North West Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)

North West Cambridgeshire is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2005 by Shailesh Vara of the Conservative Party. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Constituency profile

This safe Conservative Party seat includes a substantial part of the cathedral city of Peterborough, specifically the suburban areas to the south of the river Nene and west of the Soke Parkway, as well as several rural wards from the historic county of Huntingdonshire. While both Labour and the Liberal Democrats are competitive in some wards at local elections, the opposition is evenly divided, and there is a strong Conservative presence in all parts of the seat, ensuring a large majority for the Conservatives, who regularly gain more votes than all other parties put together.

The London Road home of Peterborough United F.C. is located within the seat.

History

The seat was won upon its creation in 1997 by Sir Brian Mawhinney, former Conservative MP for Peterborough (which was gained at the same election by the Labour Party). He retired from the House of Commons in 2005 and was created Baron Mawhinney, of Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire. The Conservative Shailesh Vara has represented the constituency since the 2005 general election.

Withdrawn candidates in 2019

Liam Round was selected to be the Brexit Party candidate, but he withdrew on 10 November. Peterborough City Councillor Ed Murphy was chosen as the Labour Party candidate, but was deselected by the party on 14 November after it was alleged, but not proven, that he had published tweets vilifying Israel.

Boundaries and boundary changes

1997–2010

• The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Bury, Earith, Elton, Farcet, Ramsey, Sawtry, Somersham, Stilton, Upwood and the Raveleys, Warboys, and Yaxley; and
• The City of Peterborough wards of Barnack, Fletton, Glinton, Northborough, Orton Longueville, Orton Waterville, Stanground, and Wittering.

The constituency was formed primarily from northern, rural parts of the Huntingdon constituency, including Ramsey, together with parts of Peterborough, comprising residential areas to the south of the River Nene (wards of Fletton, Orton Longueville, Orton Waterville and Stanground).

2010–2024

• The District of Huntingdonshire wards of Earith, Ellington, Elton and Folksworth, Ramsey, Sawtry, Somersham, Stilton, Upwood and the Raveleys, Warboys and Bury, and Yaxley and Farcet; and
• The City of Peterborough wards of Barnack, Fletton, Glinton and Wittering, Northborough, Orton Longueville, Orton Waterville, Orton with Hampton, Stanground Central, and Stanground East.

Following their review of parliamentary representation in Cambridgeshire in 2005, the Boundary Commission for England made minor alterations to the existing constituencies to deal with population changes, including a small further gain from Huntingdon. There were also marginal changes to take account of the redistribution of City of Peterborough wards. These changes increased the electorate from 69,082 to 73,648. On the enumeration date of 17 February 2000, the electoral quota for England was 69,934 voters per constituency.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency, previously the highest populated in the United Kingdom, was downsized. This was also due to population growth in the middle and south of Cambridgeshire, necessitating the creation of the new St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire seat, with the Huntingdon constituency absorbing many of Huntingdonshire District Council wards.

From the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the constituency will be composed of the following wards (as they existed on 1^st December 2020):

• Peterborough City Council: Barnack (one councillor), Fletton & Stanground (three councillors), Fletton & Woodston (three councillors), Glinton & Caster (two councillors), Hargate & Hempstead (three councillors), Hampton Vale (three councillors), Orton Longueville (three councillors), Orton Waterville (three councillors), Stanground South (three councillors) and Wittering (one councillor).

• Huntingdonshire District Council: Ramsey (three councillors), Stilton, Folksworth & Washingley (two councillors) and Yaxley (three councillors).

New Political Make up

There are 33 council seats across the new constituency, 25 Unitary Authority Councillors (Peterborough), 8 Huntingdonshire Councillors.

Conservative 17 (9 in Peterborough, 8 in Huntingdonshire); Labour 2 (both in Peterborough); Liberal Democrat 3 (all in Peterborough); Green 3 (all in Peterborough); Independent 9 (8 in Peterborough, 1 in Huntingdonshire).

Members of Parliament

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Cambridgeshire
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the East of England (region)
• Peterborough
• Huntingdon

References

External links

• United Kingdom Parliament
• Boundary Commission for England