Norwich North (UK Parliament constituency)

Norwich North is a constituency 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.

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, 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, 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, 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.

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.

Minor expansion of boundaries under the provisions of Statutory Instrument 1951/325.

1974–1983

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

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 However, in the case of the two Norwich constituencies, this was superseded before the February 1974 general election by the Parliamentary Constituencies (Norwich) Order 1973 which followed on from a revision of the County Borough of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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Members of Parliament

Norwich prior to 1950

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

Elections

File:Norw N Election Results.png

Election results 1950-2024

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Alice Macdonald	Template:Replace	45.4
		Charlotte Salomon	9,944	21.7
		Nick Taylor	8,229	18.0
		Ben Price	4,372	9.6
		Chika Akinwale	2,073	4.5
		Fiona Grace	353	0.8
Majority			10,850	23.7
Turnout			45,765	62.0
	gain from		Swing	+18.2

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Chloe Smith	Template:Replace	50.5
		Karen Davis	18,659	40.3
		David Thomas	2,663	5.8
		Adrian Holmes	1,078	2.3
		David Moreland	488	1.1
Majority			4,738	10.2
Turnout			46,285	68.9
	hold		Swing	+4.6

General election 2017: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Chloe Smith	Template:Replace	47.7
		Christopher Jones	21,393	46.6
		Hugh Lanham	1,480	3.2
		Adrian Holmes	782	1.7
		Liam Matthews	340	0.7
Majority			507	1.1
Turnout			45,977	68.7
	hold		Swing	-4.6

General election 2015: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Chloe Smith	Template:Replace	43.7
		Jessica Asato	14,589	33.5
		Glenn Tingle	5,986	13.7
		Adrian Holmes	1,939	4.4
		James Wright	1,894	4.3
		Mick Hardy	132	0.3
Majority			4,463	10.2
Turnout			43,592	66.9
	hold		Swing	+0.6

General election 2010: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Chloe Smith	Template:Replace	40.6
		John Cook	13,379	31.4
		David Stephen	7,783	18.3
		Glenn Tingle	1,878	4.4
		Jess Goldfinch	1,245	2.9
		Thomas Richardson	747	1.8
		Bill Holden	143	0.3
		Andrew Holland	118	0.3
Majority			3,901	9.2
Turnout			42,573	65.2
	hold		Swing	+12.9

Elections in the 2000s

By-election 2009: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Chloe Smith	Template:Replace	39.5
		Chris Ostrowski	6,243	18.2
		April Pond	4,803	14.0
		Glenn Tingle	4,068	11.8
		Rupert Read	3,350	9.7
	Put an Honest Man into Parliament	Craig Murray	953	2.8
		Robert West	941	2.7
		Bill Holden	166	0.5
		Alan Hope	144	0.4
	NOTA	Anne Fryatt	59	0.2
		Thomas Burridge	36	0.1
		Peter Baggs	23	0.1
Majority			7,348	21.3
Turnout			34,377	45.9
	gain from		Swing	+16.5

General election 2005: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ian Gibson	Template:Replace	44.9
		James Tumbridge	15,638	33.2
		Robin Whitmore	7,616	16.2
		Adrian Holmes	1,252	2.7
		John Youles	1,122	2.4
		Bill Holden	308	0.7
Majority			5,459	11.7
Turnout			47,033	61.1
	hold		Swing	−0.6

General election 2001: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ian Gibson	Template:Replace	47.4
		Kay Mason	15,761	34.6
		Moira Toye	6,750	14.8
		Rob Tinch	797	1.7
		Guy Cheyney	471	1.0
		Michael Betts	211	0.5
Majority			5,863	12.8
Turnout			45,614	59.1
	hold		Swing	−2.2

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Ian Gibson	Template:Replace	49.7
		Robert Kinghorn	17,876	32.5
		Paul Young	6,951	12.6
		Tony Bailey-Smith	1,777	3.2
		Howard Marks	512	0.9
		James Hood	495	0.9
		Diana Mills	100	0.2
Majority			9,470	17.2
Turnout			55,057	75.9
	gain from		Swing	+8.8

General election 1992: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Patrick Thompson	Template:Replace	43.3
		Ian Gibson	22,153	42.8
		David Harrison	6,706	12.9
		Lou Betts	433	0.8
		R. Arnold	93	0.2
Majority			266	0.5
Turnout			51,804	81.8
	hold		Swing	−7.6

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Patrick Thompson	Template:Replace	45.8
		Mary Honeyball	14,996	30.2
		Paul Nicholls	11,922	24.0
Majority			7,776	15.6
Turnout			49,690	79.2
	hold		Swing	+1.7

General election 1983: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		Patrick Thompson	Template:Replace	44.7
		David Ennals	15,476	32.4
		Graham Jones	10,796	22.6
		F. Cairns	194	0.4
Majority			5,879	12.3
Turnout			47,821	76.2
	gain from		Swing

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

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		David Ennals	Template:Replace	50.8
		P. H. Rippon	12,336	35.0
		P. Moore	4,253	12.1
		G. Hannah	334	1.0
		L. Goold	250	0.7
		A. Panes	106	0.3
		S. Colling	92	0.3
Majority			5,591	15.8
Turnout			33,298	75.6
	hold		Swing	-6.5

General election October 1974: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		David Ennals	Template:Replace	56.0
		T. P. Doe	8,754	27.3
		E. M. Wheeler	5,378	16.8
Majority			9,204	28.7
Turnout			32,090	71.2
	hold		Swing	+4.0

General election February 1974: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		David Ennals	Template:Replace	48.6
		T. P. Doe	9,817	27.9
		E. M. Wheeler	7,773	22.1
		G. Goold	544	1.5
Majority			7,294	20.7
Turnout			35,245	78.9
	hold		Swing	+0.1

General election 1970: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		George Wallace	Template:Replace	59.7
		Amédée Turner	11,868	38.2
		C. C. Fairhead	658	2.1
Majority			6,696	21.5
Turnout			31,090	71.3
	hold		Swing	−4.9

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		George Wallace	Template:Replace	65.6
		Amédée Turner	9,851	34.4
Majority			8,926	31.2
Turnout			28,628	74.2
	hold		Swing	+4.7

General election 1964: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		George Wallace	Template:Replace	60.9
		Amédée Turner	11,620	39.1
Majority			6,491	21.8
Turnout			29,731	74.5
	hold		Swing	+0.7

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Paton	Template:Replace	60.2
		Dudley R Chance	12,609	39.8
Majority			6,483	20.4
Turnout			31,701	76.9
	hold		Swing	−0.5

General election 1955: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Paton	Template:Replace	60.7
		Thomas Eaton	12,087	39.3
Majority			6,595	21.4
Turnout			30,769	75.3
	hold		Swing	−2.0

General election 1951: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
		John Paton	Template:Replace	62.7
		Thomas Eaton	13,587	37.3
Majority			9,293	25.4
Turnout			36,467	84.1
	hold		Swing	−5.2

General election 1950: Norwich North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		John Paton		59.2
		V. R. Rees		23.5
		Don Bennett		17.2
Majority			13,194	35.7
Turnout			36,978	86.2
	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)

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