 Boundaries since 2024 | |
Boundary of Stoke-on-Trent North in West Midlands region | |
| County | Staffordshire |
| Electorate | 72,225 (December 2010)[1] |
| Major settlements | Burslem, Tunstall |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 1950 |
| Member of Parliament | David Williams (Labour) |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | Burslem, Hanley Leek |
Constituency profile
Stoke-on-Trent North is a constituency in Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England. It covers the northern areas of the city of Stoke-on-Trent, including the towns of Burslem and Tunstall and the residential districts of Norton le Moors and Baddeley Green. It also covers the town of Kidsgrove, which lies outside the city's boundaries.
Stoke-on-Trent is a polycentric city that was formed in 1910 from the amalgamation of six towns. The Stoke-on-Trent area is commonly referred to as the Potteries, reflecting its traditional status as the country's foremost centre for the production of ceramics. Coal mining and steelmaking were also important industries in the city. The deindustrialisation of the late 20th century had a negative economic impact on the city; Burslem and Tunstall remain highly-deprived today and many residents live in dense, socially-rented terraces.[2] Kidsgrove and Baddeley Green are comparatively wealthier.[3] House prices across the constituency are generally lower than the rest of the West Midlands and the average price is less than half the UK average.[4]
Residents of Stoke-on-Trent North have a similar age profile to the rest of the country.[5] They have low rates of income, average levels of homeownership,[4] and the child poverty rate is nearly double the overall UK figure.[6] Residents have very low levels of education and a high proportion work in the manufacturing and retail sectors.[4][7] The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is high.[6] White people made up 87% of the population at the 2021 census. Asians, mostly of Pakistani origin, were 8% of residents, but they made up around a quarter of the population in Burslem and Tunstall.[8]
Most of this constituency is represented by the Labour Party at the local city council, with some Conservatives elected in the outer suburban areas. Kidsgrove, which held council elections more recently (in 2026), is represented by Reform UK councillors. Voters in Stoke-on-Trent North overwhelmingly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 72% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide figure of 52%, the sixth-highest rate out of 650 constituencies nationwide according to Electoral Calculus.
Boundaries
Historic
1950–1955: The County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent wards numbers 1 to 9 and 27.
1955–1983: The County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent wards numbers 1 to 8.
1983–1997: The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of Burslem Central, Burslem Green, Chell, East Valley, Norton and Bradeley, and Tunstall North, and the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme wards of Butt Lane, Kidsgrove, Newchapel, and Talke.
1997–2010: The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of Burslem Central, Burslem Grange, Chell, East Valley, Norton and Bradeley, and Tunstall North, and the District of Staffordshire Moorlands wards of Brown Edge and Endon, and Stanley.
2010–2024: The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of Burslem North, Burslem South, Chell and Packmoor, East Valley, Norton and Bradeley, and Tunstall, and the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme wards of Butt Lane, Kidsgrove, Ravenscliffe, and Talke.
Current
Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as composing the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:
- The Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme wards of: Kidsgrove & Ravenscliffe; Newchapel & Mow Cop; Talke & Butt Lane.
- The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of: Baddeley, Milton and Norton; Bradeley and Chell Heath; Burslem Central; Burslem Park; Ford Green and Smallthorne; Goldenhill and Sandyford; Great Chell and Packmoor; Little Chell and Stanfield; Moorcroft; Tunstall.[9]
In order to bring the electorate within the permitted range, the Kidsgrove district of Newchapel was transferred from Staffordshire Moorlands. The boundary with Stoke-on-Trent Central was re-aligned to take account of revised ward boundaries.
Following a further local government boundary review in the City of Stoke-on-Trent which came into effect in May 2023,[10][11] the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:
- The Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme wards of: Kidsgrove & Ravenscliffe; Newchapel & Mow Cop; Talke & Butt Lane.
- The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of: Baddeley, Milton & Norton; Bradeley and Chell Heath; Burslem; Burslem Park; Ford Green & Smallthorne; Goldenhill & Sandyford; Great Chell & Packmoor; Little Chell & Stanfield; Moorcroft & Sneyd Green (majority); Tunstall; and a very small part of Etruria & Hanley.[12]
History
The constituency was created for the 1950 general election as the successor to the Burslem Division of Stoke-on-Trent. It also included parts of the Leek constituency which had been absorbed into the County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent.
