Norwich North (UK Parliament constituency)

Norwich North is a constituency^{[n 1]} in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament represented by Alice Macdonald, member of the Labour Party, after winning the seat in the 2024 general election.

Norwich North
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Norwich North in the East of England
County	Norfolk
Electorate	71,441 (2023)[1]
Current constituency
Created	1950
Member of Parliament	Alice Macdonald (Labour)
Seats	One
Created from	Norwich

The constituency includes parts of two local government areas, Norwich and Broadland with the majority of the electorate in Broadland.

History

The constituency was created by the Representation of the People Act 1948 for the 1950 general election, when the former two-seat constituency of Norwich was divided into two single-member seats, Norwich North and Norwich South.

It was initially a safe seat for the Labour Party, held continuously by the party until 1983, when major boundary changes made the seat much more favourable to the Conservatives,^[2] who then held the seat from 1983 to 1997. The Labour member from 1997 to 2009 was Ian Gibson, who resigned as an MP with immediate effect on 5 June 2009 after being implicated in the expenses scandal. A by-election was held to replace him on 23 July 2009,^[3] which was won by the Conservative Chloe Smith. She retained the seat in the 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019 general elections, achieving over 50% of the vote for the first time in 2019. In 2022, Smith announced she would stand down from Parliament at the dissolution in advance of the 2024 general election,^[4] when the seat was regained by Labour's Alice McDonald.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1950–1951

• The County Borough of Norwich wards of Catton, Coslany, Fye Bridge, Heigham, Hellesdon, Mousehold, Thorpe, and Westwick.^[5]

1951–1974

• The County Borough of Norwich wards of Catton, Coslany, Fye Bridge, Heigham, Hellesdon, Mousehold, Thorpe, and Westwick; and
• The part of the civil parish of Thorpe-next-Norwich in the Rural District of Blofield and Flegg, and the part of the parish of Sprowston in the Rural District of St Faiths and Aylsham, added to the County Borough of Norwich by the Norwich Extension Act 1950.^[6]

Minor expansion of boundaries under the provisions of Statutory Instrument 1951/325.^[7]

1974–1983

• The County Borough of Norwich wards of Catton, Coslany, Crome, Heigham, Hellesdon, Mancroft, Mousehold, and Thorpe.^[8]

Further to the Second Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies a redistribution of seats was enacted in 1970. However, in the case of the two Norwich constituencies, this was superseded before the February 1974 general election by the Parliamentary Constituencies (Norwich) Order 1973 which followed on from a revision of the County Borough of Norwich wards in 1971, resulting in a realignment of the boundary with Norwich South.

1983–1997

• The District of Broadland wards of Catton, Hellesdon North, Hellesdon South East, Hellesdon West, Sprowston Central, Sprowston East, Sprowston South, Sprowston West, Thorpe St Andrew North East, Thorpe St Andrew North West, and Thorpe St Andrew South; and
• The City of Norwich wards of Catton Grove, Coslany, Crome, Mile Cross, and Mousehold.^[9]

Gained suburban areas now part of the District of Broadland, including Thorpe St Andrew from Yarmouth and Hellesdon and Sprowston from North Norfolk.  Southern areas transferred to Norwich South.

1997–2010

• The District of Broadland wards of Catton, Drayton, Hellesdon North, Hellesdon South East, Hellesdon West, Sprowston Central, Sprowston East, Sprowston South, Sprowston West, Taverham, Thorpe St Andrew North East, Thorpe St Andrew North West, and Thorpe St Andrew South; and
• The City of Norwich wards of Catton Grove, Coslany, Crome, Mile Cross, and Mousehold.^[10]

District of Broadland wards of Drayton and Taverham transferred from Mid Norfolk.

2010–2024

Map of boundaries 2010-2024

• The District of Broadland wards of Hellesdon North West, Hellesdon South East, Old Catton and Sprowston West, Sprowston Central, Sprowston East, Thorpe St Andrew North West, and Thorpe St Andrew South East; and
• The City of Norwich wards of Catton Grove, Crome, Mile Cross, and Sewell.^[11]

Drayton and Taverham were transferred back out, to the new constituency of Broadland. In Norwich, the part of the Crome ward around Morse Road moved to Norwich North, while the area around Mousehold Street in Thorpe Hamlet became part of Norwich South.

