Newcastle-under-Lyme is a constituency in northern Staffordshire created in 1354 and represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Adam Jogee of the Labour Party. It was the last UK constituency to be co-represented by a member of the Conservative Party when it was dual-member, before the 1885 general election which followed the Reform Act 1884 and the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. In 1919 the local MP, Josiah Wedgwood, shifted his allegiance from the Liberal Party (the Lloyd George Coalition Liberals allying with the Conservatives) to the Labour Party and the seat elected the Labour candidate at each election for the next hundred years, a total of 29 elections in succession. Labour came close to losing the seat in 1969, 1986, 2015 and 2017, and eventually lost the seat in 2019. Its 2017 general election result was the fifth-closest result, a winning margin of 30 votes. In 2019, it was won by the Conservatives for the first time since its creation, by over 7,000 votes. Newcastle-under-Lyme is one of twelve Staffordshire seats (100%) won (held or gained) by Conservative candidates in 2019.

Boundaries

The constituency includes most of the northerly parts of Newcastle-under-Lyme borough, primarily Newcastle-under-Lyme town plus Keele and Audley. Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies for General Election 2010 since which it has electoral wards, with no alterations in that review: From 1983-2010 the constituency comprised the following wards of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, namely, Audley and Bignall End, Bradwell, Chesterton, Clayton, Cross Heath, Halmerend, Holditch, Keele, May Bank, Porthill, Seabridge, Silverdale, Thistleberry, Town, Westlands and Wolstanton. 1885–1918: The existing parliamentary borough, so much of the municipal borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme as was not already included in the parliamentary borough, the local government district of Tunstall, and so much of the parish of Wolstanton as lay south of a line drawn along the centre of the road leading west from Chatterley railway station to the boundary of Audley parish.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies (in effect since 2024 general election), the constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020): Minor boundary change, the addition of the village of Madeley from the (to be abolished) constituency of Stone, in order to bring the electorate within the permitted range.

History

From its creation in 1354, Newcastle-under-Lyme returned two MPs to the House of Commons. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the constituency's representation was cut to one member.

Prominent frontbenchers or members

Josiah Wedgwood of the pottery family was repeatedly elected to the seat from 1906 until he was ennobled to join the Lords in 1942, as 1st Baron Wedgwood and campaigned in the United States for that country to join World War II and for Indian Independence; he was among many Liberals and their supporters deserting the party in or around 1918 due to the steering of David Lloyd George to the right and inviting Conservatives into government with him. Before the 20th century the constituency was often influenced and represented by members of the Leveson, Leveson-Gower and related Egerton family who owned in this constituency the Trentham estate - their most important MP was the Viscount Trentham who obtained a Dukedom.

Summary of results

This constituency had been a loyal Labour Party seat having returned a Labour MP in all 29 elections since 1918 and specifically since 1922 when MP Wedgwood defected from the Liberal Party to the Labour Party — his was among a great series of defections at this time see for example ex-Prime Minister H. H. Asquith's strong criticism of the Coalition Liberals particularly David Lloyd George. The 2015 result gave the seat the 9th-smallest majority of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority and 3rd-lowest in 2017. The Conservatives took six seats from Labour in 2017, and this seat was the second closest to being taken that was held, behind Dudley North, where the result was a Labour majority of 22 votes.

Results of candidates of other parties

In 2015 one of four other parties' candidates standing, UKIP's Wood, won more than 5% of the vote in 2015 therefore keeping his deposit, the party which campaigned consistently for the public vote for leaving the European Union in 2016. In 2017 the three largest British parties fielded candidates only — Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates in order of votes won.

Turnout since 1945

Turnout has ranged from 87.6% in 1950 to 58.4% in 2024.

2017 election issues

In the 2017 election, 1,500 eligible voters were turned away while 2 ineligible voters were able to vote. An independent report by Andrew Scallan found a "complex picture of administrative mistakes around registration and postal voting processes", and because of the small margin of victory (30 votes) concluded that "it is impossible to have absolute confidence that the result... reflects the will of the electorate."

2024 election

On 31 May Aaron Bell announced that he would not be standing again for Newcastle-under-Lyme at the 2024 General Election. He announced the news on Facebook with an open letter in which he said 'It is with a heavy heart that I have decided not to contest the forthcoming general election for personal and family reasons'.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1353–1509

Where the name of the member has not yet been ascertained or is not recorded in a surviving document, the entry unknown is entered in the table. • Before 1354 No records • 1354 John Lagowe and Richard de Lavendene • 1355 John de Blorton and Richard de Podmore • 1358 Richard de Podmore and William de Homersley • 1360 William Gent and Richard de Colclough • 1361 William Gent and Richard de Podmore • 1362 Richard de Podmore and Thomas de Wodhull • 1363 Richard de Lavendene and John de Lylsull • 1365 Thomas de Wodhull and Richard de Podmore • 1366 Richard de Podmore and Thomas de Wodhull • 1369 Richard de Lavendene, Roger Letys • 1371 Roger Letys and Richard Lavendene • 1372 Edmund Toly and Thomas Colclough • 1373 Thomas de Wodhull and Roger del Castell • 1377 Richard Buntable and Thomas Thicknesse • 1377 Thomas de Podmore and Henry de Erdeleye • 1378 Thomas de Podmore and William Thickness • 1379 No records • 1380 John Kene and William Thickness • 1381-1382 Thomas Podmore and Thomas Hap • 1382 Thomas Thicknesse and John Thykenesse • 1382 William Thickness and Henry de Kele • 1383 Thomas Thicknesse and William de Brompton • 1383 Thomas Thicknesse and Thomas de Podmore • 1384 William Thickness and Ralf de la Hogh • 1384 John Colclough and William Colclough • 1385 William Colclough and Ralf de la Hogh • 1386 William Colclough and Ralf Hogh • 1388 William Thickness and John Kene • 1388 William Thickness and Thomas de Thikenes • 1390 John Colclough and William Colclough • 1391 Thomas Thicknesse and Ralf de la Hogh • 1393 Ralf Hogh, John Cook • 1394 No records • 1395 William Colclough and Ralf Hogh • 1397 William Colclough and Thomas Thicknesse • 1397-1398 No records • 1399 Thomas Podmore and Thomas Thicknesse • 1402 John Joce and Thomas Joce • 1406 Richard Fyton and William Lee II • 1407 Hugh Colclough and John Tatenhale • 1410 ? possibly John Delves was an MP representing the county or a borough • 1411 Thomas Thicknesse and William Bowyer • 1413 (1) ? possibly Newport, or Robert Bapthorpe was an MP representing the county or a borough • 1413 (2) William de Lee and Hugh Wyldeblood • 1416 William Skytteby, Thomas Chamberleyn • 1419 John Biddulph (Bedulf), John Miners • 1420 Hugo de Stanford and John Hardhed • 1421 John Biddulph (Bydulf) and Thomas Baron • 1421 Hugh Stanford and Thomas Lee • 1422 John Myners and Hugh Stanford • 1423-1424 Hugh Stanford and William Sandbache • 1425 John Wood and William Hextall • 1426 Robert Wodehous and Henry Lilie • 1427-1428 John Wood and Thomas Lee • 1429-1430 William Egerton and William Hextall • 1431 John Wood and Roger Legh • 1432 James Leveson and John Wood • 1433 John Wood and Thomas Podmore • 1435 Richard Bruyn and William Hextall • 1437 Thomas Preston and Nicholas Repynghale • 1442 John Nedham and William Cumberford of Cumberford • 1447 John Nedham and John Cudworth • 1449 John Nedham and Thomas Everdon • 1449-1450 Ralf Wolseley and Thomas Mayne • 1450-1451 Thomas Colclogh and Richard Mosley • 1453-1434 Thomas Colcloghe and John Spenser • 1455-1456 John Spenser and Richard Mosley • 1467-1468 James Norys and Robert Hille • 1472-1475 William Paston and John Wood • 1477-1478 William Yonge and Reynold Bray • 1491-1492 Richard Harpur and Richard Blunt • 1495-1496 ? Sir Reynold Bray • 1497 County or a borough - ?Richard Wrottesley, ?Humphrey Peshale,?Thomas Welles • 1504 unknown

Burgesses in the English Parliament 1510-1707

As there were sometimes significant gaps between Parliaments held in this period, the dates of first assembly and dissolution are given. The Roman numerals after some names are those used in The House of Commons 1509-1558 and The House of Commons 1558-1603 to distinguish a member from another politician of the same name.

MPs 1660–1885

MPs since 1885

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Elections in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

Election results 1868-1918

Elections in the 1860s

Elections in the 1870s

Buckley resigned, causing a by-election.

Elections in the 1880s

Elections in the 1890s

Elections in the 1900s

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1914/15: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Election results 1832-1868

Elections in the 1830s

Elections in the 1840s

Harris' election was declared void on petition on 11 May 1842, due to bribery by his agent, causing a by-election. Harris' election was again declared void on 23 July 1842, due to bribery by his agents, and Colquhoun was declared elected in his place. Christy resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds due to holding a government contract, causing a by-election in which he stood.

Elections in the 1850s

Elections in the 1860s

Pre-1832 election results

Elections in the 1830s

Sources