# Doncaster North (UK Parliament constituency)

Doncaster North is a constituency in South Yorkshire that was created in 1983. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2005 by Ed Miliband of the Labour Party. Miliband currently serves as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero under the government of Keir Starmer. From 2010 until 2015, he was Leader of the Opposition.

## History

Doncaster North has returned Labour MPs since 1983, when the constituency was created from parts of the former constituencies of Don Valley, Doncaster, Goole. The preceding constituencies had returned Labour MPs at every general election since at least 1935.
Part of the red wall, it was formerly a Labour stronghold until the 2019 general election, when Labour held the seat with a significantly reduced majority. At the following election in 2024, it once again became a fairly safe Labour seat.
Ed Miliband has served as the MP for the constituency since 2005, and he also served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2010 until stepping down after the 2015 general election.
At the EU referendum held on 23 June 2016, Doncaster voted to leave the European Union. This was a contrast to the views of Miliband, who advocated a "Remain" vote. Miliband was re-elected at the 2019 general election with a significantly reduced majority of 2,370 votes (5.8%), which is attributed to Brexit Party candidate Andy Stewart picking up 8,294 votes and finishing in third place with 20.4% of the vote. At the 2024 election, Reform UK (the successor to the Brexit Party) did not stand, which helped Labour increase its majority back up to 29.5%.

## Boundaries

1983–1997: The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster wards of Adwick, Askern, Bentley Central, Bentley North Road, Hatfield, Stainforth, and Thorne.
1997–2010: The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster wards of Adwick, Askern, Bentley Central, Bentley North Road, Stainforth, and Thorne.
2010–2024: The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster wards of Adwick, Askern Spa, Bentley, Great North Road, Mexborough, Sprotbrough, Stainforth and Moorends.
2024–present: The City of Doncaster wards of Adwick le Street & Carcroft, Bentley, Mexborough, Norton & Askern, Roman Ridge, Sprotbrough, and Stainforth & Barnby Dun.
    Minor changes to reflect modifications to ward boundaries and names.

## Constituency profile

The constituency covers largely rural areas north and west of Doncaster, and suburban areas too, stretching to the town of Mexborough in the west, Bentley that lies on the northern banks of the River Don and Adwick which is farther north. The seat is an area with moderate typical incomes which has yet to fully recover from the almost total end of the local coal mining industry; however, large numbers of constituents now work in construction and manufacturing. Alongside these typically Labour-supporting areas, the constituency also contains more Conservative-leaning areas such as Sprotbrough, council ward of the Conservative's 2024 Parliamentary candidate, Glenn Bluff.