- Political history
This seat and its predecessor had elected Labour MPs at every election since 1935, until Jonathan Gullis won the seat for the Conservatives from incumbent Ruth Smeeth in 2019. Labour's David Williams recaptured the seat from Gullis at the 2024 general election.
- Prominent members
As a frontbench member in government, John Forrester became in 1970 a Health Minister, before the election of that year.
Members of Parliament
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | David Williams | 14,579 | 40.3 | +5.5 | |
| Conservative | Jonathan Gullis | 9,497 | 26.3 | −27.8 | |
| Reform | Karl Beresford | 8,824 | 24.4 | +18.8 | |
| Green | Josh Harris | 1,236 | 3.4 | +2.0 | |
| Independent | Jag Boyapti | 1,103 | 3.1 | N/A | |
| Liberal Democrats | Lucy Hurds | 911 | 2.5 | −0.8 | |
| Majority | 5,082 | 14.1 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 36,150 | 51.8 | −8.1 | ||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +16.6 | |||
Elections in the 2010s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Jonathan Gullis | 20,974 | 52.3 |  7.0 | |
| Labour | Ruth Smeeth | 14,688 | 36.6 |  14.3 | |
| Brexit Party | Richard Watkin | 2,374 | 5.9 | New | |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter Andras | 1,268 | 3.2 | 1.0 | |
| Green | Alan Borgars | 508 | 1.3 | 0.3 | |
| Independent | Matthew Dilworth | 322 | 0.8 | New | |
| Majority | 6,286 | 15.7 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 40,134 | 57.5 | 1.1 | ||
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 10.7 |
|||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Ruth Smeeth | 21,272 | 50.9 | 11.0 | |
| Conservative | Benedict Adams | 18,913 | 45.3 | 17.9 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Whelan | 916 | 2.2 | 0.7 | |
| Green | Doug Rouxel | 685 | 1.6 | 1.2 | |
| Majority | 2,359 | 5.6 | 6.9 | ||
| Turnout | 41,786 | 58.6 | 5.4 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | 3.4 |
|||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Ruth Smeeth | 15,429 | 39.9 | 4.4 | |
| Conservative | Benedict Adams | 10,593 | 27.4 | 3.6 | |
| UKIP | Geoff Locke | 9,542 | 24.7 | 18.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Paul Roberts | 1,137 | 2.9 | 14.8 | |
| Green | Sean Adam | 1,091 | 2.8 | New | |
| Independent | John Millward | 508 | 1.3 | New | |
| Independent | Craig Pond[18][19] | 354 | 0.9 | New | |
| Majority | 4,836 | 12.5 | 8.0 | ||
| Turnout | 38,654 | 53.2 | 2.6 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | 4.0 |
|||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Joan Walley | 17,815 | 44.3 | 11.5 | |
| Conservative | Andy Large | 9,580 | 23.8 | 6.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | John Fisher | 7,120 | 17.7 | 4.2 | |
| BNP | Melanie Baddeley | 3,196 | 8.0 | 2.0 | |
| UKIP | Geoff Locke | 2,485 | 6.2 | 2.1 | |
| Majority | 8,235 | 20.5 | 11.9 | ||
| Turnout | 40,196 | 55.8 | 4.9 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | 8.8 |
|||
Elections of the 2000s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Joan Walley | 16,191 | 52.6 | −5.4 | |
| Conservative | Benjamin Browning | 6,155 | 20.0 | +1.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Henry Jebb | 4,561 | 14.8 | +2.9 | |
| BNP | Spencer Cartlidge | 2,132 | 6.9 | New | |
| UKIP | Eileen Braithwaite | 696 | 2.3 | New | |
| Veritas | Ian Taylor | 689 | 2.2 | New | |
| Independent | Harry Chesters | 336 | 1.1 | New | |
| Majority | 10,036 | 32.6 | −6.6 | ||
| Turnout | 30,760 | 52.7 | +0.8 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | -3.3 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Joan Walley | 17,460 | 58.0 | −7.2 | |
| Conservative | Benjamin Browning | 5,676 | 18.8 | −1.4 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Henry Jebb | 3,580 | 11.9 | +1.2 | |
| Independent | Charles Wanger | 3,399 | 11.3 | New | |
| Majority | 11,784 | 39.2 | −5.8 | ||
| Turnout | 30,115 | 51.9 | −13.4 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | -2.9 | |||
Elections of the 1990s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Joan Walley | 25,190 | 65.2 | +8.5 | |
