# 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 2024 by Sam Carling of the Labour Party. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

## Constituency profile

This 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.
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 represented the constituency from the 2005 general election until 2024. The seat changed hands to Labour's Sam Carling in the 2024 United Kingdom 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### Withdrawn candidates in 2019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.

### New political makeup

There are 33 council seats across the revised 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).

## 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 is composed of the following wards (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
* Peterborough City Council: Barnack (one councillor), Fletton & Stanground (three councillors), Fletton & Woodston (three councillors), Glinton & Castor (two councillors), Hargate & Hempsted (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).

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| part of Huntingdon and Peterborough prior to 1997 ||||
| | 1997 | Sir Brian Mawhinney | Conservative |
| | 2005 | Shailesh Vara | Conservative |
| | 2024 | Sam Carling | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: North West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sam Carling | 14,785 | 33.3 | +9.6 |
| | Conservative | Shailesh Vara | 14,746 | 33.2 | −26.8 |
| | Reform UK | James Sidlow | 8,741 | 19.7 | +19.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bridget Smith | 3,192 | 7.2 | −3.8 |
| | Green | Elliot Tong | 2,960 | 6.7 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 0.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,424 | 58.5 | −5.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 75,915 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +18.2 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 28,201 | 60.0 |
| | Labour | 11,169 | 23.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 5,173 | 11.0 |
| | Green | 2,464 | 5.2 |
| | Brexit Party | 25 | 0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 47,032 | 63.9 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 73,556 |
General election 2019: North West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Shailesh Vara | 40,307 | 62.5 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | Cathy Cordiner-Achenbach | 14,324 | 22.2 | −8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bridget Smith | 6,881 | 10.7 | +5.7 |
| | Green | Nicola Day | 3,021 | 4.7 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25,983 | 40.3 | +12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,533 | 68.0 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.1 | |
General election 2017: North West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Shailesh Vara | 37,529 | 58.6 | +6.1 |
| | Labour | Iain Ramsbottom | 19,521 | 30.5 | +12.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bridget Smith | 3,168 | 5.0 | −0.7 |
| | UKIP | John Whitby | 2,518 | 3.9 | −16.2 |
| | Green | Greg Guthrie | 1,255 | 2.0 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,008 | 28.1 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 63,991 | 68.8 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.2 | |
General election 2015: North West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Shailesh Vara | 32,070 | 52.5 | +2.0 |
| | UKIP | Peter Reeve | 12,275 | 20.1 | +11.8 |
| | Labour | Nick Thulbourn | 10,927 | 17.9 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicholas Sandford | 3,479 | 5.7 | −16.2 |
| | Green | Nicola Day | 2,159 | 3.5 | New |
| | CPA | Fay Belham | 190 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,795 | 32.4 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 61,100 | 66.6 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 2010: North West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Shailesh Vara | 29,425 | 50.5 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Wilkins | 12,748 | 21.9 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | Chris York | 9,877 | 16.9 | −8.7 |
| | UKIP | Robert Brown | 4,826 | 8.3 | +3.0 |
| | English Democrat | Stephen Goldspink | 1,407 | 2.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,677 | 28.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,283 | 65.6 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: North West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Shailesh Vara | 22,504 | 45.8 | −4.0 |
| | Labour | Ayfer Orhan | 12,671 | 25.8 | −5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Souter | 11,232 | 22.9 | +7.1 |
| | UKIP | Robert Brown | 2,685 | 5.5 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,833 | 20.0 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,092 | 61.6 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.8 | |
General election 2001: North West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brian Mawhinney | 21,895 | 49.8 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | Anthea Cox | 13,794 | 31.4 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alastair Taylor | 6,957 | 15.8 | +0.7 |
| | UKIP | Barry Hudson | 881 | 2.0 | +1.4 |
| | Independent | David Hall | 429 | 1.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,101 | 18.4 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,956 | 61.7 | −12.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: North West Cambridgeshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brian Mawhinney | 23,488 | 48.1 | |
| | Labour | Lee Steptoe | 15,734 | 32.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barbara McCoy | 7,388 | 15.1 | |
| | Referendum | Sandy Watts | 1,939 | 4.0 | |
| | UKIP | William Wyatt | 269 | 0.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,754 | 15.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,818 | 74.2 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |