# Stockton North (UK Parliament constituency)

Stockton North is a constituency covering the town of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham and other nearby settlements in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees located north of the River Tees, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Chris McDonald, a member of the Labour Party, having been elected in the 2024 general election.

## Boundaries
### Historic

1983–1997: The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees wards of Blue Hall, Charltons, Elm Tree, Glebe, Grange, Hardwick, Marsh House, Mile House, Newtown, Northfield, Norton, Portrack and Tilery, Roseworth, St Aidan's, St Cuthbert's, Whitton, and Wolviston.
1997–2010: The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees wards of Blue Hall, Charltons, Glebe, Grange, Hardwick, Marsh House, Mile House, Newtown, Northfield, Norton, Portrack and Tilery, Roseworth, St Aidan's, St Cuthbert's, Whitton, and Wolviston.
2010–2024: The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees wards of Billingham Central, Billingham East, Billingham North, Billingham South, Billingham West, Hardwick, Newtown, Northern Parishes, Norton North, Norton South, Norton West, Roseworth, Stockton Town Centre, and Western Parishes.

### 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 defined as comprising the following wards of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
* Billingham Central; Billingham East; Billingham North; Billingham South; Billingham West; Hardwick and Salters Lane; Newtown; Northern Parishes; Norton North; Norton South; Norton West; Parkfield and Oxbridge; Roseworth; Stockton Town Centre.
In order to bring the electorate within the permitted electoral range, the Parkfield and Oxbridge ward was transferred in from Stockton South (renamed Stockton West) in exchange for Western Parishes.
Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency now comprises the following wards of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees from the 2024 general election:
* Billingham Central; Billingham East; Billingham North; Billingham South; Billingham West & Wolviston; Eaglescliffe East (small part); Grangefield (majority); Hardwick & Salters Lane; Newtown; Northern Parishes (majority); Norton Central; Norton North; Norton South; Ropner; Roseworth; Stockton Town Centre; and a very small part of Hartburn.
Stockton North consists of the northern part of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, including the town centre and the nearby towns and villages of Billingham, Norton, Wolviston and Thorpe Thewles.

## History

The constituency was created for the 1983 general election, partially replacing the former Stockton-on-Tees constituency. The outgoing MP for Stockton-on-Tees was Bill Rodgers, who had held the seat since 1962. He had been a Labour Party member until 1981, when he left to found the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The 1983 election was the first since Rodgers had left the Labour Party, and he was narrowly defeated by Labour's Frank Cook. Cook held the seat with majorities between 16% and 48% until the 2010 general election, when after 27 years as the MP he was de-selected by his local party. Cook chose to run again however, as an independent candidate. Cook polled less than 5% of the vote, fifth of the seven candidates who stood, and joined four of these in forfeiting his deposit and the seat was held by the Labour Party's next candidate, Alex Cunningham.
In November 2021, Cunningham announced his intention to stand down at the 2024 general election, when the seat was won by his successor as Labour candidate, Chris McDonald.

## Constituency profile

The town of Stockton-on-Tees is a significant exports manufacturing and processing base in the United Kingdom. Stockton North has often in economically troubled times significantly more unemployment than Stockton South: workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly above the national average of 3.8%, at 7.0% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian compared to 4.5% in Stockton South.
In November 2023 Home Secretary James Cleverly was accused of calling the constituency "a shithole" during a Commons debate. The comment was said to have been made after the prime minister Rishi Sunak was challenged by MP Alex Cunningham on the level of child poverty in his constituency.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | Frank Cook | Labour |
| 2010 | Alex Cunningham | Labour |
| 2024 | Chris McDonald | Labour |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Chris McDonald | 17,128 | 45.8 | −0.9 |
| | Reform UK | John McDermottroe | 9,189 | 24.6 | +15.6 |
| | Conservative | Niall Innes | 8,028 | 21.5 | −16.0 |
| | Green | Sam Bradford | 1,923 | 5.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jo Barton | 1,133 | 3.0 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,939 | 21.2 | +18.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,401 | 53.2 | −8.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 70,242 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Cunningham | 17,728 | 43.1 | −13.8 |
| | Conservative | Steven Jackson | 16,701 | 40.6 | +4.1 |
| | Brexit Party | Martin Walker | 3,907 | 9.5 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Aidan King | 1,631 | 4.0 | +2.5 |
| | North East | Mark Burdon | 1,189 | 2.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,027 | 2.5 | −17.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,156 | 61.7 | −2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −9.0 | |
General election 2017: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Cunningham | 24,304 | 56.9 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Mark Fletcher | 15,589 | 36.5 | +8.5 |
| | UKIP | Ted Strike | 1,834 | 4.3 | −14.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Brown | 646 | 1.5 | −0.7 |
| | Green | Emma Robson | 358 | 0.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,715 | 20.4 | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,731 | 64.5 | +4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −0.3 | |
General election 2015: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Cunningham | 19,436 | 49.1 | +6.3 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Daniels | 11,069 | 28.0 | +2.1 |
| | UKIP | Mandy Boylett | 7,581 | 19.2 | +15.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Sycamore | 884 | 2.2 | −13.9 |
| | North East | John Tait | 601 | 1.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,367 | 21.1 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,571 | 59.8 | +1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.2 | |
General election 2010: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Cunningham | 16,923 | 42.8 | −12.0 |
| | Conservative | Ian Galletley | 10,247 | 25.9 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Latham | 6,342 | 16.1 | −2.6 |
| | BNP | James MacPherson | 1,724 | 4.4 | +1.8 |
| | Independent | Frank Cook | 1,577 | 4.0 | New |
| | UKIP | Gordon Parkin | 1,556 | 3.9 | +1.2 |
| | English Democrat | Ian Saul | 1,129 | 2.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,676 | 16.9 | −17.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,498 | 58.6 | +0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -8.3 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Cook | 20,012 | 54.9 | −8.5 |
| | Conservative | Harriett Baldwin | 7,575 | 20.8 | −1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Hughes | 6,869 | 18.9 | +7.0 |
| | BNP | Kevin Hughes | 986 | 2.7 | New |
| | UKIP | Gordon Parkin | 986 | 2.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,439 | 34.1 | −7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,428 | 57.6 | +2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.6 | |
General election 2001: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Cook | 22,470 | 63.4 | −3.4 |
| | Conservative | Amanda Vigar | 7,823 | 22.1 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Wallace | 4,208 | 11.9 | +1.1 |
| | Green | Bill Wennington | 926 | 2.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,647 | 41.3 | −6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,427 | 54.8 | −14.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | −3.3 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Cook | 29,726 | 66.8 | +14.5 |
| | Conservative | Bryan Johnston | 8,369 | 18.8 | −13.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Suzanne Fletcher | 4,816 | 10.8 | −3.2 |
| | Referendum | Kevin McConnell | 1,563 | 3.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,357 | 48.0 | +28.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,474 | 69.0 | −7.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +14.2 | |
General election 1992: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Cook | 27,918 | 52.3 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | Simon Brocklebank-Fowler | 17,444 | 32.7 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Suzanne Fletcher | 7,454 | 14.0 | −4.3 |
| | Independent Labour | Ken McGarvey | 550 | 1.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,474 | 19.6 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,366 | 76.8 | +1.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.5 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Cook | 26,043 | 49.2 | +12.1 |
| | Conservative | David Faber | 17,242 | 32.5 | −0.8 |
| | SDP | Nicholas Bosanquet | 9,712 | 18.3 | −11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,801 | 16.6 | +12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,997 | 75.4 | +5.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.5 | |
General election 1983: Stockton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Cook | 18,339 | 37.1 | |
| | Conservative | Harry Davies | 16,469 | 33.3 | |
| | SDP | Bill Rodgers | 14,630 | 29.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,870 | 3.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,438 | 70.3 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |