Wellingborough is a constituency in Northamptonshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The seat is currently held by Labour MP Gen Kitchen, after the recall of MP Peter Bone in December 2023 which resulted in a by-election in February 2024.
Wellingborough | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
County | Northamptonshire |
Electorate | 79,376 (2024) |
Major settlements | Wellingborough, Rushden, Higham Ferrers, Irchester and Finedon |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1918 |
Member of Parliament | Gen Kitchen (Labour) |
Created from | East Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire |
Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat will be replaced by Wellingborough and Rushden at the next general election.[1]
This seat was created under the Representation of the People Act 1918.
Wellingborough's earliest years were left-leaning. Between 1964 and 2005, the seat kept on producing examples of bellwether results and rarely showed itself to be safe for more than one government term. Departing from this are two years where the result has defied the most common result nationwide, by leaning towards the Conservative Party, in 1974 (twice). Since 2010 it became a safe seat for the Conservatives until the 2024 by-election.
In the 2016 EU referendum, Wellingborough voted 62.4% leave (25,679 votes) to 37.6% remain (15,462 votes)[2]
Sir Geoffrey Shakespeare was a Lloyd-Georgist National Liberal who served in junior ministerial roles through much of the Second World War, including briefly as the Secretary for Overseas Trade in 1940.
1918–1950: The Borough of Higham Ferrers, the Urban Districts of Finedon, Irthlingborough, Raunds, Rushden, and Wellingborough, the Rural District of Wellingborough, and in the Rural District of Thrapston the parishes of Chelveston cum Caldecott, Hargrave, and Stanwick.
1950–1974: The Borough of Higham Ferrers, the Urban Districts of Irthlingborough, Raunds, Rushden, and Wellingborough, the Rural District of Wellingborough, and in the Rural District of Oundle and Thrapston the civil parishes of Chelveston cum Caldecott and Hargrave.
1974–1983: The Borough of Higham Ferrers, the Urban Districts of Irthlingborough, Oundle, Raunds, Rushden, and Wellingborough, and the Rural Districts of Oundle and Thrapston, and Wellingborough.[3]
1983–2010: The Borough of Wellingborough, and the District of East Northamptonshire wards of Higham Ferrers, Rushden East, Rushden North, Rushden South, and Rushden West.
2010–present: The Borough of Wellingborough wards of Brickhill, Castle, Croyland, Finedon, Great Doddington and Wilby, Hemmingwell, Irchester, North, Queensway, Redwell East, Redwell West, South, Swanspool, and Wollaston, and the District of East Northamptonshire wards of Higham Ferrers, Rushden East, Rushden North, Rushden South, and Rushden West.
The constituency is named after the town of Wellingborough and covers most of the former Borough of Wellingborough local government district. The constituency also includes Rushden and Higham Ferrers, a small town in the neighbouring local government district of East Northamptonshire.
Higham Ferrers was itself a borough constituency until its abolition as one of the rotten boroughs in 1832.
Strengths in local industries here or in neighbouring Northampton and Kettering include in printing, logistics and distribution, automotive (assembly and design), construction, food processing and advanced engineering sectors. Despite this, a decline in the traditional local industries such as quarrying, furniture making and textiles pushes workless claimants who were registered jobseekers in November 2012 higher than the national (and regional) average of 3.8%, at 4.5% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.[4]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Gen Kitchen | 13,844 | 45.9 | +19.4 | |
Conservative | Helen Harrison | 7,408 | 24.6 | -37.6 | |
Reform UK | Ben Habib | 3,919 | 13.0 | new | |
Liberal Democrats | Ana Savage Gunn | 1,422 | 4.7 | -3.2 | |
Independent | Marion Turner-Hawes | 1,115 | 3.7 | new | |
Green | Will Morris | 1,020 | 3.4 | -0.1 | |
Independent | Kevin Watts | 533 | 1.8 | new | |
Britain First | Alex Merola | 477 | 1.6 | new | |
Monster Raving Loony | Nick the Flying Brick | 217 | 0.7 | new | |
Independent | Andre Pyne-Bailey | 172 | 0.6 | new | |
Independent | Ankit Love Jknpp Jay Mala Post-Mortem | 18 | 0.1 | new | |
Majority | 6,436 | 21.3 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 30,145 | 38.0 | -26.3 | ||
Registered electors | 79,376 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +28.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Bone | 32,277 | 62.2 | +4.8 | |
Labour | Andrea Watts | 13,737 | 26.5 | –7.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Suzanna Austin | 4,078 | 7.9 | +4.6 | |
Green | Marion Turner-Hawes | 1,821 | 3.5 | +1.7 | |
Majority | 18,540 | 35.7 | +12.3 | ||
Turnout | 51,913 | 64.3 | –2.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +6.15 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Bone | 30,579 | 57.4 | +5.3 | |
Labour | Andrea Watts | 18,119 | 34.0 | +14.5 | |
UKIP | Alan Shipham | 1,804 | 3.4 | –16.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Chris Nelson | 1,782 | 3.3 | –1.1 | |
Green | Jonathan Hornett | 956 | 1.8 | –2.6 | |
Majority | 12,460 | 23.4 | –9.1 | ||
Turnout | 53,240 | 67.2 | +1.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | –4.55 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Bone | 26,265 | 52.1 | +3.9 | |
UKIP | Jonathan Munday[13] | 9,868 | 19.6 | +16.4 | |
Labour | Richard Garvie1 | 9,839 | 19.5 | –5.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Chris Nelson | 2,240 | 4.4 | –12.7 | |
Green | Marion-Turner-Hawes | 2,218 | 4.4 | +3.5 | |
Majority | 16,397 | 32.5 | +9.7 | ||
Turnout | 50,430 | 65.4 | –1.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | –6.3 |
1: After nominations were closed, Garvie was suspended from the Labour Party after he was convicted of fraud after buying £900 of train tickets with a closed bank account.[14] He still appeared on ballot papers as Labour.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Bone | 24,918 | 48.2 | +5.5 | |
Labour | Jayne Buckland | 13,131 | 25.4 | –16.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Kevin Barron | 8,848 | 17.1 | +5.6 | |
UKIP | Adrian Haynes | 1,636 | 3.2 | +0.9 | |
BNP | Rob Walker | 1,596 | 3.1 | New | |
English Democrat | Terry Spencer | 530 | 1.0 | New | |
Green | Jonathan Hornett | 480 | 0.9 | New | |
TUSC | Paul Crofts | 249 | 0.5 | New | |
Independent | Gary Donaldson | 240 | 0.5 | New | |
Independent | Marcus Lavin | 33 | 0.1 | New | |
Majority | 11,787 | 22.8 | +21.5 | ||
Turnout | 51,661 | 67.2 | +1.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +10.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Bone | 22,674 | 42.8 | +0.6 | |
Labour | Paul Stinchcombe | 21,987 | 41.5 | –5.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Richard Church | 6,147 | 11.6 | +2.3 | |
UKIP | James Wrench | 1,214 | 2.3 | +0.6 | |
Veritas | Nicholas Alex | 749 | 1.4 | New | |
Socialist Labour | Andy Dickson | 234 | 0.4 | New | |
Majority | 687 | 1.3 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 53,005 | 66.5 | +2.4 | ||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +2.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Paul Stinchcombe | 23,867 | 46.8 | +2.6 | |
Conservative | Peter Bone | 21,512 | 42.2 | –1.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Peter Gaskell | 4,763 | 9.3 | –0.1 | |
UKIP | Tony Ellwood | 864 | 1.7 | -0.4 | |
Majority | 2,355 | 4.6 | +4.2 | ||
Turnout | 51,006 | 64.1 | –10.7 | ||
Labour hold | Swing | +2.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Paul Stinchcombe | 24,854 | 44.2 | +10.3 | |
Conservative | Peter Fry | 24,667 | 43.8 | –9.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Peter Smith | 5,279 | 9.4 | –3.4 | |
UKIP | Tony Ellwood | 1,192 | 2.1 | New | |
Natural Law | Annie Lorys | 297 | 0.5 | New | |
Majority | 187 | 0.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 56,289 | 74.8 | –7.1 | ||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Fry | 32,302 | 53.4 | +0.7 | |
Labour | Phil Sawford | 20,486 | 33.9 | +6.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Julie Trevor | 7,714 | 12.8 | –7.3 | |
Majority | 11,816 | 19.5 | –6.0 | ||
Turnout | 60,502 | 81.9 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | –3.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Fry | 29,038 | 52.7 | +3.8 | |
Labour | James Currie | 14,968 | 27.2 | +1.2 | |
Liberal | Leslie Stringer | 11,047 | 20.1 | –4.6 | |
Majority | 14,070 | 25.5 | +2.6 | ||
Turnout | 55,053 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +1.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Fry | 25,715 | 48.9 | –3.4 | |
Labour | John H. Mann | 13,659 | 26.0 | –8.9 | |
Liberal | Leslie Stringer | 12,994 | 24.7 | +12.9 | |
Independent | D.M.P. Garnett | 228 | 0.4 | +0.1 | |
Majority | 12,056 | 22.9 | +5.5 | ||
Turnout | 52,596 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Fry | 37,812 | 52.3 | +9.5 | |
Labour | D.A. Forwood | 25,278 | 34.9 | –5.3 | |
Liberal | L.E. Stringer | 8,506 | 11.8 | –5.2 | |
National Front | S.F. Wright | 529 | 0.7 | New | |
Independent | D.M.P. Garnett | 228 | 0.3 | New | |
Majority | 12,534 | 17.4 | +14.8 | ||
Turnout | 72,353 | 81.25 | +1.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +7.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Fry | 29,078 | 42.8 | +2.3 | |
Labour | John H. Mann | 27,320 | 40.2 | +2.9 | |
Liberal | Penelope Jessel | 11,500 | 17.0 | –3.9 | |
Majority | 1,758 | 2.6 | –0.6 | ||
Turnout | 67,898 | 79.61 | –5.39 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | –0.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Fry | 29,099 | 40.5 | –11.7 | |
