Stockton North is a constituency covering the town of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham and other nearby settlements in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees located north of the River Tees, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Chris McDonald, a member of the Labour Party, having been elected in the 2024 general election.
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Constituency profile
Stockton North is a constituency in County Durham in North East England. It covers the central and northern areas of the town of Stockton-on-Tees, including Oxbridge, Portrack and Hardwick, as well as the adjacent towns of Norton and Billingham and parts of the outlying village of Wynyard.
Stockton is a large town within the Teesside urban area, located close to Middlesbrough and Thornaby-on-Tees. Stockton is traditionally a market town that experienced rapid growth during the Industrial Revolution as a centre for shipbuilding, ironmaking and engineering. The Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world's first steam-powered passenger railway, was built and opened here by George Stephenson in 1825. This constituency was heavily industrial; Haverton Hill was mostly depopulated in the 1960s due to pollution, and the area around Seal Sands still contains large chemical production facilities. Most of Stockton is highly-deprived with many residents living in socially-rented housing. Norton and Billingham are wealthier and more suburban in character, and Wynyard is an affluent, newly-developed garden village. House prices across the constituency are generally lower than the rest of North East England and the average price is less than half the UK average.
Residents of Stockton North have a similar age profile to the rest of the country. They have low rates of income, average levels of homeownership, and the child poverty rate is high; in November 2023, home secretary James Cleverly caused controversy when he was accused of calling Stockton North a "shithole" during a House of Commons debate after its member of Parliament, Alex Cunningham, challenged prime minister Rishi Sunak on the level of child poverty in the constituency. Residents have low levels of education and a high proportion work in the manufacturing and transport sectors. The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is high. White people made up 92% of the population at the 2021 census.
At the local borough council, the centres of Stockton and Billingham are represented by Labour Party councillors whilst the wealthier suburban areas elected Conservatives. Voters in Stockton North strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 68% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide figure of 52%.
History
The constituency was created for the 1983 general election, partially replacing the former Stockton-on-Tees constituency. The outgoing MP for Stockton-on-Tees was Bill Rodgers, who had held the seat since 1962. He had been a Labour Party member until 1981, when he left to found the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The 1983 election was the first since Rodgers had left the Labour Party, and he was narrowly defeated by Labour's Frank Cook. Cook held the seat with majorities between 16% and 48% until the 2010 general election, when after 27 years as the MP he was de-selected by his local party. Cook chose to run again however, as an independent candidate. Cook polled less than 5% of the vote, fifth of the seven candidates who stood, and joined four of these in forfeiting his deposit and the seat was held by the Labour Party's next candidate, Alex Cunningham.
In November 2021, Cunningham announced his intention to stand down at the 2024 general election, when the seat was won by his successor as Labour candidate, Chris McDonald.
Boundaries
Historic
1983–1997: The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees wards of Blue Hall, Charltons, Elm Tree, Glebe, Grange, Hardwick, Marsh House, Mile House, Newtown, Northfield, Norton, Portrack and Tilery, Roseworth, St Aidan's, St Cuthbert's, Whitton, and Wolviston.
1997–2010: The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees wards of Blue Hall, Charltons, Glebe, Grange, Hardwick, Marsh House, Mile House, Newtown, Northfield, Norton, Portrack and Tilery, Roseworth, St Aidan's, St Cuthbert's, Whitton, and Wolviston.
2010–2024: The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees wards of Billingham Central, Billingham East, Billingham North, Billingham South, Billingham West, Hardwick, Newtown, Northern Parishes, Norton North, Norton South, Norton West, Roseworth, Stockton Town Centre, and Western Parishes.
Current
Further to the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was defined as comprising the following wards of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
Billingham Central; Billingham East; Billingham North; Billingham South; Billingham West; Hardwick and Salters Lane; Newtown; Northern Parishes; Norton North; Norton South; Norton West; Parkfield and Oxbridge; Roseworth; Stockton Town Centre.
In order to bring the electorate within the permitted electoral range, the Parkfield and Oxbridge ward was transferred in from Stockton South (renamed Stockton West) in exchange for Western Parishes.
Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following wards or part wards of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees from the 2024 general election:
Billingham Central; Billingham East; Billingham North; Billingham South; Billingham West & Wolviston; Eaglescliffe East (small part); Grangefield (majority); Hardwick & Salters Lane; Newtown; Northern Parishes (majority); Norton Central; Norton North; Norton South; Ropner; Roseworth; Stockton Town Centre; and a very small part of Hartburn.
Stockton North consists of the northern part of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, including the town centre and the nearby towns and villages of Billingham, Norton, Wolviston and Thorpe Thewles.