Blackpool North and Fleetwood

53°51′47″N 2°54′50″W / 53.863°N 2.914°W / 53.863; -2.914

Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Blackpool North and Fleetwood in North West England
CountyLancashire
Electorate75,396 (2023)[1]
Current constituency
Created2024
Member of ParliamentLorraine Beavers (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created fromBlackpool North and Cleveleys, Lancaster and Fleetwood
1997–2010
Created fromWyre, Blackpool North
Replaced byBlackpool North and Cleveleys, Lancaster and Fleetwood

Blackpool North and Fleetwood is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, electing one member of parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. Since its recreation following the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies for the 2024 general election the seat has been held by Lorraine Beavers of the Labour Party.

Constituency profile

The constituency of Blackpool North and Fleetwood is located in Lancashire at the north-west corner of the Fylde, a peninsula on the Irish Sea coast. It contains the northern suburbs of the large seaside town of Blackpool, including Bispham, and other towns and villages to the north including Cleveleys, Thornton and Fleetwood.

The area was traditionally reliant on the fishing and tourism industries. Like many coastal towns in England, the area has experienced economic decline in recent decades.[2] Compared to national averages, residents of the constituency are considerably older, more religious, more deprived and less likely to be degree-educated. White people make up 97% of the population.[3]

Local politics are mixed; at the most recent local council elections in 2023, Bispham, Cleveleys and Thornton elected primarily Conservative councillors whilst the seats in Fleetwood were won by Labour Party candidates. Voters in the constituency were strongly in favour of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, with an estimated 66% supporting Brexit.[3]

History

Blackpool is a unitary authority area but does not have enough electors to create two valid constituencies on its own without using electoral wards from other districts of Lancashire. Hence, this constituency was first created for the 1997 general election, containing the majority of the abolished Blackpool North constituency, together with the town of Fleetwood from the constituency of Wyre (also abolished). During its first creation, it was held by Joan Humble of the Labour Party.

The so-called "Golden Mile" of Blackpool and the fishing port of Fleetwood were paired in the seat. Those against the move at the time tried to argue that Fleetwood was a genteel place that had little, if anything, in common with its noisy neighbour to the south; then, as now, the Boundary Commission disagreed with the idea that Blackpool was a "den of vice", as one local Fleetwood newspaper claimed.

This seat was abolished for the 2010 general election, when Fleetwood was linked with Lancaster to create the new seat of Lancaster and Fleetwood. Meanwhile, the town of Thornton-Cleveleys was split to create Blackpool North and Cleveleys.

It was recreated in 2024 with boundaries similar to those of the 1997–2010 constituency and largely replaced the abolished Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency.[4]

Boundaries

1997–2010

The Borough of Blackpool wards of Anchorsholme, Bispham, Claremont, Greenlands, Ingthorpe, Norbreck, and Warbreck, and the Borough of Wyre wards of Bailey, Bourne, Cleveleys Park, Jubilee, Mount, Park, Pharos, Rossall, Victoria, and Warren.

2024–present

The re-established constituency is composed of the following wards (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The Borough of Blackpool wards of: Anchorsholme; Bispham; Greenlands; Ingthorpe; Norbreck.
  • The District of Wyre wards of: Bourne; Carleton; Cleveleys Park; Jubilee; Marsh Mill; Mount; Park; Pharos; Pheasant's Wood; Rossall; Stanah; Victoria & Norcross; Warren.[5]

The constituency comprises the majority of, and replaces, the abolished constituency of Blackpool North and Cleveleys, extending northwards to include the town of Fleetwood from Lancaster and Fleetwood (also abolished). It was also expanded to include the whole of the Thornton-Cleveleys conurbation, together with the village of Carleton, formerly part of Wyre and Preston North (also abolished).

Members of Parliament

Election Member[6] Party
1997 Joan Humble Labour
2010 constituency abolished
2024 Lorraine Beavers Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Blackpool North and Fleetwood[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lorraine Beavers 16,744 40.0 +4.4
Conservative Paul Maynard 12,097 28.9 −26.9
Reform Dan Barker 9,913 23.7 +22.0
Liberal Democrats Bill Greene 1,318 3.2 −0.8
Green Tina Rothery 1,269 3.0 +1.1
Monster Raving Loony James Rust 174 0.4 New
Independent Gita Gordon 148 0.4 New
SDP Jeannine Cresswell 147 0.4 New
Majority 4,647 11.1 N/A
Turnout 41,810 57.0 −9.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +15.6

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Blackpool North and Fleetwood[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Humble 20,620 47.6 −3.2
Conservative Gavin Williamson 15,558 35.9 −1.4
Liberal Democrats Steven Bate 5,533 12.8 +3.1
UKIP Roy Hopwood 1,579 3.6 +1.4
Majority 5,062 11.7 −1.8
Turnout 43,290 57.7 +0.5
Labour hold Swing −0.9
General election 2001: Blackpool North & Fleetwood[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Humble 21,610 50.8 −1.3
Conservative Alan Vincent 15,889 37.3 +1.8
Liberal Democrats Steven Bate 4,132 9.7 +1.1
UKIP Colin Porter 950 2.2 New
Majority 5,721 13.5 −3.1
Turnout 42,581 57.2 −14.5
Labour hold Swing −1.6

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Blackpool North and Fleetwood[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Humble 28,051 52.1
Conservative Harold Elletson 19,105 35.5
Liberal Democrats Beverley Hill 4,600 8.6
Referendum Roy Hopwood 1,704 3.2
BNP Jon Ellis 288 0.5
Majority 8,946 16.6 N/A
Turnout 53,748 71.7
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

See also

References

  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – North West". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Memorandum by Wyre Borough Council (CT 49)". Select Committee on Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions. 18 April 2006. Retrieved 16 September 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Seat Details - Blackpool North and Fleetwood". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  4. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – North West | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 5 North West region.
  6. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 2)
  7. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated, including Notice of Poll & Situation of Polling Stations". Wyre Council. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  9. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
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