# Portsmouth North (UK Parliament constituency)

Portsmouth North is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Amanda Martin of the Labour Party since 2024.

## Boundaries

* 1918–1950: The County Borough of Portsmouth wards of Charles Dickens, Mile End, North End, and Portsea.
* 1974–1983: The County Borough of Portsmouth wards of Cosham, Farlington, Meredith, Nelson, North End, Paulsgrove, Portsea, and St Mary and Guildhall.
* 1983–1997: The City of Portsmouth wards of Copnor, Cosham, Drayton and Farlington, Hilsea, Nelson, and Paulsgrove, and the Borough of Havant wards of Purbrook and Stakes.
* 1997–2010: The City of Portsmouth wards of Copnor, Cosham, Drayton and Farlington, Hilsea, Nelson, and Paulsgrove.
* 2010–present: The City of Portsmouth wards of Baffins, Copnor, Cosham, Drayton and Farlington, Hilsea, Nelson, and Paulsgrove.
* The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies left the boundaries unchanged.
As its name suggests, the constituency covers the northern portion of the city of Portsmouth in Hampshire.

## History

The constituency was created in 1918 when the two-seat Portsmouth constituency was split into three divisions: Central, North and South.
It was abolished for the 1950 general election and largely replaced by a new Portsmouth West constituency as the axis of division changed, but was re-established for the February 1974 general election.

## Constituency profile

This urban seat is of average affluence and incomes, with relatively low unemployment compared to the national average measured at the end of 2012 at 3.8% (claimant count) as opposed to 2.3% average across the region.
Compared to Portsmouth South, it has a lower proportion of public sector workers, students and ethnic minorities. This explains the divergence between the two Portsmouth seats in voting patterns. The seat is currently in Labour hands, but very narrowly, with the former Conservative MP and leadership candidate Penny Mordaunt commanding a large personal following.
The seat has been one of the most long-standing bellwethers (of the national election winner), having that status since its creation in February 1974; only the Dartford constituency have a longer-standing status, which has been a bellwether since 1964.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1918–1950

Portsmouth prior to 1918
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1918 | Sir Bertram Falle, Bt. | Coalition Conservative |
| 1922 | Sir Bertram Falle, Bt. | Conservative |
| 1934 by-election | Admiral Sir Roger Keyes | Conservative |
| 1943 by-election | Admiral Sir William James | Conservative |
| 1945 | Donald Bruce | Labour |
| 1950 | constituency abolished: see Portsmouth West | constituency abolished: see Portsmouth West |

