Birmingham Northfield (UK Parliament constituency)

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox UK constituency mainBirmingham Northfield is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Laurence Turner, a Labour politician.^{[n 2]} It represents the southernmost part of the city of Birmingham.

Boundaries

1950–1955: The County Borough of Birmingham Wards of Northfield, Selly Oak, and Weoley.^[1]

1955–1974: The County Borough of Birmingham wards of King's Norton, Northfield, and Weoley.^[2]

1974–1983: As above less King's Norton, plus Longbridge

1983–1997: The City of Birmingham wards of Bartley Green, Longbridge, Northfield, and Weoley.

1997–2010: The City of Birmingham wards of Longbridge, Northfield, and Weoley (as they existed on 1 June 1994).

2010–2018: The City of Birmingham wards of King's Norton, Longbridge, Northfield, and Weoley (as they existed on 12 April 2005).

2018–2024: Following a local government boundary review,^[3] which did not effect the parliamentary boundaries, the contents of the constituency were as follows with effect from May 2018:

The City of Birmingham wards of Allens Cross, Frankley Great Park, King’s Norton North, King’s Norton South, Longbridge & West Heath, Northfield, Rubery & Rednal, a majority of Weoley & Selly Oak, and a small part of Bourneville & Cotteridge.

2024–present: Further to the 2023 periodic review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency comprises:

The City of Birmingham wards of: Allens Cross; Frankley Great Park; King’s Norton North; King’s Norton South; Longbridge & West Heath; Northfield; Rubery & Rednal; Weoley & Selly Oak (excluding a small area included in Birmingham Selly Oak).^[4]

Minor changes reflecting the new ward structure.

Constituency profile

Among the area's largest features is the Longbridge Town shopping area built on the site of the now demolished MG Rover Group factory which for decades had been a major employer in the constituency but which was closed down in the run up to the 2005 general election, two hospitals, Northfield Shopping Centre and the now also closed North Worcestershire Golf Course.^[5]

History

Summary of results

From its creation in 1950 until 2019, Labour Party MPs were elected and served the seat, with the exception of the period from 1979 to 1992, which was whilst the Conservative Party were in government, with a one-year gap caused by a Labour win at a 1982 by-election. From 1979 to 1982, the MP was Jocelyn Cadbury, a member of the influential and large Cadbury family.

Despite the closure of the Longbridge Motor works the Labour MP at the time, Richard Burden was returned in the 2005 general election with his majority reduced by 5.6%. He was re-elected with his majority further reduced by 14.1% in 2010. In 2015, Burden was re-elected with a majority of 2,509 votes and a vote share of 41.6%, which made Northfield the most marginal seat in Birmingham and gave the seat the 26th-smallest majority of Labour's 232 seats by percentage of majority.^[6] Two years later at the 2017 snap election, Burden increased his majority to 4,667 votes and his vote share to 53.2% on an overall turnout of 44,348 voters.

At the 2019 general election, the seat was won by the Conservative candidate Gary Sambrook with a majority of 1,640 votes. The Conservatives therefore held the Birmingham Northfield seat for the first time in 27 years. This result was reversed when Laurence Turner of the Labour Party recaptured the seat at the 2024 general election with a majority of 14.3%.

Opposition parties

The Conservative candidate for 2015, MacLean, came within 5.9% of winning the seat. UKIP's swing nationally was +9.5% in 2015; here it was 13.5%, enabling a third place, having been fifth-placed in the previous election. The other two candidates, standing for parties other than Labour on the left, narrowly forfeited their deposits. In 2024, Reform UK came third with 21.0% of the vote.

Turnout

Turnout has ranged between 84.7% in 1950 and 50.8% in 2024 (which was below the percentage of the 1982 by-election).

Members of Parliament

Election		Member^[7]	Party
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	1950	Raymond Blackburn	Labour
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	1951	Donald Chapman	Labour
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	1970	Ray Carter	Labour
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	1979	Jocelyn Cadbury	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	1982 by-election	John Spellar	Labour
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	1983	Roger King	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	1992	Richard Burden	Labour
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	2019	Gary Sambrook	Conservative
style="color:inherit;background-color: Template:Party color" \|	2024	Laurence Turner	Labour

Elections

File:Birmingham Northfield Results 1950-2019.png