## Members of Parliament

Don Valley and Goole prior to 1983
| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | Michael Welsh | Labour |
| 1992 | Kevin Hughes | Labour |
| 2005 | Ed Miliband | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ed Miliband | 16,231 | 52.4 | +14.1 |
| | Conservative | Glenn Bluff | 7,105 | 22.9 | −10.3 |
| | SDP | Dave Bettney | 1,960 | 6.3 | N/A |
| | Green | Tony Nicholson | 1,778 | 5.7 | N/A |
| | British Democratic | Frank Calladine | 1,160 | 3.7 | N/A |
| | Yorkshire | Christopher Dawson | 1,059 | 3.4 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Harston | 1,045 | 3.4 | −0.2 |
| | Party of Women | Catherine Briggs | 452 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Andy Hiles | 212 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,126 | 29.5 | +24.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,002 | 44.4 | −11.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,759 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +12.2 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Labour | 15,356 | 38.3 |
| | Conservative | 13,286 | 33.2 |
| | Brexit Party | 8,151 | 20.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1,446 | 3.6 |
| | Others | 859 | 2.2 |
| | Green | 18 | <0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 40,070 | 55.9 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 71,739 |
General election 2019: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ed Miliband | 15,740 | 38.7 | −22.1 |
| | Conservative | Katrina Sale | 13,370 | 32.9 | +5.3 |
| | Brexit Party | Andy Stewart | 8,294 | 20.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Otten | 1,476 | 3.6 | +1.9 |
| | Yorkshire | Stevie Manion | 959 | 2.4 | +0.6 |
| | English Democrat | Frank Calladine | 309 | 0.8 | −0.1 |
| | Independent | Eddie Todd | 220 | 0.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Wendy Bailey | 188 | 0.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Neil Wood | 142 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,370 | 5.8 | −27.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,698 | 56.4 | −2.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −13.6 | |
General election 2017: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ed Miliband | 25,711 | 60.8 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative | Shade Adoh | 11,687 | 27.6 | +9.3 |
| | UKIP | Kim Parkinson | 2,738 | 6.5 | −16.1 |
| | Yorkshire | Charlie Bridges | 741 | 1.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Adamson | 706 | 1.7 | −0.8 |
| | Independent | Frank Calladine | 366 | 0.9 | N/A |
| | English Democrat | David Allen | 363 | 0.9 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,024 | 33.2 | +3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,312 | 58.5 | +2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −0.5 | |
General election 2015: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ed Miliband | 20,708 | 52.4 | +5.1 |
| | UKIP | Kim Parkinson | 8,928 | 22.6 | +18.3 |
| | Conservative | Mark Fletcher | 7,235 | 18.3 | −2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Penny Baker | 1,005 | 2.5 | −12.4 |
| | Green | Pete Kennedy | 757 | 1.9 | N/A |
| | English Democrat | David Allen | 448 | 1.1 | −4.1 |
| | TUSC | Mary Jackson | 258 | 0.7 | +0.3 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Nick the Flying Brick | 162 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,780 | 29.8 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,501 | 55.7 | −1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −6.1 | |
General election 2010: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ed Miliband | 19,637 | 47.3 | −8.8 |
| | Conservative | Sophie Brodie | 8,728 | 21.0 | +6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ed Sanderson | 6,174 | 14.9 | −0.8 |
| | BNP | Pamela Chambers | 2,818 | 6.8 | +2.8 |
| | English Democrat | Wayne Crawshaw | 2,148 | 5.2 | +3.7 |
| | UKIP | Liz Andrews | 1,797 | 4.3 | +2.1 |
| | TUSC | Bill Rawcliffe | 181 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,909 | 26.3 | −12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,483 | 57.3 | +4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −2.8 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ed Miliband | 17,531 | 55.5 | −7.6 |
| | Conservative | Martin Drake | 4,875 | 15.4 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Doug Pickett | 3,800 | 12.0 | +1.4 |
| | Community Group | Martin Williams | 2,365 | 7.5 | N/A |
| | BNP | Lee Hagan | 1,506 | 4.8 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Robert Nixon | 940 | 3.0 | +0.7 |
| | English Democrat | Michael Cassidy | 561 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,656 | 40.1 | −8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,578 | 51.1 | +0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −4.2 | |
General election 2001: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Hughes | 19,788 | 63.1 | −6.7 |
| | Conservative | Anita Kapoor | 4,601 | 14.7 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Ross | 3,323 | 10.6 | +2.2 |
| | Independent | Martin Williams | 2,926 | 9.3 | N/A |
| | UKIP | John Wallis | 725 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,187 | 48.4 | −6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,363 | 50.5 | −12.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.3 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Hughes | 27,843 | 69.8 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative | Peter Kennerley | 5,906 | 14.8 | −7.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Cook | 3,369 | 8.4 | −4.5 |
| | Referendum | Ron Thornton | 1,589 | 4.0 | N/A |
| | Anti Sleaze Labour | Neil Swan | 1,181 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,937 | 55.0 | +12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,888 | 63.3 | −10.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.6 | |
General election 1992: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Hughes | 34,135 | 61.8 | ±0.0 |
| | Conservative | Robert C Light | 14,322 | 25.9 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Whiting | 6,787 | 12.3 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,813 | 35.9 | −1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,244 | 73.9 | +0.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −0.7 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Welsh | 32,950 | 61.8 | +9.0 |
| | Conservative | Richard Shepherd | 13,015 | 24.4 | −3.2 |
| | SDP | Peter Norwood | 7,394 | 13.9 | −5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 19,935 | 37.4 | +12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,359 | 73.1 | +3.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.1 | |
General election 1983: Doncaster North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Welsh | 26,626 | 52.8 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Stephen | 13,915 | 27.6 | |
| | SDP | Dennis Orford | 9,916 | 19.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,711 | 25.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,457 | 69.9 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |