# Colchester North (UK Parliament constituency)

North Colchester was a Borough Constituency in Essex, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

## History

This seat was created for the 1983 general election from parts of the abolished Colchester constituency and parts of the Harwich constituency. It was abolished at the next redistribution which came into effect for the 1997 general election, when Colchester was re-established as a borough constituency and a new county constituency of North Essex was created.
It was a safe Conservative seat throughout its existence.

## Boundaries

* The Borough of Colchester wards of Boxted and Langham, Castle, Copford and Eight Ash Green, Dedham, Fordham, Great and Little Horkesley, Great Tey, Highwoods Lexden, Marks Tey, Mile End, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, St Mary's, Stanway, West Bergholt, and Wivenhoe; and
* The District of Tendring wards of Alresford Thorrington and Frating, Ardleigh, Brightlingsea East, Brightlingsea West, Elmstead, Great Bentley, Great Bromley Little Bromley and Little Bentley, Lawford and Manningtree, and Mistley.
The seat was created in 1983 by dividing the Colchester constituency. It took in the northern parts of the town of Colchester, including the town centre, plus the rural areas to the north of Colchester, and south of either the Stour estuary or the Suffolk border. It also included western parts of the Harwich constituency, including Wivenhoe and Brightlingsea.
The seat was abolished in 1997, with the parts of the town being included in the re-established constituency of Colchester and remaining areas being included in the new constituency of North Essex, a seat surrounding Colchester.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1983 | Sir Antony Buck | Conservative |
| 1992 | Bernard Jenkin | Conservative |
| 1997 | constituency abolished: see Colchester & North Essex | constituency abolished: see Colchester & North Essex |

## Elections

1979 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 31,439 | 55.3 |
| | Labour | 16,160 | 28.4 |
| | Liberal | 9,124 | 16.0 |
| | Others | 157 | 0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 56,880 | |
| Electorate | Electorate | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1983: Colchester North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Antony Buck | 29,921 | 53.0 | –2.3 |
| | Liberal | Ronald Montgomerie | 14,873 | 26.3 | +10.3 |
| | Labour | Raymond Allen | 10,397 | 18.4 | −10.0 |
| | Ind. Conservative | Derek Wilkinson | 784 | 1.4 | New |
| | Independent | Roger Davies | 510 | 0.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,048 | 26.6 | –0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,485 | 73.1 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
General election 1987: Colchester North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Antony Buck | 32,747 | 52.3 | −0.7 |
| | SDP | Alan Hayman | 19,124 | 30.5 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Roderic Green | 10,768 | 17.2 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,623 | 21.8 | −4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,639 | 76.0 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.5 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1992: Colchester North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bernard Jenkin | 35,123 | 51.5 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Raven | 18,721 | 27.4 | −3.1 |
| | Labour | David Lee | 13,870 | 20.3 | +3.1 |
| | Green | Muhammed Shabeer | 372 | 0.5 | New |
| | Natural Law | Michael Mears | 238 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,402 | 24.1 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 68,414 | 79.1 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.2 | |