### MPs since 1974

Portsmouth West and Portsmouth Langstone prior to 1974
| Election | Member | Party |
| Feb 1974 | Frank Judd | Labour |
| 1979 | Peter Griffiths | Conservative |
| 1997 | Syd Rapson | Labour |
| 2005 | Sarah McCarthy-Fry | Labour Co-operative |
| 2010 | Penny Mordaunt | Conservative |
| 2024 | Amanda Martin | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Amanda Martin | 14,495 | 34.8 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Penny Mordaunt | 13,715 | 33.0 | −28.4 |
| | Reform UK | Melvyn Todd | 8,501 | 20.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Dodd | 3,031 | 7.3 | −0.1 |
| | Green | Duncan Robinson | 1,851 | 4.5 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 780 | 1.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,593 | 59.0 | −4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 70,446 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +18.1 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Penny Mordaunt | 28,172 | 61.4 | +6.6 |
| | Labour | Amanda Martin | 12,392 | 27.0 | −6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Antonia Harrison | 3,419 | 7.4 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Lloyd Day | 1,304 | 2.8 | +1.1 |
| | Independent | George Madgwick | 623 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,780 | 34.4 | +13.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,910 | 64.4 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.7 | |
General election 2017: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Penny Mordaunt | 25,860 | 54.8 | +7.8 |
| | Labour | Rumal Khan | 15,895 | 33.7 | +9.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Darren Sanders | 2,608 | 5.5 | −0.7 |
| | UKIP | Mike Fitzgerald | 1,926 | 4.1 | −15.0 |
| | Green | Ken Hawkins | 791 | 1.7 | −1.5 |
| | Libertarian | Joe Jenkins | 130 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,965 | 21.1 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,210 | 66.1 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
General election 2015: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Penny Mordaunt | 21,343 | 47.0 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | John Ferrett | 10,806 | 23.8 | −4.0 |
| | UKIP | Mike Fitzgerald | 8,660 | 19.1 | +15.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Darren Sanders | 2,828 | 6.2 | −13.9 |
| | Green | Gavin Ellis | 1,450 | 3.2 | +2.1 |
| | TUSC | Jon Woods | 231 | 0.5 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,537 | 23.2 | +6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,318 | 62.1 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.3 | |
General election 2010: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Penny Mordaunt | 19,533 | 44.3 | +6.5 |
| | Labour Co-op | Sarah McCarthy-Fry | 12,244 | 27.8 | −13.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Darren Sanders | 8,874 | 20.1 | +3.4 |
| | UKIP | Mike Fitzgerald | 1,812 | 4.1 | +0.5 |
| | English Democrat | David Knight | 1,040 | 2.4 | N/A |
| | Green | Iain Maclennan | 461 | 1.0 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Mick Tosh | 154 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,289 | 16.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,118 | 62.7 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +9.8 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Sarah McCarthy-Fry | 15,412 | 40.9 | −9.8 |
| | Conservative | Penny Mordaunt | 14,273 | 37.8 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gary Lawson | 6,684 | 17.7 | +7.4 |
| | UKIP | Mike Smith | 1,348 | 3.6 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,139 | 3.1 | −10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,717 | 60.0 | +2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −5.5 | |
General election 2001: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Syd Rapson | 18,676 | 50.7 | +3.6 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Day | 13,542 | 36.7 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Darren Sanders | 3,795 | 10.3 | −0.3 |
| | UKIP | William McCabe | 559 | 1.5 | +0.8 |
| | Independent | Brian Bundy | 294 | 0.8 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,134 | 14.0 | +4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,866 | 57.4 | −12.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.2 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Syd Rapson | 21,339 | 47.1 | +13.9 |
| | Conservative | Peter Griffiths | 17,016 | 37.6 | −13.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steven Sollitt | 4,788 | 10.6 | −4.5 |
| | Referendum | Shaun Evelegh | 1,757 | 3.9 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Peter Coe | 298 | 0.7 | N/A |
| | Wessex Regionalist | Colin Bex | 72 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,323 | 9.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,270 | 70.1 | –7.0 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.5 | |
General election 1992: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Griffiths | 32,240 | 52.6 | −2.7 |
| | Labour | Alan D. Burnett | 18,359 | 29.9 | +9.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alex M. Bentley | 10,101 | 16.5 | −8.2 |
| | Green | Helen Palmer | 628 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,881 | 22.7 | −7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61,328 | 77.1 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −6.4 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Griffiths | 33,297 | 55.3 | |
| | SDP | Elizabeth Mitchell | 14,896 | 24.7 | +1.1 |
| | Labour Co-op | David Miles | 12,016 | 20.0 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,401 | 30.6 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,209 | 74.8 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.6 | |
General election 1983: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Griffiths | 31,413 | 55.3 | +6.6 |
| | SDP | Stuart Luxon | 13,414 | 23.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Nigel Beard | 12,013 | 21.1 | −23.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,999 | 31.7 | +27.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,840 | 72.9 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Griffiths | 26,356 | 48.65 | +5.32 |
| | Labour | Frank Judd | 24,045 | 44.38 | −1.49 |
| | Liberal | S Brewin | 3,354 | 6.19 | −3.72 |
| | National Front | R Hadlow | 298 | 0.55 | N/A |
| | Workers Revolutionary | T White | 122 | 0.26 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,311 | 4.27 | +2.74 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,177 | 78.66 | +1.81 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +3.4 | |
General election October 1974: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Judd | 24,352 | 45.87 | +2.26 |
| | Conservative | John Ward | 23,007 | 43.33 | +0.30 |
| | Liberal | Eileen Brooks | 5,208 | 9.81 | −3.55 |
| | More Prosperous Britain | Tom Keen | 527 | 0.99 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,345 | 2.54 | +1.96 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,094 | 76.85 | −3.00 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.28 | |
General election February 1974: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Judd | 23,847 | 43.61 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Griffiths | 23,527 | 43.03 | |
| | Liberal | A.J. Peaston | 7,304 | 13.36 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 320 | 0.58 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,678 | 79.85 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Donald Bruce | 15,352 | 51.09 | +17.79 |
| | Conservative | Greville Howard | 14,310 | 47.62 | −19.0 |
| | Democratic | John Edward Vincent Keast | 388 | 1.29 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,042 | 3.47 | +36.23 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,050 | 75.36 | +10.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 18.88 | |
1943 Portsmouth North by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William James | 6,735 | 59.7 | −6.9 |
| | Common Wealth | Thomas Sargant | 4,545 | 40.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,190 | 19.4 | −13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,280 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roger Keyes | 22,956 | 66.62 | +7.02 |
| | Labour | Edward Thomas Humby | 11,502 | 33.38 | −7.02 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,454 | 33.24 | +14.04 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,458 | 64.86 | −9.63 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.02 | |
1934 Portsmouth North by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roger Keyes | 17,582 | 59.6 | −8.8 |
| | Labour | Edward Thomas Humby | 11,904 | 40.4 | +8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,678 | 19.2 | −17.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,486 | 55.7 | −18.79 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.8 | |
General election 1931: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bertram Falle | 26,331 | 69.37 | +24.87 |
| | Labour | Kenneth Dewar | 12,182 | 31.63 | −4.57 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,149 | 36.74 | +28.44 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,513 | 74.49 | +3.69 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +14.87 | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Bertram Falle | 15,352 | 44.5 | −18.6 |
| | Labour | Edward Archbold | 12,475 | 36.2 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal | Archibald William Palmer | 6,643 | 19.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,877 | 8.3 | −27.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,470 | 70.8 | −4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 48,688 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −9.0 | |
General election 1924: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Bertram Falle | 17,597 | 63.1 | +12.9 |
| | Labour | Olaf Gleeson | 10,279 | 36.9 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,318 | 26.2 | +12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,876 | 75.0 | +3.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 37,168 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +6.1 | |
General election 1923: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Bertram Falle | 13,229 | 50.2 | −5.7 |
| | Labour | Olaf Gleeson | 9,523 | 36.2 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal | William Llewellyn Williams | 3,584 | 13.6 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,706 | 14.0 | −15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,336 | 71.7 | −0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 36,717 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −7.5 | |
General election 1922: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Bertram Falle | 14,168 | 55.9 | −5.9 |
| | Labour | Arthur Henderson | 6,808 | 26.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Thomas Henry Field Lapthorn | 4,368 | 17.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,360 | 29.0 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,344 | 71.9 | +19.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,236 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Election in the 1910s

General election 1918: Portsmouth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Bertram Falle | 11,427 | 61.8 | |
| | Naval and Lower-Deck | Lionel Yexley* | 7,063 | 38.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,364 | 23.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,490 | 52.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,367 | | |
| | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) | Unionist win (new seat) |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
* Yexley (real name, James Woods) was supported by the Lower-Deck Parliamentary Committee, and also the local Liberal association.