Following their review of parliamentary constituencies in Norfolk that concluded in 2007 and came into effect for the 2010 general election, the Boundary Commission for England created a slightly modified Norwich North constituency. The changes were necessary to re-align the constituency boundaries with the new local government ward boundaries introduced in Broadland and Norwich and to take account of Norfolk being awarded an additional, ninth constituency by the Boundary Commission.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was expanded slightly to regain Drayton (but not Taverham) from Broadland and the area around Mousehold Street from Norwich South.^[12]

Members of Parliament

Norwich prior to 1950

Election	Member[13]	Party
1950	John Paton		Labour
1964	George Wallace		Labour
February 1974	David Ennals		Labour
1983	Patrick Thompson		Conservative
1997	Ian Gibson		Labour
2009 by-election	Chloe Smith		Conservative
2024	Alice Macdonald		Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

See also: 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies § Notional 2019 general election results

General election 2024: Norwich North^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Alice Macdonald	20,794	45.4	+6.5
	Conservative	Charlotte Salomon	9,944	21.7	−29.9
	Reform UK	Nick Taylor	8,229	18.0	N/A
	Green	Ben Price	4,372	9.6	+7.3
	Liberal Democrats	Chicka Akinwale	2,073	4.5	−1.7
	Independent	Fiona Grace	353	0.8	N/A
Majority			10,850	23.7
Turnout			45,765	62.0
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+18.2

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Norwich North^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Chloe Smith	23,397	50.5	+2.8
	Labour	Karen Davis	18,659	40.3	−6.3
	Liberal Democrats	David Thomas	2,663	5.8	+2.6
	Green	Adrian Holmes	1,078	2.3	+0.6
	UKIP	David Moreland	488	1.1	N/A
Majority			4,738	10.2	+9.1
Turnout			46,285	68.9	+0.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	+4.6

General election 2017: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Chloe Smith	21,900	47.7	+4.0
	Labour	Christopher Jones	21,393	46.6	+13.1
	Liberal Democrats	Hugh Lanham	1,480	3.2	−1.1
	Green	Adrian Holmes[16]	782	1.7	−2.7
	Pirate	Liam Matthews	340	0.7	N/A
Majority			507	1.1	−9.1
Turnout			45,977	68.7	+1.8
	Conservative hold		Swing	-4.6

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Norwich North

General election 2015: Norwich North^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Chloe Smith	19,052	43.7	+3.1
	Labour	Jessica Asato	14,589	33.5	+2.1
	UKIP	Glenn Tingle	5,986	13.7	+9.3
	Green	Adrian Holmes	1,939	4.4	+1.5
	Liberal Democrats	James Wright	1,894	4.3	−14.0
	Independent	Mick Hardy[18]	132	0.3	N/A
Majority			4,463	10.2	+1.0
Turnout			43,592	66.9	+1.7
	Conservative hold		Swing	+0.6

General election 2010: Norwich North^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Chloe Smith	17,280	40.6	+10.1
	Labour Co-op	John Cook	13,379	31.4	+15.7
	Liberal Democrats	David Stephen	7,783	18.3	+2.2
	UKIP	Glenn Tingle	1,878	4.4	+2.1
	Green	Jess Goldfinch	1,245	2.9	−0.3
	BNP	Thomas Richardson	747	1.8	N/A
	Independent	Bill Holden	143	0.3	N/A
	Christian	Andrew Holland	118	0.3	N/A
Majority			3,901	9.2	N/A
Turnout			42,573	65.2	+4.1
	Conservative hold		Swing	+12.9

Elections in the 2000s

By-election 2009: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Chloe Smith	13,591	39.5	+6.3
	Labour	Chris Ostrowski	6,243	18.2	−26.7
	Liberal Democrats	April Pond	4,803	14.0	−2.2
	UKIP	Glenn Tingle	4,068	11.8	+9.4
	Green	Rupert Read	3,350	9.7	+7.0
	Put an Honest Man into Parliament	Craig Murray	953	2.8	N/A
	BNP	Robert West	941	2.7	N/A
	Independent	Bill Holden	166	0.5	−0.2
	Monster Raving Loony	Alan Hope	144	0.4	N/A
	NOTA	Anne Fryatt	59	0.2	N/A
	Libertarian	Thomas Burridge	36	0.1	N/A
	Independent	Peter Baggs	23	0.1	N/A
Majority			7,348	21.3	N/A
Turnout			34,377	45.9[20]	−15.2
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	+16.5

General election 2005: Norwich North^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ian Gibson	21,097	44.9	−2.5
	Conservative	James Tumbridge	15,638	33.2	−1.4
	Liberal Democrats	Robin Whitmore	7,616	16.2	+1.4
	Green	Adrian Holmes	1,252	2.7	+1.0
	UKIP	John Youles	1,122	2.4	+1.4
	Independent	Bill Holden	308	0.7	N/A
Majority			5,459	11.7	−1.1
Turnout			47,033	61.1	+2.0
	Labour hold		Swing	−0.6

General election 2001: Norwich North^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ian Gibson	21,624	47.4	−2.3
	Conservative	Kay Mason	15,761	34.6	+2.1
	Liberal Democrats	Moira Toye	6,750	14.8	+2.2
	Green	Rob Tinch	797	1.7	N/A
	UKIP	Guy Cheyney	471	1.0	N/A
	Independent	Michael Betts	211	0.5	N/A
Majority			5,863	12.8	−5.4
Turnout			45,614	59.1	−16.8
	Labour hold		Swing	−2.2

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Norwich North^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ian Gibson	27,346	49.7	+6.9
	Conservative	Robert Kinghorn	17,876	32.5	−10.8
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Young	6,951	12.6	−0.3
	Referendum	Tony Bailey-Smith	1,777	3.2	N/A
	Legalise Cannabis	Howard Marks	512	0.9	N/A
	Socialist Labour	James Hood	495	0.9	N/A
	Natural Law	Diana Mills	100	0.2	0.0
Majority			9,470	17.2	N/A
Turnout			55,057	75.9	−5.9
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	+8.8

General election 1992: Norwich North^[24][25][26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Patrick Thompson	22,419	43.3	−2.5
	Labour	Ian Gibson	22,153	42.8	+12.6
	Liberal Democrats	David Harrison	6,706	12.9	−11.1
	Green	Lou Betts	433	0.8	N/A
	Natural Law	R. Arnold	93	0.2	N/A
Majority			266	0.5	−15.1
Turnout			51,804	81.8	+2.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	−7.6

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Norwich North^[27][28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Patrick Thompson	22,772	45.8	+1.1
	Labour	Mary Honeyball	14,996	30.2	−2.2
	Liberal	Paul Nicholls	11,922	24.0	+1.4
Majority			7,776	15.6	+3.3
Turnout			49,690	79.2	+3.0
	Conservative hold		Swing	+1.7

General election 1983: Norwich North^[29][30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Patrick Thompson	21,355	44.7
	Labour	David Ennals	15,476	32.4
	Liberal	Graham Jones	10,796	22.6
	Workers Revolutionary	F. Cairns	194	0.4
Majority			5,879	12.3
Turnout			47,821	76.2
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing

Note: This constituency underwent boundary changes after the 1979 election, so was notionally a Conservative-held seat.^[31]

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Norwich North^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Ennals	17,927	50.8	−5.2
	Conservative	P. H. Rippon	12,336	35.0	+7.7
	Liberal	P. Moore	4,253	12.1	−4.7
	Ecology	G. Hannah	334	1.0	N/A
	National Front	L. Goold	250	0.7	N/A
	Communist	A. Panes	106	0.3	N/A
	Workers Revolutionary	S. Colling	92	0.3	N/A
Majority			5,591	15.8	−12.9
Turnout			33,298	75.6	+4.4
	Labour hold		Swing	-6.5

General election October 1974: Norwich North^[33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Ennals	17,958	56.0	+7.4
	Conservative	T. P. Doe	8,754	27.3	−0.6
	Liberal	E. M. Wheeler	5,378	16.8	−5.3
Majority			9,204	28.7	+8.0
Turnout			32,090	71.2	−7.7
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.0

General election February 1974: Norwich North^[34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Ennals	17,111	48.6	−10.1
	Conservative	T. P. Doe	9,817	27.9	−10.3
	Liberal	E. M. Wheeler	7,773	22.1	N/A
	National Front	G. Goold	544	1.5	N/A
Majority			7,294	20.7	−0.8
Turnout			35,245	78.9	+7.6
	Labour hold		Swing	+0.1

General election 1970: Norwich North^[35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George Wallace	18,564	59.7	−5.9
	Conservative	Amédée Turner	11,868	38.2	+3.8
	Independent Progressive	C. C. Fairhead	658	2.1	N/A
Majority			6,696	21.5	−9.7
Turnout			31,090	71.3	−2.9
	Labour hold		Swing	−4.9

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Norwich North^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George Wallace	18,777	65.6	+4.7
	Conservative	Amédée Turner	9,851	34.4	−4.7
Majority			8,926	31.2	+9.4
Turnout			28,628	74.2	−0.3
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.7

General election 1964: Norwich North^[37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George Wallace	18,111	60.9	+0.7
	Conservative	Amédée Turner	11,620	39.1	−0.7
Majority			6,491	21.8	+1.4
Turnout			29,731	74.5	−2.4
	Labour hold		Swing	+0.7

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Norwich North^[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Paton	19,092	60.2	−0.5
	Conservative	Dudley R Chance	12,609	39.8	+0.5
Majority			6,483	20.4	−1.0
Turnout			31,701	76.9	+1.6
	Labour hold		Swing	−0.5

General election 1955: Norwich North^[39][40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Paton	18,682	60.7	−2.0
	Conservative	Thomas Eaton	12,087	39.3	+2.0
Majority			6,595	21.4	−4.0
Turnout			30,769	75.3	−8.8
	Labour hold		Swing	−2.0

General election 1951: Norwich North^[41][42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Paton	22,880	62.7	+3.5
	Conservative	Thomas Eaton	13,587	37.3	+13.8
Majority			9,293	25.4	−10.3
Turnout			36,467	84.1	−2.1
	Labour hold		Swing	−5.2

General election 1950: Norwich North^[43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	John Paton	21,898	59.2
	Conservative	V. R. Rees	8,704	23.5
	Liberal	Don Bennett	6,376	17.2
Majority			13,194	35.7
Turnout			36,978	86.2
	Labour win (new seat)

See also

• 2009 Norwich North by-election
• List of parliamentary constituencies in Norfolk
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the East of England (region)

Notes

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

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – Eastern". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
2. Waller, Robert; Criddle, Byron (2007). The Almanac of British Politics (8th ed.). UK: Routledge. p. 718. ISBN 978-0-415-37823-9.
3. "MP quitting to force by-election". BBC News. 5 June 2009.
4. "Ex-Cabinet minister Chloe Smith to stand down as MP at next election". Redditch Advertiser. 22 November 2022.
5. "Representation of the People Act, 1948". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
6. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1970". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
7. S., Craig, Fred W. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972;. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178094. OCLC 539011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
8. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Norwich) Order 1973". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
9. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
10. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1995". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
11. "The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 2007". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
12. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule I Part 2 Eastern region.
13. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 3)
14. "Statement of Persons Nominated, Notice of Poll and Situation of Polling Stations - UK PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION - Election of a Member of Parliament to serve Norwich North Constituency". Broadland and South Norfolk Councils. 7 June 2024.
15. "Norwich North Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
16. Grimmer, Dan. "UKIP announce they will not have Norwich general election candidates and urge supporters to 'lend' votes to Conservatives". Eastern Daily Press.
17. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
18. "Norwich_North_Statement_Notice_of_Poll.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
19. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
20. Sparrow, Andrew (24 July 2009). "Norwich North byelection results – live". The Guardian. London.
21. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
22. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
23. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
24. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
25. Norwich North: Constituency, The Guardian
26. "UK General Election results April 1992". Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
27. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
28. UK General Election results: June 1987
29. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
30. UK General Election results: June 1983
31. "Notional 1979 general election constituency results by county". Google Docs.
32. UK General Election results: May 1979
33. UK General Election results: October 1974
34. UK General Election results: February 1974
35. UK General Election results: 1970
36. UK General Election results: March 1966
37. UK General Election results: October 1964
38. UK General Election results: October 1959
39. UK General Election results: May 1955
40. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1955.
41. UK General Election results: October 1951
42. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1951.
43. UK General Election results: February 1950

External links

• Norwich North UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Norwich North UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Norwich North UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

52.65°N 1.30°E / 52.65; 1.30