Norwich North (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1950 onwards

Norwich North is a constituency^{[n 1]} in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament represented by Alice Macdonald, member of the Labour Party, after winning the seat in the 2024 general election.

The constituency includes parts of two local government areas, Norwich and Broadland with the majority of the electorate in Broadland.

History

The constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1948 for the 1950 general election, when the former two-seat constituency of Norwich was divided into two single-member seats, Norwich North and Norwich South.

It was initially a safe seat for the Labour Party, held continuously by the party until 1983, when major boundary changes made the seat much more favourable to the Conservatives,^[2] who then held the seat from 1983 to 1997. The Labour member from 1997 to 2009 was Ian Gibson, who resigned as an MP with immediate effect on 5 June 2009 after being implicated in the expenses scandal. A by-election was held to replace him on 23 July 2009,^[3] which was won by the Conservative Chloe Smith. Chloe Smith retained the seat in the 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019 general elections, achieving over 50% of the vote for the first time in 2019. Smith stood down from Parliament at the dissolution in advance of the 2024 general election, having announced this intent in 2022.^[4]

Boundaries and boundary changes

1950–1951

• The County Borough of Norwich wards of Catton, Coslany, Fye Bridge, Heigham, Hellesdon, Mousehold, Thorpe, and Westwick.^[5]

1951–1974

• The County Borough of Norwich wards of Catton, Coslany, Fye Bridge, Heigham, Hellesdon, Mousehold, Thorpe, and Westwick; and
• The part of the civil parish of Thorpe-next-Norwich in the Rural District of Blofield and Flegg, and the part of the parish of Sprowston in the Rural District of St Faiths and Aylsham, added to the County Borough of Norwich by the Norwich Extension Act 1950.^[6]

Minor expansion of boundaries under the provisions of Statutory Instrument 1951/325.^[7]

1974–1983

• The County Borough of Norwich wards of Catton, Coslany, Crome, Heigham, Hellesdon, Mancroft, Mousehold, and Thorpe.^[8]

Further to the Second Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies a redistribution of seats was enacted in 1970. However, in the case of the two Norwich constituencies, this was superseded before the February 1974 general election by the Parliamentary Constituencies (Norwich) Order 1973 which followed on from a revision of the County Borough of Norwich wards in 1971, resulting in a realignment of the boundary with Norwich South.

1983–1997

• The District of Broadland wards of Catton, Hellesdon North, Hellesdon South East, Hellesdon West, Sprowston Central, Sprowston East, Sprowston South, Sprowston West, Thorpe St Andrew North East, Thorpe St Andrew North West, and Thorpe St Andrew South; and
• The City of Norwich wards of Catton Grove, Coslany, Crome, Mile Cross, and Mousehold.^[9]

Gained suburban areas now part of the District of Broadland, including Thorpe St Andrew from Yarmouth and Hellesdon and Sprowston from North Norfolk.  Southern areas transferred to Norwich South.

1997–2010

• The District of Broadland wards of Catton, Drayton, Hellesdon North, Hellesdon South East, Hellesdon West, Sprowston Central, Sprowston East, Sprowston South, Sprowston West, Taverham, Thorpe St Andrew North East, Thorpe St Andrew North West, and Thorpe St Andrew South; and
• The City of Norwich wards of Catton Grove, Coslany, Crome, Mile Cross, and Mousehold.^[10]

District of Broadland wards of Drayton and Taverham transferred from Mid Norfolk.

2010–2024

Map of boundaries 2010-2024

• The District of Broadland wards of Hellesdon North West, Hellesdon South East, Old Catton and Sprowston West, Sprowston Central, Sprowston East, Thorpe St Andrew North West, and Thorpe St Andrew South East; and
• The City of Norwich wards of Catton Grove, Crome, Mile Cross, and Sewell.^[11]

Drayton and Taverham were transferred back out, to the new constituency of Broadland. In Norwich, the part of the Crome ward around Morse Road moved to Norwich North, while the area around Mousehold Street in Thorpe Hamlet became part of Norwich South.

Following their review of parliamentary constituencies in Norfolk that concluded in 2007 and came into effect for the 2010 general election, the Boundary Commission for England created a slightly modified Norwich North constituency. The changes were necessary to re-align the constituency boundaries with the new local government ward boundaries introduced in Broadland and Norwich and to take account of Norfolk being awarded an additional, ninth constituency by the Boundary Commission.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was expanded slightly to regain Drayton (but not Taverham) from Broadland and the area around Mousehold Street from Norwich South.^[12]

Members of Parliament

Norwich prior to 1950

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Note: This constituency underwent boundary changes after the 1979 election, so was notionally a Conservative-held seat.^[31]

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

See also

• 2009 Norwich North by-election
• List of parliamentary constituencies in Norfolk
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the East of England (region)

Notes

1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
2. Waller, Robert; Criddle, Byron (2007). The Almanac of British Politics (8th ed.). UK: Routledge. p. 718. ISBN 978-0-415-37823-9.
3. "MP quitting to force by-election". BBC News. 5 June 2009.
4. "Ex-Cabinet minister Chloe Smith to stand down as MP at next election". Redditch Advertiser. 22 November 2022.
5. "Representation of the People Act, 1948". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
6. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
7. S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Norwich) Order 1973". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
9. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
11. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
12. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
13. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 3)
14. "Statement of Persons Nominated, Notice of Poll and Situation of Polling Stations - UK PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION - Election of a Member of Parliament to serve Norwich North Constituency". Broadland and South Norfolk Councils. 7 June 2024.
15. "Norwich North Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
16. Grimmer, Dan. "UKIP announce they will not have Norwich general election candidates and urge supporters to 'lend' votes to Conservatives". Eastern Daily Press.
17. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
18. "Norwich_North_Statement_Notice_of_Poll.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
19. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
20. Sparrow, Andrew (24 July 2009). "Norwich North byelection results – live". The Guardian. London.
21. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
22. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
23. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
24. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
25. Norwich North: Constituency, The Guardian
26. "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
27. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
28. UK General Election results: June 1987
29. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
30. UK General Election results: June 1983
31. "Notional 1979 general election constituency results by county". Google Docs.
32. UK General Election results: May 1979
33. UK General Election results: October 1974
34. UK General Election results: February 1974
35. UK General Election results: 1970
36. UK General Election results: March 1966
37. UK General Election results: October 1964
38. UK General Election results: October 1959
39. UK General Election results: May 1955
40. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
41. UK General Election results: October 1951
42. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
43. UK General Election results: February 1950

External links

• Norwich North UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Norwich North UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

52°39′N 1°18′E / 52.65°N 1.30°E / 52.65; 1.30