# Tyne Bridge (UK Parliament constituency)

54°58′05″N 1°36′22″W﻿ / ﻿54.968°N 1.606°W﻿ / 54.968; -1.606
Tyne Bridge was a parliamentary constituency in the north east of England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, from 1983 until 2010. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

## History

The constituency was created as a result of the Boundary Commission for England review of parliamentary seats for the 1983 general election following the reorganisation of local government under the Local Government Act 1972 which brought the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear into existence. It covered central Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, with part of the constituency being north of the River Tyne in Newcastle (including the city centre), and the other part being south of the river, in Gateshead. It is named after the Tyne Bridge that crosses the river. It included parts of six different constituencies which had been in existence before the review (see Infobox).
It was abolished at the review of parliamentary representation coming into effect for the 2010 general election, being replaced by the re-established constituency of Gateshead south of the River Tyne, and by the Newcastle upon Tyne Central constituency to the north.
Tyne Bridge was a safe seat for the Labour Party throughout its existence.

## Boundaries
### 1983–1997

* The City of Newcastle wards of Benwell, Elswick, Scotswood, and West City; and
* the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead wards of Bede, Bensham, Dunston, and Teams.

### 1997–2010

* The City of Newcastle wards of Benwell, Elswick, Scotswood, and West City; and
* the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead wards of Bede, Bensham, Deckham, Dunston, Saltwell, and Teams.
Deckham and Saltwell wards were added to the seat from the abolished Gateshead East constituency.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| 1983 | Harry Cowans | Labour | Previously MP for Newcastle Central since November 1976 by-election. Died in office October 1985 |
| 1985 by-election | David Clelland | Labour | Elected in December 1985 by-election. Retired 2010 following boundary changes |
| 2010 | constituency abolished: see Gateshead & Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central | constituency abolished: see Gateshead & Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Tyne Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harry Cowans | 21,127 | 56.5 | |
| | Conservative | Randall S. Crawley | 9,434 | 25.2 | |
| | Liberal | Tony Dawson | 6,852 | 18.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,693 | 31.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,413 | 61.5 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
1985 Tyne Bridge by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Clelland | 13,517 | 57.8 | +1.3 |
| | SDP | Rod Kenyon | 6,942 | 29.7 | +11.4 |
| | Conservative | Jacqui Lait | 2,588 | 11.1 | −14.1 |
| | Independent | John Connell | 250 | 1.1 | New |
| | Independent | George Weiss | 38 | 0.2 | New |
| | Independent | Peter R. Smith | 32 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,575 | 28.1 | −3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,367 | 38.1 | −23.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 61,400 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1987: Tyne Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Clelland | 23,131 | 63.0 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | Michael Walton Bates | 7,558 | 20.6 | −4.6 |
| | SDP | John Mansfield | 6,005 | 16.4 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,573 | 42.4 | +11.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,694 | 63.1 | +1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Tyne Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Clelland | 22,328 | 67.2 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | Charles M. Liddell-Grainger | 7,118 | 21.4 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John S. Burt | 3,804 | 11.4 | −5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,210 | 45.8 | +3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,250 | 62.6 | −0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.7 | |
General election 1997: Tyne Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Clelland | 26,767 | 76.8 | +10.0 |
| | Conservative | Adrian H. Lee | 3,861 | 11.1 | −11.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Wallace | 2,785 | 8.0 | −3.1 |
| | Referendum | Graeme R. Oswald | 919 | 2.6 | New |
| | Socialist Alternative | Elaine Brumskill | 518 | 1.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,906 | 65.7 | +20.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,850 | 57.1 | −5.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +10.5 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2001: Tyne Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Clelland | 18,345 | 70.5 | −6.3 |
| | Conservative | James Cook | 3,456 | 13.3 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan C. Wallace | 3,213 | 12.3 | +4.3 |
| | Socialist Labour | James Fitzpatrick | 533 | 2.0 | New |
| | Socialist Alliance | Samuel J. Robson | 485 | 1.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,889 | 57.2 | −8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,032 | 44.2 | −12.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 2005: Tyne Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Clelland | 16,151 | 61.2 | −9.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris P. Boyle | 5,751 | 21.8 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | Tom E. Fairhead | 2,962 | 11.2 | −2.1 |
| | BNP | Kevin Scott | 1,072 | 4.1 | New |
| | Respect | Jill C. Russell | 447 | 1.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,400 | 39.4 | −17.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,383 | 49.3 | +5.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.4 | |