Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency)

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Berwick-upon-Tweed
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland.
Outline map
Location of Northumberland within England.
County Northumberland
Electorate 55,785 (December 2010)[1]
Current constituency
Created 1512 (1512)
Member of Parliament Alan Beith (Liberal Democrat)
Number of members One
Created from North Northumberland
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency North East England

Berwick-upon-Tweed (Listeni/ˈbɛrɨk əpɒn ˈtwiːd/) is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the U.K. parliament that elects a Member of Parliament (MP), who since 1973 has been Sir Alan Beith, the longest serving Liberal Democrat MP.[n 1]

Contents

Boundaries [edit]

The constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed is in the county of Northumberland and includes as its northern-most point the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed and stretches south to include the towns of Alnwick and Amble — the Northumberland coast forms its long eastern boundary. Its length is roughly 50 miles (80 km) and its area is 2,310 square kilometres.

Predominantly rural in character, this constituency is the most northerly in England and relatively sparsely populated.

Boundary review [edit]

Following the latest review of parliamentary representation in Northumberland, the Boundary Commission for England have made only minor changes to the existing Berwick constituency. A proposal to rename the historic seat "Berwick-upon-Tweed and Mid Northumberland" was rejected for whilst being geographically accurate it was thought unwieldy[n 2].

The electoral wards used to form the slightly modified constituency are;

History [edit]

Rural in nature, sparse of population and with agriculture as a major source of employment, Berwick-upon-Tweed has never elected a Labour candidate. Instead, it has been under the aegis of Liberal Democrat Sir Alan Beith since 1973 (formerly Liberal) and the area has been notable for its Liberal members – both Sir William Beveridge (influential in the formation of the National Health Service) and Edward Grey (Foreign Secretary at the start of World War I, best remembered for the "lamps are going out all over Europe...." remark) have served this constituency.

Sir Alan was first elected in a by-election, required as a result of the resignation of the then holder Antony Lambton (Conservative), who had been caught up in a scandal involving call girls, marijuana and a tabloid newspaper.

In 1923, Mabel Philipson, a former music-hall actress, took over the seat as a Conservative, when her husband was forced to resign. In doing so she became only the third female MP to sit in the House of Commons since female members became legal five years previously.

Members of Parliament [edit]

The seat has sent members to Parliament since its enfranchisement by Henry VIII. It initially sent two members, this was reduced to one in 1885.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

MPs before 1660 [edit]

Parliament First member Second member
1510–1523 No names known[2]
1529 John Martin John Cooper, died
and replaced after 1532 by ?John Uvedale[2]
1536  ?
1539 Odinel Selby  ?[2]
1542  ?
1545  ?
1547 Odinel Selby John Watson[2]
1553 (Mar)  ?
1553 (Oct)  ?
1554 (Apr) George Browne Odinel Selby[2]
1554 (Nov)  ?
1555 Thomas Bradford Charles Wharton[2]
1558  ?
1562/3 Anthony Temple Thomas Norton[3]
1571 Sir Valentine Browne Henry Carey[3]
1572 Martin Garnett Robert Newdigate[3]
1584 William Morton Thomas Parkinson[3]
1586 (Oct) Sir Valentine Browne [3]
1589 (Jan) William Morton William Selby[3]
1593 William Morton William Selby[3]
1597 (Oct) William Selby Thomas Parkinson[3]
1601 William Selby David Waterhouse[3]
1604 Sir William Selby Christopher Parkinson
1614 Sir John Selby Meredith Morgan
1621 Sir John Selby Sir Robert Jackson
1624 Sir Robert Jackson Edward Lively
1625 Sir Robert Jackson Sir John Selby
1626 Sir Robert Jackson Richard Lowther
1628 Sir Edward Sawyer Edward Liveley
1629–1640 No Parliaments convened
1640 (Apr) Sir Thomas Widdrington Hugh Potter
1640 (Nov) Sir Thomas Widdrington Robert Scawen
1645 Sir Thomas Widdrington Robert Scawen
1648 Sir Thomas Widdrington Robert Scawen
1653 Berwick not represented in Barebones Parliament
1654 George Fenwick Only one representative in 1st Protectorate Parliament
1656 George Fenwick, died 1657
and replaced by John Rushworth		 Only one representative in 2nd Protectorate Parliament
1659 John Rushworth George Payler

MPs 1660–1885 [edit]

