# Luton North (UK Parliament constituency)

Luton North is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Sarah Owen, of the Labour Party.

## Constituency profile

Luton North was created in 1983, primarily from the former seat of Luton West. It consists of the northern portion of the town of Luton, excluding Stopsley.
One constituency other than Luton North includes Luton; Luton South. Both cover a similar housing profile and economic ambit that have seen house prices increase above the national average since 1997, two periods of relatively high numbers of the unemployed and lowest wage earners (the 1990s and 2008–2011 global recession). The former covers roughly the LU3 and 4 postcode districts and excludes the town centre of what one broadsheet characterised as a tough town whereas other commentators state that Luton has a resilient economy which "revolves around the airport as well as the retail sector."

## History

At creation, Luton North included eight wards from the neighbouring districts of Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire; these made it a much safer seat for the Conservatives than Luton South, which included only one ward from outside the Borough of Luton. Boundary changes in 1997 reduced the Conservative majority from 13,094 to 7,357, and it was 81st on Labour's list of target seats; Labour duly gained it on a 17.1% swing, and since then the party has held the seat with comfortable majorities.
From 2005 to 2015, Luton North was Labour's safest seat in the East of England by both vote and vote share majority; in 2017 it was overtaken in the former count by Norwich South, but the percentage margin in Luton North (30.8% compared to 30.4% in Norwich South) is slightly higher.

## Boundaries and boundary changes
### 1983–1997

* The Borough of Luton wards of Bramingham, Challney, Icknield, Leagrave, Lewsey, Limbury, and Sundon Park;
* The District of Mid Bedfordshire wards of Flitton and Pulloxhill, Flitwick East, Flitwick West, Harlington, and Westoning; and
* The District of South Bedfordshire wards of Barton-le-Clay, Streatley, and Toddington.
Created as a county constituency formally named North Luton, incorporating the bulk of the abolished borough constituency of Luton West. Extended northwards to include part of the abolished constituency of South Bedfordshire as well as Flitwick, transferred from Mid Bedfordshire.

### 1997–2010

* The Borough of Luton wards of Bramingham, Challney, Icknield, Leagrave, Lewsey, Limbury, Saints, and Sundon Park.
Redesignated as the borough constituency of Luton North. The parts of the Districts of Mid Bedfordshire (including Flitwick) and South Bedfordshire transferred to Mid Bedfordshire. Gained the Saints ward of the Borough of Luton from Luton South.

### 2010–2024

* The Borough of Luton wards of Barnfield, Bramingham, Challney, Icknield, Leagrave, Lewsey, Limbury, Northwell, Saints, and Sundon Park.
Marginal changes due to revision of local authority wards.

### Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency was expanded with the transfer of the Luton Borough ward of Stopsley (as it existed on 1 December 2020) from Luton South.
Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Borough of Luton from the 2024 general election:
* Barnfield (nearly all); Beech Hill (part); Bramingham; Challney (nearly all); Leagrave; Lewsey; Limbury; Northwell; Poets; Saints (nearly all); Sundon Park; Stopsley (majority).

