Tyne Bridge (UK Parliament constituency)

54°58′05″N 1°36′22″W / 54.968°N 1.606°W / 54.968; -1.606

Tyne Bridge
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Tyne Bridge in Tyne and Wear for the 2005 general election
Outline map
Location of Tyne and Wear within England
CountyTyne and Wear
19832010
SeatsOne
Created fromGateshead West, Newcastle upon Tyne Central, Newcastle upon Tyne West, Blaydon, Newcastle upon Tyne North and Gateshead East[1]
Replaced byGateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne Central

Tyne Bridge was a parliamentary constituency in the north east of England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, from 1983 until 2010. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

History

The constituency was created as a result of the Boundary Commission for England review of parliamentary seats for the 1983 general election following the reorganisation of local government under the Local Government Act 1972 which brought the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear into existence. It covered central Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, with part of the constituency being north of the River Tyne in Newcastle (including the city centre), and the other part being south of the river, in Gateshead. It is named after the Tyne Bridge that crosses the river. It included parts of six different constituencies which had been in existence before the review (see Infobox).

It was abolished at the review of parliamentary representation coming into effect for the 2010 general election, being replaced by the re-established constituency of Gateshead south of the River Tyne, and by the Newcastle upon Tyne Central constituency to the north.[2]

Tyne Bridge was a safe seat for the Labour Party throughout its existence.

Boundaries

1983–1997

  • The City of Newcastle wards of Benwell, Elswick, Scotswood, and West City; and
  • the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead wards of Bede, Bensham, Dunston, and Teams.[3]

1997–2010

  • The City of Newcastle wards of Benwell, Elswick, Scotswood, and West City; and
  • the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead wards of Bede, Bensham, Deckham, Dunston, Saltwell, and Teams.[4]

Deckham and Saltwell wards were added to the seat from the abolished Gateshead East constituency.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMember[5]PartyNotes
1983Harry CowansLabourPreviously MP for Newcastle Central since November 1976 by-election. Died in office October 1985
1985 by-electionDavid ClellandLabourElected in December 1985 by-election. Retired 2010 following boundary changes
2010constituency abolished: see Gateshead & Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central

Election results

Elections of the 1980s

General election 1983: Tyne Bridge[6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourHarry Cowans 21,127 56.5
ConservativeRandall S. Crawley9,43425.2
LiberalTony Dawson6,85218.3
Majority11,69331.3
Turnout37,41361.5
Labour win (new seat)
By-election 1985: Tyne Bridge
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourDavid Clelland 13,517 57.8 +1.3
SDPRod Kenyon6,94229.7+11.4 [7]
ConservativeJacqui Lait2,58811.1-14.1
IndependentJohn Connell2501.1New
IndependentGeorge Weiss380.2New
IndependentPeter R. Smith320.1New
Majority6,57528.1-3.2
Turnout23,36738.1-23.4
Labour holdSwing
Registered electors61,400
General election 1987: Tyne Bridge[8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourDavid Clelland 23,131 63.0 +6.5
ConservativeMichael Walton Bates7,55820.6-4.6
SDPJohn Mansfield6,00516.4-1.9
Majority15,57342.4+11.1
Turnout36,69463.1+1.6
Labour holdSwing

Elections of the 1990s

General election 1992: Tyne Bridge[9][10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourDavid Clelland 22,328 67.2 +4.2
ConservativeCharles M. Liddell-Grainger7,11821.4+0.8
Liberal DemocratsJohn S. Burt3,80411.4-5.0
Majority15,21045.8+3.4
Turnout33,25062.6-0.5
Labour holdSwing+1.7
General election 1997: Tyne Bridge[11][12][13][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourDavid Clelland 26,767 76.8 +10.0
ConservativeAdrian H. Lee3,86111.1-11.0
Liberal DemocratsMary Wallace2,7858.0-3.1
ReferendumGraeme R. Oswald9192.6New
Socialist AlternativeElaine Brumskill5181.5New
Majority22,90665.7+20.9
Turnout34,85057.1-5.5
Labour holdSwing+10.5

Elections of the 2000s

General election 2001: Tyne Bridge[15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourDavid Clelland 18,345 70.5 -6.3
ConservativeJames Cook3,45613.3+2.2
Liberal DemocratsJonathan C. Wallace3,21312.3+4.3
Socialist LabourJames Fitzpatrick5332.0New
Socialist AllianceSamuel J. Robson4851.9New
Majority14,88957.2-8.5
Turnout26,03244.2-12.9
Labour holdSwing
General election 2005: Tyne Bridge[16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LabourDavid Clelland 16,151 61.2 -9.3
Liberal DemocratsChris P. Boyle5,75121.8+9.5
ConservativeTom E. Fairhead2,96211.2-2.1
BNPKevin Scott1,0724.1New
RespectJill C. Russell4471.7New
Majority10,40039.4-17.8
Turnout26,38349.3+5.1
Labour holdSwing-9.4

See also

Notes and references