Year 1st Member[4] 1st Party 2nd Member[4] 2nd Party
April 1660 Sir Thomas Widdrington John Rushworth
June 1660 Edward Grey
1661 Sir Thomas Widdrington
1665 Daniel Collingwood
1677 Viscount Osborne
1679 Ralph Grey John Rushworth
1685 Philip Bickerstaffe Hon. Ralph Widdrington
1689 Francis Blake Philip Babington
1690 Samuel Ogle
1695 Ralph Grey
1698 Sir Francis Blake
January 1701 Ralph Grey
December 1701 Sir Francis Blake
1702 Jonathan Hutchinson
1710 William Kerr
1711 Richard Hampden
1713 William Orde
1715 Grey Neville Whig John Barrington[5]
March 1723 Henry Grey Whig
May 1723 William Kerr
1727 George Liddell Joseph Sabine
1734 Viscount Polwarth
March 1740 The Viscount Barrington
November 1740 Thomas Watson
1754 John Delaval
1761 John Crauford
January 1765 Sir John Delaval, Bt[6]
December 1765 Wilmot Vaughan[7]
1768 Robert Paris Taylor
1774 Jacob Wilkinson Hon. John Vaughan[8]
1780 Sir John Delaval, Bt
1786 Sir Gilbert Elliot, Bt
1790 Hon. Charles Carpenter
1795 John Callender
1796 The Earl of Tyrconnel
1802[9] Thomas Hall John Fordyce
1803 Francis Sitwell Alexander Allan
1806 Sir John Callender, Bt Alexander Tower
1807 Alexander Allan Sir Alexander Lockhart, Bt
1812 Henry Heneage St Paul
March 1820 Viscount Ossulston Sir David Milne
July 1820 Henry Heneage St Paul
December 1820 Sir Francis Blake, Bt
1823 Sir John Beresford, Bt
1826 Marcus Beresford John Gladstone Tory
1827 Sir Francis Blake, Bt Whig
1832 Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin Whig
1835 James Bradshaw Whig
1837 Richard Hodgson Tory William Holmes Tory
1841 Matthew Forster Whig
1847 John Campbell Renton Conservative
1852 John Stapleton Liberal
1853 Dudley Marjoribanks Liberal John Forster Liberal
1857 John Stapleton Liberal
May 1859 Charles William Gordon Conservative Ralph Anstruther Earle Conservative
August 1859 Dudley Marjoribanks Liberal
1863 William Walter Cargill Conservative
1865 Alexander Mitchell Liberal
1868 Viscount Bury Liberal John Stapleton Liberal
1874 Dudley Marjoribanks Liberal David Milne Home Conservative
1880 Henry Strutt Liberal
1880 David Milne Home Conservative
1881 Hubert Jerningham Liberal
1885 Redistribution of Seats Act: membership reduced to one

MPs since 1885 [edit]

Election Member[4] Party
1885 Edward Grey Liberal
1916 by-election Francis Blake Liberal
1922 Hilton Philipson National Liberal
1923 by-election Mabel Philipson Conservative
1929 Alfred Todd Conservative
1935 Hugh Seely Liberal
1941 by-election George Grey Liberal
1944 by-election William Beveridge Liberal
1945 Robert Thorp Conservative
1951 Antony Lambton Conservative
1973 by-election Alan Beith Liberal
1988 Liberal Democrats

Elections [edit]

Prospective Candidates for the 2015 General Election [edit]

General Election 2015: Berwick-Upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anne-Marie Trevelyan

Elections in the 2010s [edit]

General Election 2010: Berwick-upon-Tweed[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Alan Beith 16,806 43.7 -8.9
Conservative Anne-Marie Trevelyan 14,116 36.7 +7.7
Labour Alan Strickland 5,061 13.2 -5.2
UKIP Mick Weatheritt 1,243 3.2
BNP Peter Mailer 1,213 3.2
Majority 2,690 7.0 -16.3
Turnout 38,439 67.0 +3.7
Liberal Democrat hold Swing -8.3

Elections in the 2000s [edit]

General Election 2005: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Alan Beith 19,052 52.8 +1.4
Conservative Mike Elliott 10,420 28.9 +0.8
Labour Glen Reynolds 6,618 18.3 +0.6
Majority 8,632 23.9
Turnout 36,090 63.4 -0.4
Liberal Democrat hold Swing +0.3
General Election 2001: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Alan Beith 18,651 51.4 +5.9
Conservative Glen Sanderson 10,193 28.1 +4.0
Labour Martin Walker 6,435 17.7 -8.5
UKIP John Pearson 1,029 2.8 +2.0
Majority 8,458 23.3 +4.1
Turnout 36,308 63.8 -9.7
Liberal Democrat hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s [edit]

General Election 1997: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Alan Beith 19,007 45.5 +1.1
Labour Paul Brannen 10,965 26.2 +3.4
Conservative Nick Herbert 10,058 24.1 -8.7
Referendum Party Ned Lambton 1,423 3.4
UKIP Ian Dodds 352 0.8
Majority 8,042 19.3 +8.7
Turnout 41,805 73.5 -5.6
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
General Election 1992: Berwick-upon-Tweed[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Alan Beith 19,283 44.37 -7.7
Conservative Dr. Anthony William Henfrey 14,240 32.77 +3.3
Labour Gordon Adam 9,933 22.86 +5.4
Majority 5,043 11.60 -11.0
Turnout 43,456 79.1 +1.8
Liberal Democrat hold Swing -5.5

Elections in the 1980s [edit]

General Election 1987: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alan Beith 21,903 52.10
Conservative John Terence Middleton 12,400 29.49
Labour Stephen Lambert 7,360 17.51
Green Nigel David Pamphilion 379 0.90
Majority 9,503 22.60
Turnout 42,042 77.3
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1983: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alan Beith 21,958 52.69
Conservative J. Brazier 13,743 32.98
Labour Vera Baird 5,975 14.34
Majority 8,215 19.71
Turnout 77.78
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s [edit]

General Election 1979: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alan Beith 19,351 54.34
Conservative C.A.E. Baker-Cresswell 13,663 38.36
Labour G. M. Elliott 2,602 7.31
Majority 5,688 15.97
Turnout 83.82
Liberal hold Swing
General Election October 1974: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alan Beith 14,684 43.11
Conservative C.A.E. Baker-Cresswell 14,611 42.89
Labour G. Spain 4,768 14.00
Majority 73 0.21
Turnout 81.37
Liberal hold Swing
General Election February 1974: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alan Beith 15,732 44.51
Conservative D. Hardie 15,289 43.25
Labour Gordon Adam 4,326 12.24
Majority 443 1.25
Turnout 85.14
Liberal hold Swing
Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election, 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alan Beith 12,489 39.9 +18.0
Conservative J.D.M. Hardie 12,432 39.7 -11.0
Labour Gordon Adam 6,178 19.8 -7.6
Independent T.G. Symonds 126 0.4
Independent R. Goodall 72 0.2
Majority 57 0.2
Turnout 75.0 +1.3
Registered electors 41,721
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1970: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Antony Lambton 15,558 50.66
Labour R.N. Wareing 8,413 27.39
Liberal Alan Beith 6,741 21.95
Majority 7,145 23.26
Turnout 73.60
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s [edit]

General Election 1966: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Antony Lambton 14,281 47.63
Labour J.W. Conway 9,908 33.04
Liberal A. Herbert 5,796 19.33
Majority 4,373 14.58
Turnout 76.58
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1964: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Antony Lambton 15,851 49.92
Labour R.C. Jelley 8,218 25.88
Liberal N.B. Madison 7,681 24.19
Majority 7,633 24.04
Turnout 79.54
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s [edit]

General Election 1959: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Antony Lambton 19,904 63.11
Labour R.C. Jelley 11,637 36.89
Majority 8,267 26.21
Turnout 77.02
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1955: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Antony Lambton 18,301 60.35
Labour J. Frater 12,024 39.65
Majority 6,277 20.70
Turnout 72.78
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1951: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Antony Lambton 17,632 52.70
Labour T.H. Jones 11,069 33.08
Liberal John Beeching Frankenburg 4,759 14.22
Majority 6,563 19.61
Turnout 78.84
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1950: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Thorp 14,804 43.91
Liberal Arthur Comyns Carr 10,260 30.43
Labour J. Davis 8,651 25.66
Majority 4,544 13.48
Turnout 80.13
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s [edit]

General Election 1945: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Thorp 12,315 43.29
Liberal Sir William Beveridge 10,353 36.39
Labour J. Davis 5,782 20.32
Majority 1,962 6.90
Turnout 67.77
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing
Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election, 1944
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir William Beveridge 8,792 87.4
Independent W.D. Clark 1,269 12.6
Majority 7,523 74.8
Turnout 10,061 24.5
Registered electors 41,068
Liberal hold Swing
Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election, 1941
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal George Charles Grey Unopposed
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1930s [edit]

General Election 1935: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Hugh Seely, Bt 15,779 51.0
Conservative Alfred John Kennett Todd 15,145 49.0
Majority 634 2.0
Turnout 76.0
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General Election 1931: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alfred John Kennett Todd Unopposed
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s [edit]

General Election 1929: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alfred John Kennett Todd 12,526 42.8
Liberal Penry Williams 11,372 38.8
Labour H. Kegie 5,402 18.4
Majority 1,154 4.0
Turnout 76.1
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1924: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mabel Philipson 12,130 50.9
Liberal Captain the Hon. Harold Burge Robson 8,165 38.8
Labour J. Adams 3,521 14.8
Majority 3,965 16.6
Turnout 77.7
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1923: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mabel Philipson 10,636 48.0
Liberal Captain the Hon. Harold Burge Robson 8,767 39.5
Labour E.M. Penny 2,784 12.5
Majority 1,869 8.5
Turnout 73.4
Conservative hold Swing
Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election, 1923
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mabel Philipson 12,000 55.0
Liberal Captain the Hon. Harold Burge Robson 5,858 26.8 -11.3
Labour Gilbert Oliver 3,966 18.2
Majority 6,142 28.1
Turnout 21,824 74.9
Conservative gain from National Liberal Swing
General Election 1922: Berwick-upon-Tweed (void)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Hilton Philipson 11,933 61.9
Liberal Rt. Hon. Walter Runciman 7,354 38.1
Majority 4,579 23.8
Turnout 19,287 66.2
National Liberal gain from Liberal Swing

Elections in the 1910s [edit]

General Election 1918: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Francis Blake, Bt 6,721 60.5
Independent The Hon. William John Montagu Watson-Armstrong 4,397 39.5
Majority 2,324 21.0
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing
Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election, 1916
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Francis Blake, Bt 3,794 85.9
Independent Dr. A. Turnbull 621 14.1
Majority 3,173 71.8
Turnout 46.7
Liberal hold Swing
General Election December 1910: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Edward Grey, Bt 4,612 61.2
Conservative Hoare 2,926 38.8
Majority 1,686 22.4
Turnout 79.8
Liberal hold Swing
General Election January 1910: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Edward Grey, Bt 5,010 60.1
Conservative Thomas Inskip 3,327 39.9
Majority 1,683 20.2
Turnout 88.3
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1900s [edit]

General Election 1906: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Edward Grey, Bt 5,102 64.1
Conservative Thomas Inskip 2,862 35.9
Majority 2,240 28.2
Turnout 85.5
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1900: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Edward Grey, Bt Unopposed
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1895: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Edward Grey, Bt 4,378 54.9
Conservative Lord Warkworth 3,593 45.1
Majority 785 9.8
Turnout 85.9
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1890s [edit]

General Election 1892: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Edward Grey, Bt 4,002 52.9
Conservative W. Askew-Robertson 3,560 47.1
Majority 442 5.8
Turnout 82.7
Liberal hold Swing

Elections in the 1880s [edit]

General Election 1886: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Edward Grey, Bt 4,131 54.8
Liberal Unionist Hon. F.W. Lambton 3,407 45.2
Majority 724 9.6
Turnout 77.8
Liberal hold Swing
General Election 1885: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Edward Grey, Bt 4,929 57.7
Conservative Rt. Hon. Earl Percy 3,613 42.3
Majority 1,316 15.4
Turnout 88.1
Liberal hold Swing

See also [edit]

Notes and References [edit]

Notes
  1. ^ As with all constituencies, the first past the post system of election is used with elections at least every five years.
  2. ^ MPs references to each other at least in writing, are entered by a full constituency name in Hansard
References
  1. ^ "Electorate Figures – Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f "History of Parliament". Retrieved 2011-10-06. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "History of Parliament". Retrieved 2011-10-06. 
  4. ^ a b c Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 2)[self-published source][better source needed]
  5. ^ Created The Viscount Barrington (in the Peerage of Ireland), 1720
  6. ^ Created The Lord Delaval (in the Peerage of Ireland), 1783
  7. ^ Succeeded as The 4th Viscount Lisburne (in the Peerage of Ireland), January 1766
  8. ^ Major-General 1776, Lieutenant-General 1782, knighted (KB) 1792
  9. ^ On petition, Fordyce and Hall were adjudged not to have been duly elected and the election result was reversed
  10. ^ "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Berwick-Upon-Tweed". BBC News. 
  11. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Retrieved 2010-12-06. 

Sources [edit]

Constituencies in North East England (29)
Labour (25)
Conservative (2)
Liberal Democrats (2)

Coordinates: 55°33′N 1°55′W / 55.550°N 1.917°W / 55.550; -1.917

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