## Members of Parliament

Luton West, Luton East, Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire prior to 1983
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | John Carlisle | Conservative |
| 1997 | Kelvin Hopkins | Labour |
| 2017 | Kelvin Hopkins | Independent |
| 2019 | Sarah Owen | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sarah Owen | 14,677 | 37.9 | −16.0 |
| | Conservative | Jilleane Brown | 7,167 | 18.5 | −15.8 |
| | Reform UK | James Fletcher | 4,666 | 12.0 | +9.0 |
| | Independent | Toqueer Shah | 4,393 | 11.3 | N/A |
| | Workers Party | Waheed Akbar | 3,914 | 10.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Ejel Khan | 1,940 | 5.0 | +3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sean Prendergast | 1,890 | 4.9 | +0.3 |
| | SDP | Paul Trathen | 98 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,510 | 19.4 | −11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,745 | 51.8 | –9.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,866 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.1 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Labour | 24,015 | 53.9 |
| | Conservative | 15,275 | 34.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 2,063 | 4.6 |
| | Brexit Party | 1,319 | 3.0 |
| | Others | 1,086 | 2.4 |
| | Green | 832 | 1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 44,590 | 60.9 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 73,266 |
General election 2019: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sarah Owen | 23,496 | 55.2 | −8.6 |
| | Conservative | Jeet Bains | 14,249 | 33.5 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Linda Jack | 2,063 | 4.8 | +3.1 |
| | Brexit Party | Sudhir Sharma | 1,215 | 2.9 | N/A |
| | Green | Simon Hall | 771 | 1.8 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | Muhammad Rehman | 646 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Women's Equality | Serena Laidley | 149 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,247 | 21.7 | −9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,589 | 62.5 | −8.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 2017: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kelvin Hopkins | 29,765 | 63.8 | +11.6 |
| | Conservative | Caroline Kerswell | 15,401 | 33.0 | +3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rabi Martins | 808 | 1.7 | −1.4 |
| | Green | Simon Hall | 648 | 1.4 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,364 | 30.8 | +8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,622 | 71.0 | +7.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.3 | |
General election 2015: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kelvin Hopkins | 22,243 | 52.2 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | Dean Russell | 12,739 | 29.9 | −1.9 |
| | UKIP | Allan White | 5,318 | 12.5 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Aroosa Ulzaman | 1,299 | 3.1 | −8.0 |
| | Green | Sofiya Ahmed | 972 | 2.3 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,504 | 22.3 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,571 | 64.0 | −1.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.4 | |
General election 2010: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kelvin Hopkins | 21,192 | 49.3 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative | Jeremy Brier | 13,672 | 31.8 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rabi Martins | 4,784 | 11.1 | −4.5 |
| | UKIP | Colin Brown | 1,564 | 3.6 | +0.4 |
| | BNP | Shelley Rose | 1,316 | 3.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Simon Hall | 490 | 1.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,520 | 17.5 | +0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,018 | 65.5 | +8.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.5 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kelvin Hopkins | 19,062 | 48.7 | −8.0 |
| | Conservative | Hannah Hall | 12,575 | 32.1 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Linda Jack | 6,081 | 15.5 | +5.8 |
| | UKIP | Colin Brown | 1,255 | 3.2 | +0.8 |
| | Open Forum | Kayson Gurney | 149 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,487 | 16.6 | −8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,122 | 57.4 | −0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −4.5 | |
General election 2001: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kelvin Hopkins | 22,187 | 56.7 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Amanda Sater | 12,210 | 31.2 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Hoyle | 3,795 | 9.7 | +0.6 |
| | UKIP | Colin Brown | 934 | 2.4 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,977 | 25.5 | +5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,126 | 57.9 | −15.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kelvin Hopkins | 25,860 | 54.6 | +17.4 |
| | Conservative | David Senior | 16,234 | 34.3 | −16.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kathryn Newbound | 4,299 | 9.1 | −1.1 |
| | UKIP | Colin Brown | 689 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Natural Law | Aaron Custance | 250 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,626 | 20.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,332 | 73.2 | −8.6 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
General election 1992: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Carlisle | 33,777 | 53.7 | −0.1 |
| | Labour | Tony McWalter | 20,683 | 32.9 | +6.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jane Jackson | 7,570 | 12.0 | −7.4 |
| | Green | Roger Jones | 633 | 1.0 | N/A |
| | Natural Law | Keith Buscombe | 292 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,094 | 20.8 | −6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,955 | 81.8 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −3.1 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Carlisle | 30,997 | 53.8 | +5.5 |
| | Labour | Michael Wright | 15,424 | 26.8 | +0.6 |
| | SDP | John Stephen | 11,166 | 19.4 | −6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,573 | 27.0 | +4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,587 | 77.6 | +0.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1983: Luton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Carlisle | 26,115 | 48.3 | |
| | Labour | Kelvin Hopkins | 14,134 | 26.2 | |
| | SDP | John Stephen | 13,769 | 25.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,981 | 22.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,018 | 77.4 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |