Corby and East Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Corby and East Northamptonshire is a constituency[n 1] in the English county of Northamptonshire. It is represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since July 2024 by Lee Barron, of the Labour Party.[n 2]

Corby and East Northamptonshire
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary in the East Midlands
CountyNorthamptonshire
Electorate76,748 (2023)[1]
Major settlementsCorby, Irthlingborough, Raunds, Thrapston and Oundle
Current constituency
Created1983 (renamed in 2024)
Member of ParliamentLee Barron (Labour)
Created fromKettering and Wellingborough

Prior to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency was known as Corby. The 2024 general election was the first general election in which the 'Corby and East Northamptonshire' constituency was contested following the boundary changes of 2023.[2]

History

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From 1832 – 1918, the village of Corby was part of the North Northamptonshire constituency, which consisted of most of the Soke of Peterborough, the towns of Oundle and Thrapston and the surrounding villages and hamlets of north-eastern Northamptonshire.[3]

The North Northamptonshire constituency boundaries were changed slightly in 1885, with some of the constituency being transferred to the newly created Mid Northamptonshire constituency. However, Corby remained within the revised constituency of North Northamptonshire.[4]

The North Northamptonshire constituency was abolished in 1918 for that year's general election, and from 1918, Corby was part of the Kettering constituency. Corby remained part of the Kettering constituency until 1983. The Parliamentary seat of 'Corby' was created due to population increases in and around the town of Corby for the 1983 general election. Since creation, the Corby constituency has been a marginal seat being won by the party that won the national election at each general election since its creation. The first Member of Parliament elected for the constituency in 1983 was William Powell, who represented the Conservatives for three sessions of Parliament until 1997. Labour then held the seat until 2010.

On 6 August 2012, MP for the seat since 2010 Louise Mensch (formerly Louise Bagshawe) announced she was resigning, triggering a by-election held on 15 November 2012. Labour's Andy Sawford won, becoming the first Labour MP for the seat since Phil Hope was defeated in 2010, and only the second in the seat's history. This was Labour's first by-election win from a Conservative since the 1997 Wirral South by-election. At the 2015 general election Tom Pursglove standing for the Conservatives won with a small majority. He won again with a similar margin in 2017 and in 2019 Tom Pursglove took the seat for the third time, but with a majority of over 10,000, turning Corby into a non-marginal seat by Conservative Party standards.

At the 2024 general election, the seat was gained by Labour's Lee Barron amidst their national landslide victory, continuing the seat's bellwether streak of voting for the party that won nationally at every general election since its creation in 1983.

Boundaries

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Historic (Corby)

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1983–2010: The District of Corby, and the District of East Northamptonshire wards of Barnwell, Brigstock, Drayton, Forest, Irthlingborough, King's Cliffe, Lower Nene, Margaret Beaufort, Oundle, Raunds, Ringstead, Stanwick, Thrapston, Willibrook, and Woodford.

2010–2021: The Borough of Corby, and the District of East Northamptonshire wards of Barnwell, Dryden, Fineshade, Irthlingborough, King's Forest, Lower Nene, Lyveden, Oundle, Prebendal, Raunds Saxon, Raunds Windmill, Ringstead, Stanwick, Thrapston, and Woodford.

2021–2024: With effect from 1 April 2021, the Borough of Corby and the District of East Northamptonshire were abolished and absorbed into the new unitary authority of North Northamptonshire.[5] From that date, the constituency comprised the District of North Northamptonshire wards of Corby Rural, Corby West, Irthlingborough, Kingswood, Lloyds, Oakley, Oundle, Raunds and Thrapston.

The constituency was created in 1983 from parts of the seats of Kettering and Wellingborough. It is named after the town of Corby in Northamptonshire, and also covers much of the local government district of East Northamptonshire, but excluding Rushden and Higham Ferrers which are in the Wellingborough constituency. The seat is a highly marginal contest between the Tories and Labour, with Labour's vote strongest in the town of Corby itself, against the solidly Conservative rural areas of East Northamptonshire.[6]

The constituency was sometimes informally called "Corby and East Northamptonshire",[7] but the 2007 Parliamentary Constituencies Order[8] and Whitaker's Almanack both make it clear that, until 2024, its official name was "Corby".

Current (Corby and East Northamptonshire)

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Following to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is composed of the following wards of the District of North Northamptonshire:

  • Corby Rural (part); Corby West; Irthlingborough (part); Kingswood; Lloyds; Oakley; Oundle; Raunds; Thrapston.[9]
Parts of the Corby Rural and Irthlingborough wards were transferred to Kettering, and Wellingborough and Rushden respectively.

Members of Parliament

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Kettering and Wellingborough prior to 1983

Election Member[10] Party
1983 William Powell Conservative
1997 Phil Hope Labour
2010 Louise Bagshawe Conservative
2012 by-election Andy Sawford Labour
2015 Tom Pursglove Conservative
2024 Lee Barron Labour

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Corby and East Northamptonshire[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lee Barron 21,020 42.4 +3.9
Conservative Tom Pursglove 14,689 29.6 −25.0
Reform UK Edward McDonald 8,760 17.7 N/A
Green Lee Forster 2,507 5.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Chris Lofts 2,191 4.4 −2.4
Independent Karen Blott 422 0.9 N/A
Majority 6,331 12.8 N/A
Turnout 49,589 63.8 −6.4
Registered electors 78,787
Labour gain from Conservative Swing  14.8

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: Corby[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tom Pursglove 33,410 55.2 +6.0
Labour Beth Miller 23,142 38.3 −6.4
Liberal Democrats Chris Stanbra 3,923 6.5 +3.9
Majority 10,268 16.9 +12.4
Turnout 60,475 70.2 −2.6
Conservative hold Swing +6.25
General election 2017: Corby
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tom Pursglove 29,534 49.2 +6.4
Labour Beth Miller 26,844 44.7 +6.2
Liberal Democrats Chris Stanbra 1,545 2.6 0.0
UKIP Sam Watts 1,495 2.5 −11.2
Green Steven Scrutton 579 1.0 −1.4
Majority 2,690 4.5 +0.2
Turnout 59,637 72.8 +2.4
Conservative hold Swing +0.1
General election 2015: Corby[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tom Pursglove 24,023 42.8 +0.6
Labour Co-op Andy Sawford 21,611 38.5 −0.1
UKIP Margot Parker 7,708 13.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Peter Harris 1,458 2.6 −11.9
Green Jonathan Hornett 1,374 2.4 N/A
Majority 2,412 4.3 +0.7
Turnout 56,174 70.4 +1.2
Conservative hold Swing +0.4
2012 Corby by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Andy Sawford 17,267 48.4 +9.8
Conservative Christine Emmett 9,476 26.6 −15.6
UKIP Margot Parker 5,108 14.3 New
Liberal Democrats Jill Hope 1,770 5.0 −9.5
BNP Gordon Riddell 614 1.7 −3.0
English Democrat David Wickham 432 1.2 New
Green Jonathan Hornett 378 1.1 New
Independent Ian Gillman 212 0.6 New
Cannabis Law Reform Peter Reynolds 137 0.4 New
Elvis Loves Pets David Bishop 99 0.3 New
Independent Mr Mozzarella 73 0.2 New
Young People's Party Rohen Kapur 39 0.1 New
Democracy 2015 Adam Lotun 35 0.1 New
United People's Party Christopher Scotton 25 0.1 New
Majority 7,791 21.8 N/A
Turnout 35,665 44.8 −24.4
Labour Co-op gain from Conservative Swing +12.57
General election 2010: Corby[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Louise Bagshawe 22,886 42.2 +2.3
Labour Co-op Phil Hope 20,991 38.6 −4.5
Liberal Democrats Portia Wilson 7,834 14.5 +1.7
BNP Roy Davies 2,525 4.7 New
Majority 1,895 3.5 N/A
Turnout 54,180 69.2 +3.6
Conservative gain from Labour Co-op Swing +3.4

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Corby[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Phil Hope 20,913 43.1 −6.2
Conservative Andrew Griffith 19,396 40.0 +2.8
Liberal Democrats David Radcliffe 6,184 12.7 +2.6
UKIP Ian Gillman 1,278 2.6 +0.8
Socialist Labour Steven Carey 499 1.0 −0.6
Independent John Morris 257 0.5 New
Majority 1,517 3.1 −9.0
Turnout 48,527 65.6 +0.6
Labour Co-op hold Swing -4.5
General election 2001: Corby[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Phil Hope 23,283 49.3 −6.1
Conservative Andrew Griffith 17,583 37.2 +3.8
Liberal Democrats Kevin Scudder 4,751 10.1 +2.6
UKIP Ian Gillman 855 1.8 +0.9
Socialist Labour Andrew Dickson 750 1.6 New
Majority 5,700 12.1 −9.9
Turnout 47,222 65.0 −12.9
Labour Co-op hold Swing -5.0

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Corby[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Phil Hope 29,888 55.4 +11.5
Conservative William Powell 18,028 33.4 −11.1
Liberal Democrats Ian Hankison 4,045 7.5 −2.7
Referendum Sebastian Riley-Smith 1,356 2.5 New
UKIP Ian Gillman 507 0.9 New
Natural Law Jane Bence 133 0.2 New
Majority 11,860 22.0 N/A
Turnout 53,957 77.9 −5.0
Labour Co-op gain from Conservative Swing +11.3
General election 1992: Corby[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Powell 25,203 44.5 +0.2
Labour Harry Feather 24,861 43.9 +3.0
Liberal Democrats Melvyn Roffe 5,792 10.2 −4.6
Liberal Judith I. Wood 784 1.4 New
Majority 342 0.6 −2.8
Turnout 56,640 82.9 +3.3
Conservative hold Swing −1.4

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Corby[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Powell 23,323 44.3 +1.7
Labour Harry Feather 21,518 40.9 +4.8
Liberal Terrence Whittington 7,805 14.8 −5.5
Majority 1,805 3.4 −3.1
Turnout 52,646 79.6 +2.1
Conservative hold Swing −1.5
General election 1983: Corby[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Powell 20,827 42.6
Labour William Homewood 17,659 36.1
Liberal Terrence Whittington 9,905 20.3
Ecology Rosy J. Stanning 505 1.0
Majority 3,168 6.5
Turnout 48,896 77.5
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county 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

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – East Midlands | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  3. ^ "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 & 3 William IV. Cap. XLV: An Act to amend the Representation of the People in England and Wales". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1832. pp. 154–206. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  4. ^ "The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 48 & 49 Victoria. Ch. 23: Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, Schedule 7". London: His Majesty's statute and law printers. 1885. pp. 166–167. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  5. ^ "The Northamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2020".
  6. ^ "UKPollingReport Election Guide 2010 » Corby". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  7. ^ Coupe, Kerry (14 November 2019). "General Election 2019: Corby and East Northamptonshire candidates announced". Stamford Mercury. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  8. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk.
  9. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
  10. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 5)
  11. ^ "Corby and East Northamptonshire - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Declaration of Results UKPE 2019". Corby.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  15. ^ Statement of Persons Nominated[permanent dead link], Corby Borough Council
  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. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  21. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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52°29′N 0°32′W / 52.48°N 0.53°W / 52.48; -0.53