Gateshead West (UK Parliament constituency)

Gateshead West was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Gateshead West
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Gateshead West in County Durham, boundaries 1974-83
CountyCounty Durham
19501983
SeatsOne
Created fromGateshead
Replaced byTyne Bridge and Gateshead East[1]

History

Gateshead West, as could be inferred from the name, formed the western part of the Borough of Gateshead, now in Tyne and Wear. The constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1948 for the 1950 general election when the existing Gateshead seat was split in two. It was abolished for the 1983 general election, when the majority of the electorate was included in the new constituency of Tyne Bridge, which also included central areas of Newcastle upon Tyne. Remaining areas were transferred to Gateshead East.

It returned Labour MPs for the entire period of its existence.

Boundaries

1950–1955

  • The County Borough of Gateshead wards of Central, North, North West, West, and West Central.[2]

1955–1964

  • The County Borough of Gateshead wards of Central, East Central, North, North East, North West, West, and West Central.[2]

The East Central and North East wards were transferred from Gateshead East.

1964-1983

  • The County Borough of Gateshead wards of Askew, Bensham, Chandless, Claremont, Riverside, Saltwell, Shipcote, and Teams.[3]

Minor changes to reflect redistribution of local authority wards.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1950John HallLabour
1955 by-electionHarry RandallLabour
1970John HoramLabour
1981SDP
1983constituency abolished

Election results

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Gateshead West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourJohn Horam 13,533 67.24
ConservativeDR Kelly5,22125.94
LiberalFrank Patterson1,1855.89
National FrontH Beadle1860.92New
Majority8,31241.30
Turnout20,12569.31
Labour holdSwing
General election October 1974: Gateshead West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourJohn Horam 13,859 68.61
ConservativeP Brown4,43221.94
LiberalK Stoddart1,9099.45
Majority9,42746.67
Turnout20,20065.65
Labour holdSwing
General election February 1974: Gateshead West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourJohn Horam 13,839 61.01
ConservativeJohn Heddle5,37223.68
LiberalJ Bennison3,47415.31New
Majority8,46737.33
Turnout22,68574.20
Labour holdSwing
General election 1970: Gateshead West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourJohn Horam 15,622 68.07
ConservativeJohn O'Sullivan7,32831.93
Majority8,29436.14
Turnout22,95066.59
Labour holdSwing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Gateshead West[4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourHarry Randall 20,381 74.77
ConservativeErnest Greenwood6,87825.23
Majority13,50349.54
Turnout27,25970.11
Labour holdSwing
General election 1964: Gateshead West[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourHarry Randall 21,390 68.97
ConservativeDerek R Chapman9,62331.03
Majority11,76737.94
Turnout31,01374.93
Labour holdSwing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Gateshead West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourHarry Randall 21,277 64.90
ConservativeDavid A Wright11,50935.10
Majority9,76829.80
Turnout32,78676.88
Labour holdSwing
1955 Gateshead West by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourHarry Randall 13,196 66.46 +1.14
ConservativeDavid A Wright6,66133.54-1.14
Majority6,53532.92+2.28
Turnout19,857
Labour holdSwing
General election 1955: Gateshead West[6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourJohn Hall 22,040 65.32
ConservativeJames Quigley11,07134.68
Majority10,33930.64
Turnout33,111
Labour holdSwing
General election 1951: Gateshead West[7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourJohn Hall 20,790 63.77
National LiberalJohn S Magnay11,81136.23
Majority8,97927.54
Turnout32,60183.81
Labour holdSwing
General election 1950: Gateshead West[8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourJohn Hall 20,872 64.16
National LiberalJohn S Magnay11,66035.84
Majority9,21228.32
Turnout32,53283.90
Labour win (new seat)

See also

References