| Conservative | Christopher Day | 7,798 | 20.2 | −9.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Henry Jebb | 4,141 | 10.7 | −2.6 | |
| Referendum | Jennefer Tobin | 1,537 | 4.0 | New | |
| Majority | 17,392 | 45.0 | +17.5 | ||
| Turnout | 38,664 | 65.3 | −8.1 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | +11.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Joan Walley | 30,464 | 56.7 | +9.6 | |
| Conservative | Laurence Harris | 15,687 | 29.2 | −2.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | John Redfern | 7,167 | 13.3 | −8.3 | |
| Natural Law | Alan Morrison | 387 | 0.7 | New | |
| Majority | 14,777 | 27.5 | +11.7 | ||
| Turnout | 53,705 | 73.4 | +0.5 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | +5.9 | |||
Elections of the 1980s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Joan Walley | 25,459 | 47.1 | +0.8 | |
| Conservative | Reginald Davies | 16,946 | 31.3 | +0.4 | |
| SDP | Stephen Simmonds | 11,665 | 21.6 | −1.2 | |
| Majority | 8,513 | 15.8 | +0.4 | ||
| Turnout | 54, 070 | 72.9 | +1.9 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | +0.2 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Forrester | 24,721 | 46.3 | −13.1 | |
| Conservative | Roger Ibbs | 16,518 | 30.9 | +0.3 | |
| SDP | Trevor Beswick | 12,186 | 22.8 | +13.6 | |
| Majority | 8,203 | 15.4 | −13.3 | ||
| Turnout | 53,425 | 71.0 | −1.7 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Elections of the 1970s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Forrester | 25,652 | 59.36 | ||
| Conservative | Roger Ibbs | 13,228 | 30.61 | ||
| Liberal | Clive Smedley | 3,994 | 9.24 | ||
| National Front | C Baugh | 341 | 0.79 | New | |
| Majority | 12,424 | 28.75 | |||
| Turnout | 43,215 | 72.75 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Forrester | 25,264 | 60.59 | ||
| Conservative | JWD Davies | 10,192 | 24.44 | ||
| Liberal | M Smith | 6,239 | 14.96 | New | |
| Majority | 15,072 | 36.15 | |||
| Turnout | 41,695 | 69.61 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Forrester | 28,177 | 64.19 | ||
| Conservative | J Davies | 15,718 | 35.81 | ||
| Majority | 12,459 | 28.38 | |||
| Turnout | 43,895 | 73.95 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Forrester | 20,642 | 66.19 | ||
| Conservative | JS Heath | 10,542 | 33.81 | ||
| Majority | 10,100 | 32.38 | |||
| Turnout | 31,184 | 52.95 | |||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
Elections of the 1960s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John Forrester | 28,491 | 71.54 | ||
| Conservative | LCN Bury | 11,335 | 28.46 | ||
| Majority | 17,156 | 43.08 | |||
| Turnout | 39,826 | 72.44 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Harriet Slater | 27,584 | 64.74 | ||
| Conservative | B David Barton | 15,025 | 35.26 | ||
| Majority | 12,559 | 29.48 | |||
| Turnout | 42,609 | 76.24 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
Elections of the 1950s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Harriet Slater | 29,336 | 63.97 | ||
| Conservative | Samuel Middup | 16,522 | 36.03 | ||
| Majority | 12,814 | 27.94 | |||
| Turnout | 45,858 | 78.61 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Harriet Slater | 29,473 | 66.87 | ||
| Conservative | Samuel Middup | 14,599 | 33.13 | ||
| Majority | 14,874 | 33.74 | |||
| Turnout | 44,072 | 75.31 | |||
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Harriet Slater | 23,103 | 75.49 | +4.05 | |
| Conservative | Samuel Middup | 7,502 | 24.51 | −4.05 | |
| Majority | 15,601 | 50.98 | +8.10 | ||
| Turnout | 30,605 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Albert Davies | 36,692 | 71.44 | ||
| National Liberal | James Coventry | 14,668 | 28.56 | ||
| Majority | 22,024 | 42.88 | |||
| Turnout | 51,360 | 83.81 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Albert Davies | 36,896 | 71.58 | ||
| Conservative | PW Hodgens | 14,647 | 28.42 | ||
| Majority | 22,249 | 43.16 | |||
| Turnout | 51,543 | 85.01 | |||
| Labour win (new seat) | |||||
See also
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.