Reading North (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Reading North
Former Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
ReadingNorth1974Constituency.svg
Boundary of Reading North in Berkshire, boundaries 1974–83
County Berkshire
Major settlements Reading
19501955
Created from Reading
Replaced by Reading
1974 (1974)1983
Type of constituency Borough constituency
Created from Reading
Replaced by Reading East and Reading West

Reading North was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The constituency covered an area in and around the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire.

Contents

History

The Reading North parliamentary constituency was first created for the 1950 general election by splitting the previous parliamentary constituency of Reading into North and South divisions. These constituencies were merged back into a single Reading constituency for the 1955 general election.

The Reading North constituency was recreated in 1974, when it was won for the Conservative Party by Tony Durant. In 1983 the constituencies in Reading were reorganised, creating the new constituencies of Reading East and Reading West. Tony Durant went on to hold the Reading West constituency until 1997.

In both its incarnations, the constituency included Reading town centre.

Boundaries

1950–1955

The County Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Battle, Castle, Caversham East, Caversham West, Tilehurst, and Victoria. [1]

It was then abolished and absorbed into the re-established constituency of Reading, with the exception of the Tilehurst ward, which was transferred to Newbury.

1974–1983

The County Borough of Reading wards of Abbey, Battle, Castle, Caversham, Katesgrove, Minster, Norcot, Thames, and Tilehurst. [1]

The Tilehurst and Norcot wards were transferred back from Newbury; the remaining wards were previously part of the abolished constituency of Reading.

The constituency was abolished again for the 1983 general election, with the majority forming the basis of the new county constituency of Reading West, whilst northern areas, including Caversham, formed part of the new county constituency of Reading East.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1950–1955

ElectionMemberParty
1950 Ronald Mackay Labour
1951 Frederic Bennett Conservative
1955 constituency abolished: see Reading

MPs 1974–1983

ElectionMemberParty
Feb 1974 Tony Durant Conservative
1983 constituency abolished: see Reading East & Reading West

Elections

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1950: Reading North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Kim Mackay 15,681 46.02
Conservative Sir John Stanley Vincent Marling, 4th Baronet15,15444.48
Liberal J Michael Derrick3,2389.50
Majority5271.54
Turnout 34,07386.79
Labour win (new seat)
General election 1951: Reading North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Frederic Bennett 17,378 50.44
Labour Kim Mackay 17,07649.56
Majority3020.88N/A
Turnout 34,45486.83
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election February 1974: Reading North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tony Durant 19,984 39.39
Labour M. J. Denby17,61534.72
Liberal J. Burnett13,13725.89
Majority2,3694.67
Turnout 63,94379.35
Conservative win (new seat)
General election October 1974: Reading North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tony Durant 18,734 40.2 +0.8
Labour M. J. Denby18,26639.15
Liberal K. Watts9,06419.43
National Front P. Baker5941.27New
Majority4681.1
Turnout 64,48472.36
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1979: Reading North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tony Durant 25,085 50.58
Labour D. M. Mason17,66235.61
Liberal P. Minton6,17012.44
National Front P. Baker5541.12
Independent L. W. Edwards1260.25New
Majority7,42314.97
Turnout 65,36975.87
Conservative hold Swing

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berkshire</span> County of England

The Royal County of Berkshire, commonly known as simply Berkshire, is a ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London to the east, Surrey to the south-east, Hampshire to the south, and Wiltshire to the west. Reading is the largest settlement and the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tilehurst</span> Suburb of Reading, Berkshire, England

Tilehurst is a suburb of the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire, England. It lies to the west of the centre of Reading; it extends from the River Thames in the north to the A4 road in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading East (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983 onwards

Reading East is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2017 by Matt Rodda, of the Labour Party. The seat is one of two Labour seats from a total of eight seats in Berkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading West (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983 onwards

Reading West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Alok Sharma, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coley, Berkshire</span> District in Reading, Berkshire, England

Coley is an inner-town district near the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It is often referred to as Old Coley, to distinguish it from the adjacent, and much more recent, suburb of Coley Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newbury (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom since 1885

Newbury is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2019 by Laura Farris, a Conservative. It was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 and has been in continual existence since then.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wokingham (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom 1885-1918 and from 1950 onwards

Wokingham is a constituency in Berkshire represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 1987 by John Redwood, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliament constituency in the United Kingdom 1801-1974 and 1997 onwards

Windsor (/ˈwɪnzə/) is a constituency in Berkshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2005 by Adam Afriyie of the Conservative Party. It was re-created for the 1997 general election after it was abolished following the 1970 general election and replaced by the Windsor and Maidenhead constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading South (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom 1950-1955 and 1974-1983

Reading South was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The constituency covered an area in and around the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire.

Reading was a parliamentary borough, and later a borough constituency in England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950 and 1955 to 1974. Until 1885, the constituency comprised the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire; after 1885, it was centred on the town but the exact boundaries differed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading Borough Council</span>

Reading Borough Council, formerly known as Reading Corporation, is the local authority for Reading in the county of Berkshire, England. Reading is a unitary authority with borough status. As a unitary authority the council has the powers of a county council and district council combined. Berkshire is purely a ceremonial county, with no administrative responsibilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abingdon (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom 1801–1983

Abingdon was a parliamentary constituency in England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) from 1558 until 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norcot</span> Human settlement in England

Norcot is an area of the suburb of Tilehurst in the town of Reading, in the county of Berkshire, England. It is also an electoral ward of the Borough of Reading.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Reading, Berkshire</span> Human settlement in England

West Reading is a suburb of the town of Reading in the county of Berkshire, England. The area is served by Reading West railway station and has been served by it since 1906.

Kentwood is an electoral ward of the Borough of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It consists of the northern part of the suburb of Tilehurst, in the west of Reading, south of the River Thames. The ward is bordered by Caversham Heights and Battle wards to the east, and Norcot and Tilehurst wards to the south. To the west the ward is bordered by the reduced civil parish of Tilehurst in the district of West Berkshire which is the remainder of the larger ancient parish, before the expansion of the Borough of Reading. The ward has schools and churches bearing a Tilehurst, rather than Reading name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tilehurst (Reading ward)</span> Human settlement in England

Tilehurst is an electoral ward of the Borough of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It forms part of the larger Reading suburb of Tilehurst, which also includes parts of the borough's Kentwood and Norcot wards, together with the civil parish of Tilehurst Without that is outside the borough boundary in the district of West Berkshire. The ward is bordered, in clockwise order, by Norcot ward, Tilehurst Without civil parish and Kentwood ward. It lies entirely within the Reading West parliamentary constituency.

Reading Central is a proposed constituency in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was formed as a result of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies. It subsumes parts of the, soon to be former, Reading West and Reading East constituencies but, unlike them, the whole of the new constituency will be within the Borough of Reading. It will be first contested at the next general election.

Reading West and Mid Berkshire is a proposed constituency in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was formed as a result of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and subsumes parts of the Newbury, Wokingham, and, soon to be former, Reading West constituencies. It will be first contested at the next general election.

References

  1. 1 2 Craig, Fred W.S. (1972). Boundaries of parliamentary constituencies 1885-1972. Chichester: Political Reference Publications. ISBN   0900178094. OCLC   539011.