Walsall North (UK Parliament constituency)

Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1955-2024

Walsall North

Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons

Boundary of Walsall North in West Midlands

Location of West Midlands within England

County| West Midlands
Electorate| 65,468 (December 2010)[1]
Major settlements| Willenhall, Bloxwich and Walsall (part)
1955–2024
Seats| One
Created from| Walsall
Replaced by| Walsall and Bloxwich

Walsall North was a constituency[n 1] in the West Midlands represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, created in 1955.[n 2]

The local electorate returned a Labour MP in the constituency's first seventeen general elections; in the following election Eddie Hughes became its second Conservative MP, following an earlier by-election win by his party in 1976.[2] The constituency consisted of green-buffered urban areas across one half of the formerly metalworking- and manufacturing-centred town of Walsall, and the main other settlement within its boundaries, Bloxwich.

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished. Subject to major boundary changes, it was reformed as Walsall and Bloxwich, first contested at the 2024 general election.[3]

## Constituency profile

[edit]

See also: Walsall

The constituency was in the heart of an area traditionally focused on manufacturing which retained many mechanical and engineering jobs in its economy.

Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly higher than the national average of 3.8%, at 8.0% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian, not the highest in the region (which was Birmingham Ladywood at 11.1%) but also significantly higher than the average for the region, 4.7%.[4]

## Boundaries

[edit]

Map of boundaries 1983-2024

Walsall North was one of three constituencies covering the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall. The others were Walsall South and Aldridge-Brownhills.

1955–1964: The County Borough of Walsall wards of Birchills, Blakenall, Bloxwich, Hatherton, and Leamore, and the Urban District of Brownhills.[5]

1964–1974: The County Borough of Walsall wards of Birchills, Blakenall, Bloxwich East, Bloxwich West, Hatherton, and Leamore, and the Urban District of Brownhills.[6]

1974–1983: The County Borough of Walsall wards of Bentley, Birchills, Blakenall, Bloxwich East, Bloxwich West, Leamore, Willenhall North and Willenhall South.

1983–2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall wards of Birchills Leamore, Blakenall, Bloxwich East, Bloxwich West, Short Heath, Willenhall North, and Willenhall South.

## History

[edit]

Results between 1955 and 1979

The seat was created in 1955 from part of Walsall. Its first Member of Parliament was W.T. Wells of the Labour Party, who had been the MP for Walsall. In 1974, he was succeeded by controversial Labour MP John Stonehouse, who was appointed Postmaster General and became infamous for faking his own death, being later jailed for fraud. After resigning from the party in April 1976, he was invited to join the English National Party, becoming their first (and only) MP, before being forced to resign as an MP in August 1976. The ensuing by-election was won by Robin Hodgson, a Conservative.

Results since 1979

Labour regained the seat in 1979; their candidate was the former Croydon South MP David Winnick, who represented the constituency until 2017. Aside from a marginal majority in 1987 of 3.7%, Winnick's wins from and including 1979 ranged between 7.3% and 29% (the latter twice) until 2010. He fended off a strong challenge from Conservative Helyn Clack, who he beat by 2.7% of the vote in 2010.[7] Going into the 2015 general election, Walsall North was 13th on the list of Conservative target seats.[8] Winnick increased his majority to 1,937 — 5.2% of the vote.[9] The 2015 result gave the seat the 22nd-smallest majority of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.[10]

Other parties since 1979

Conservative candidates finished runner-up in each election from and including 1979, winning in 2017.

The UKIP swing of +17.2% in 2015, coming the year before the UK's EU membership referendum, was higher than the national average of 9.5%. The Liberal Democrat, TUSC and Green Party candidates of 2015 won less than 5% of the vote, so lost their deposits.

The Liberal Democrats managed to produce their best result since the seat's 1955 creation (counting their two predecessor parties) in 1983, when Liberal A. Bentley polled 20.7% of the vote. In 2005 and 2010, the BNP saved their deposit by polling more than 5% of the vote. The last time this percentage had been reached by a candidate in Walsall North in other than the top three parties had been 1976.

### Abolition

[edit]

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished prior to the 2024 general election, with its contents distributed three ways:

* The majority, comprising the Birchills Leamore, Blakenall and two Bloxwich wards were combined with the majority of the disappearing Walsall South seat, which includes Walsall town centre, to form the new constituency of Walsall and Bloxwich
* Short Heath and Willenhall North wards to Wolverhampton North East
* Willenhall South ward to Wolverhampton South East[3]

## Members of Parliament

[edit]

Election | Member[11] | Party

|
|

| 1955 | William Wells | Labour
| Feb 1974 | John Stonehouse | Labour Co-operative
| 1976 | English Nationalist
| 1976 by-election | Robin Hodgson | Conservative
| 1979 | David Winnick | Labour
| 2017 | Eddie Hughes | Conservative

## Elections

[edit]

### Elections in the 2010s

[edit]

General election 2019: Walsall North[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Eddie Hughes | 23,334  | 63.8  |  14.2
| Labour | Gill Ogilvie  | 11,369  | 31.1  |  11.7
| Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Gray  | 1,236  | 3.4  |  1.9
| Green | Mark Wilson  | 617  | 1.7  | New
Majority | 11,965  | 32.7  |  25.9
Turnout | 36,556  | 54.4  |  2.9
| Conservative hold | Swing |  13.0  |
General election 2017: Walsall North[13] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Eddie Hughes | 18,919  | 49.6  |  15.8
| Labour | David Winnick | 16,318  | 42.8  |  3.8
| UKIP | Elizabeth Hazell  | 2,295  | 6.0  |  16.0
| Liberal Democrats | Isabelle Parasram  | 586  | 1.5  |  0.8
Majority | 2,601  | 6.8  | N/A
Turnout | 38,118  | 57.3  |  2.3
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |  6.1  |
General election 2015: Walsall North[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Winnick | 14,392  | 39.0  |  2.0
| Conservative | Douglas Hansen-Luke  | 12,455  | 33.8  |  0.5
| UKIP | Elizabeth Hazell  | 8,122  | 22.0  |  17.2
| Liberal Democrats | Nigel Jones  | 840  | 2.3  |  10.8
| TUSC | Peter Smith  | 545  | 1.5  |  0.8
| Green | Mike Harrison  | 529  | 1.4  | New
Majority | 1,937  | 5.2  |  2.5
Turnout | 36,883  | 55.0  |  0.5
| Labour hold | Swing |  1.3  |
General election 2010: Walsall North[15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Winnick | 13,385  | 37.0  |  10.8
| Conservative | Helyn Clack  | 12,395  | 34.3  |  6.3
| Liberal Democrats | Nadia Fazal  | 4,754  | 13.1  |  0.7
| BNP | Christopher Woodall  | 2,930  | 8.1  |  2.1
| UKIP | Elizabeth Hazell  | 1,737  | 4.8  |  1.3
| Democratic Labour | Peter Smith  | 842  | 2.3  |  0.0
| Christian | Babar Shakir  | 144  | 0.4  | New
Majority | 990  | 2.7  | 17.2
Turnout | 36,187  | 55.5  |  3.3
| Labour hold | Swing |  9.0  |

### Elections in the 2000s

[edit]

General election 2005: Walsall North[16] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Winnick | 15,990  | 47.8  |  10.3
| Conservative | Ian Lucas  | 9,350  | 28.0  |  1.1
| Liberal Democrats | Douglas Taylor  | 4,144  | 12.4  |  3.4
| BNP | William Locke  | 1,992  | 6.0  | New
| UKIP | Anthony Lenton  | 1,182  | 3.5  |  1.0
| Democratic Labour | Peter Smith  | 770  | 2.3  | New
Majority | 6,640  | 19.8  | 9.2
Turnout | 33,428  | 52.8  |  3.8
| Labour hold | Swing |  4.6  |
General election 2001: Walsall North[17] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Winnick | 18,779  | 58.1  |  1.5
| Conservative | Melvin Pitt  | 9,388  | 29.1  |  1.5
| Liberal Democrats | Michael Heap  | 2,923  | 9.0  |  0.4
| UKIP | Jenny Mayo  | 812  | 2.5  | New
| Socialist Alliance | David Church  | 410  | 1.3  | New
Majority | 9,391  | 29.0  |  0.0
Turnout | 32,312  | 49.0  |  15.1
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1990s

[edit]

General election 1997: Walsall North[18][19] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Winnick | 24,517  | 56.6  |  9.9
| Conservative | Michael Bird  | 11,929  | 27.6  |  11.8
| Liberal Democrats | Tracy O'Brien  | 4,050  | 9.4  |  3.3
| Referendum | Derek Bennett  | 1,430  | 3.3  | New
| Independent | Melvin Pitt  | 911  | 2.1  | New
| National Front | Alan Humphries  | 465  | 1.1  |  0.1
Majority | 12,588  | 29.0  | 21.7
Turnout | 43,302  | 64.1  | 10.9
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1992: Walsall North[20][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Winnick | 24,387  | 46.7  |  4.1
| Conservative | Robert Syms | 20,563  | 39.4  |  0.4
| Liberal Democrats | AR Powis  | 6,629  | 12.7  |  5.7
| National Front | KA Reynolds  | 614  | 1.2  | New
Majority | 3,824  | 7.3  |  3.7
Turnout | 52,193  | 75.0  |  1.2
| Labour hold | Swing |  1.9  |

### Elections in the 1980s

[edit]

General election 1987: Walsall North[22][23] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Winnick | 21,458  | 42.6  | +0.1
| Conservative | Leah Hertz  | 19,668  | 39.0  | +2.3
| Liberal | Ian Shires  | 9,285  | 18.4  | −2.3
Majority | 1,790  | 3.6  | −2.2
Turnout | 50,411  | 73.8  | +2.8
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1983: Walsall North[24][25] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Winnick | 20,782  | 42.5  |
| Conservative | Nicholas Stephens  | 17,958  | 36.7  |
| Liberal | Arthur Bentley  | 10,141  | 20.7  |
Majority | 2,824  | 5.8  |
Turnout | 48,881  | 71.0  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1970s

[edit]

General election 1979: Walsall North[26] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | David Winnick | 26,913  | 50.9  | −8.6
| Conservative | Robin Hodgson | 21,047  | 39.8  | +13.7
| Liberal | Arthur Bentley  | 3,778  | 7.1  | −6.3
| National Front | C Parker  | 1,098  | 2.1  | N/A
Majority | 5,866  | 11.1  | N/A
Turnout | 52,836  | 72.3  | +5.7
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
Walsall North by-election, 1976  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | Robin Hodgson | 16,212  | 43.4  |  17.3
| Labour | David Winnick | 11,833  | 31.6  |  27.9
| Independent | Sidney Wright  | 4,374  | 11.7  | New
| National Front | Joseph Parker  | 2,724  | 7.3  | New
| Liberal | Fran Oborski  | 1,212  | 3.2  |  13.2
| Socialist Workers | James McCallum  | 574  | 1.5  | New
| National Party | Marian Powell  | 258  | 0.7  | New
| Ecology | Jonathan Tyler | 181  | 0.5  | New
| Air, Road, Public Safety, White Resident  | Bill Boaks | 30  | 0.1  | New
Majority | 4,379  | 11.8  | N/A
Turnout | 37,398  |  |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +22.5  |
General election October 1974: Walsall North[27] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour Co-op | John Stonehouse | 28,340  | 59.5  | −4.1
| Conservative | Robin Hodgson | 12,455  | 26.1  | −8.7
| Liberal | W Gill  | 6,337  | 13.4  | New
| Communist | J Richards  | 465  | 1.0  | −0.6
Majority | 15,885  | 33.4  | +4.6
Turnout | 47,597  | 66.6  | −5.5
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing |  |
General election February 1974: Walsall North[28] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour Co-op | John Stonehouse | 32,458  | 63.6  |
| Conservative | Robin Hodgson | 17,754  | 34.8  |
| Communist | J Richards  | 819  | 1.6  |
Majority | 14,704  | 28.8  |
Turnout | 51,031  | 72.1  |
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing |  |
General election 1970: Walsall North[29] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | William Wells | 27,543  | 57.1  | −8.0
| Conservative | A John Barnes  | 20,128  | 41.7  | +6.8
| Communist | Graham Stevenson  | 597  | 1.2  | New
Majority | 7,415  | 15.4  | −14.8
Turnout | 48,268  | 66.8  | −4.1
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1960s

[edit]

General election 1966: Walsall North[30] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | William Wells | 29,710  | 65.1  | +3.7
| Conservative | A John L Barnes  | 15,953  | 34.9  | −3.7
Majority | 13,757  | 30.2  | +7.4
Turnout | 45,663  | 70.9  | −1.0
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1964: Walsall North[31] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | William Wells | 27,842  | 61.4  | +0.4
| Conservative | A John L Barnes  | 17,518  | 38.6  | −0.4
Majority | 10,324  | 22.8  | +0.8
Turnout | 45,360  | 71.9  | −4.8
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### Elections in the 1950s

[edit]

General election 1959: Walsall North[32] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | William Wells | 27,693  | 61.0  | −1.5
| Conservative | James G Ackers  | 17,741  | 39.0  | +1.5
Majority | 9,952  | 22.0  | −3.0
Turnout | 45,434  | 76.7  | −0.3
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
General election 1955: Walsall North[33] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | William Wells | 26,665  | 62.5  |
| National Liberal | Francis R Roberts  | 15,970  | 37.5  |
Majority | 10,695  | 25.0  |
Turnout | 42,635  | 77.0  |
| Labour win (new seat)

## See also

[edit]

* List of parliamentary constituencies in the West Midlands (county)

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. ^ 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.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
2. ^ Hughes's gain was one of six gains offset by greater losses (13 net seats lost) for his party in the 2017 results nationwide. The two largest parties increased their share of the vote in 2017, largely in England at the expense of UKIP.
3. ^ a b "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – West Midlands | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
4. ^ Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (South-East staffordshire) Order 1955. SI 1955/170". Statutory Instruments 1955. Part II. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1956. pp. 2166–2167.
6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Walsall) Order 1955. SI 1960/464". Statutory Instruments 1960. Part III. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1961. pp. 2885–2886.
7. ^ "Election 2010 – Walsall North". BBC News. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
8. ^ "Conservative top target seats to win the 2015 general election with an overall majority". Mirror. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
9. ^ "Walsall North parliamentary constituency – Election 2015". BBC News. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
10. ^ "Labour Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018.
11. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 1)
12. ^ "Walsall North Parliamentary constituency". BBC Online. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
13. ^ "Walsall North Parliamentary constituency". BBC Online. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
14. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
15. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
16. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
17. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
18. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
19. ^ "Walsall North [Archive]". www.politicsresources.net. 12 October 2022.
20. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
21. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
22. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
23. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1987. Politics Resources. 11 June 1987. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
24. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
25. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1983. Politics Resources. 9 June 1983. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
26. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1979. Politics Resources. 28 May 1979. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
27. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1979. Politics Resources. 10 October 1974. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
28. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1979. Politics Resources. 28 February 1974. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
29. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1970. Politics Resources. 18 June 1970. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
30. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1966. Politics Resources. 31 March 1966. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
31. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1966. Politics Resources. 15 October 1964. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
32. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1959. Politics Resources. 8 October 1959. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
33. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1955. Politics Resources. 26 May 1955. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

## External links

[edit]

* Walsall North UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
* Walsall North UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK

* v
* t
* e

Constituencies in the West Midlands (57)

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* Birmingham Edgbaston
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* Burton and Uttoxeter
* Cannock Chase
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* Stoke-on-Trent North
* Stoke-on-Trent South
* Stourbridge
* Tamworth
* Telford
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* Walsall and Bloxwich
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* Wolverhampton South East
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* Aldridge-Brownhills
* Bromsgrove
* Droitwich and Evesham
* Hereford and South Herefordshire
* Kenilworth and Southam
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* Stratford-on-Avon

Independent (2)|

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Green Party (1)|

* North Herefordshire

Authority control databases: People |

* UK Parliament

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