Labour | John H. Mann | 26,829 | 37.3 | –10.5 | |
Liberal | Penelope Jessel | 15,049 | 20.9 | New | |
Ind. Conservative | D.T. James | 897 | 1.2 | New | |
Majority | 2,720 | 3.2 | –1.3 | ||
Turnout | 71,874 | 85.00 | –1.34 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | –0.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Fry | 27,459 | 52.2 | +4.6 | |
Labour | John H. Mann | 25,107 | 47.8 | –4.6 | |
Majority | 2,352 | 4.4 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 52,566 | 81.34 | –5.12 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +4.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Peter Fry | 22,548 | 54.4 | +6.8 | |
Labour | John H. Mann | 16,499 | 39.8 | –7.8 | |
Independent | M.P. Coney | 2,421 | 5.8 | New | |
Majority | 6,049 | 14.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 41,468 | ||||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +7.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Harry Howarth | 24,705 | 52.4 | +10.1 | |
Conservative | John Lawson Leatham | 22,472 | 47.6 | +5.4 | |
Majority | 2,233 | 4.8 | +4.7 | ||
Turnout | 54,566 | 86.46 | –0.6 | ||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Harry Howarth | 19,592 | 42.26 | –7.17 | |
Conservative | Michael Hamilton | 19,545 | 42.16 | –8.51 | |
Liberal | Philip Arthur John Pettit | 7,227 | 15.59 | New | |
Majority | 47 | 0.10 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 46,364 | 87.11 | |||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Michael Hamilton | 22,964 | 50.67 | +1.61 | |
Labour | George Lindgren | 22,358 | 49.33 | –1.61 | |
Majority | 606 | 1.34 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 45,322 | 86.72 | |||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +1.61 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | George Lindgren | 22,745 | 51.04 | –1.35 | |
Conservative | Arthur Jones | 21,819 | 48.96 | +1.35 | |
Majority | 926 | 2.08 | |||
Turnout | 44,564 | 86.01 | |||
Labour hold | Swing | –1.35 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | George Lindgren | 24,113 | 52.39 | +5.29 | |
Conservative | F Richard Parsons | 21,912 | 47.61 | +19.15 | |
Majority | 2,201 | 4.78 | |||
Turnout | 46,025 | 88.38 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | George Lindgren | 21,640 | 47.10 | –10.61 | |
Conservative | Jaspar Carlisle Sayer | 13,075 | 28.46 | –13.83 | |
Liberal | Edwin Malindine | 11,227 | 24.44 | New | |
Majority | 8,565 | 18.64 | |||
Turnout | 45,942 | 89.51 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | George Lindgren | 22,416 | 57.71 | ||
Conservative | Archibald James | 16,426 | 42.29 | ||
Majority | 5,990 | 15.42 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 38,842 | 74.39 | |||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Archibald James | 18,085 | 50.52 | ||
Labour | George Dallas | 17,713 | 49.48 | ||
Majority | 372 | 1.04 | |||
Turnout | 35,798 | 77.26 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Archibald James | 22,127 | 61.02 | ||
Labour | George Dallas | 14,137 | 38.98 | ||
Majority | 7,990 | 22.04 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 36,264 | 81.24 | |||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | George Dallas | 15,300 | 42.2 | +2.2 | |
Liberal | Richard Pattinson Winfrey | 11,255 | 31.0 | +2.2 | |
Unionist | Archibald James | 9,703 | 26.8 | –4.4 | |
Majority | 4,045 | 11.2 | +2.4 | ||
Turnout | 36,258 | 83.3 | –0.7 | ||
Registered electors | 43,548 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | +0.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Cove | 11,381 | 40.0 | −2.1 | |
Unionist | Ralph A Raphael | 8,900 | 31.2 | +5.8 | |
Liberal | Humphrey Mackworth Paul | 8,223 | 28.8 | –3.7 | |
Majority | 2,481 | 8.8 | –0.8 | ||
Turnout | 28,504 | 84.0 | +4.1 | ||
Registered electors | 33,934 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | –4.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | William Cove | 11,175 | 42.1 | –0.3 | |
Liberal | Geoffrey Shakespeare | 8,638 | 32.5 | –25.1 | |
Unionist | Robert Massy-Dawson Sanders | 6,747 | 25.4 | New | |
Majority | 2,537 | 9.6 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 26,560 | 79.9 | +0.5 | ||
Registered electors | 33,226 | ||||
Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | +12.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Liberal | Geoffrey Shakespeare | 14,995 | 57.6 | +10.1 | |
Labour | Walter Smith | 11,057 | 42.4 | –8.1 | |
Majority | 3,938 | 15.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 26,052 | 79.4 | +17.5 | ||
Registered electors | 32,820 | ||||
National Liberal gain from Labour | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Walter Smith | 10,290 | 52.5 | ||
C | Liberal | Milner Gray | 9,313 | 47.5 | |
Majority | 977 | 5.0 | |||
Turnout | 19,603 | 61.9 | |||
Registered electors | 31,669 | ||||
Labour win (new seat) | |||||
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. |
52°18′N 0°42′W / 52.30°N 0.70°W