History of parliamentary constituencies and boundaries in Tyne and Wear

The ceremonial county of Tyne and Wear was created under the Local Government Act 1972, which came into effect on 1 April 1974, comprising the urban areas around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear, previously parts of the historic counties of Northumberland and Durham. It returned 12 MPs to the UK Parliament from 2010 to 2024. Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, coming into effect for the 2024 general election, the boundary commission proposed two cross-county boundary seats with Northumberland and one with Durham, in addition to 10 constituencies wholly within the county boundaries, .

Numbers of seats

The table below shows the number of MPs representing Tyne and Wear at each major redistribution of seats affecting the county.

Year	County seats¹	Borough seats¹	Total
1974–1983²	1	13	14
1983–1997	-	13	13
1997–2010	-	13	13
2010–2024	-	12	12
2024–present³	2	9	11

¹Since 1950, seats have been classified as County or Borough Constituencies.

²Approximate equivalent number of constituencies. Prior to the redistribution coming into effect for the 1983 general election, several constituencies were split between Tyne and Wear and the counties of Northumberland or Durham.

³Approximate equivalent number of constituencies. 10 constituencies wholly within Tyne and Wear; two shared with Northumberland; and one shared with Durham.

Constituencies timeline

County seat Borough seat

Constituencies	1974-1983	1983-1997	1997-2010	2010-2024	2024-present
Tynemouth	←present
Blyth (part)	←1983
Cramlington and Killingworth (part)					2024-present
North Tyneside			1997-2024
Wallsend	←1997
Newcastle upon Tyne North	←present
Newcastle upon Tyne East	←1997			2010-2024
Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend			1997-2010		2024-present
Newcastle upon Tyne Central	←2024
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West					2024-present
Newcastle upon Tyne West	←1983
Hexham (part)	←1983	Wholly within Northumberland			2024-present
Blaydon	←2024
Blaydon and Consett (part)					2024-present
Gateshead West	←1983
Gateshead Central and Whickham					2024-present
Tyne Bridge		1983-2010
Gateshead				2010-2024
Gateshead East	←1997
Gateshead East and Washington West			1997-2010
Jarrow and Gateshead East					2024-present
Jarrow	←2024
South Shields	←present
Sunderland North	←2010
Sunderland Central				2010-present
Sunderland South	←2010
Houghton and Sunderland South				2010-2024	2024-present
Houghton-le-Spring (part)	←1983
Houghton and Washington		1983-1997
Houghton and Washington East			1997-2010
Chester-le-Street (part)	←1983
Washington and Sunderland West				2010-2024
Washington and Gateshead South					2024-present

Boundary reviews

1974

At the time of its creation, Tyne and Wear contained the equivalent of approximately 14 constituencies. North of the River Tyne, previously part of Northumberland, they comprised the four Newcastle upon Tyne constituencies and those of Wallsend and Tynemouth¹, together with small areas of Hexham and Blyth. South of the River Tyne and around the River Wear, previously part of Durham, they comprised the two Gateshead and two Sunderland constituencies and those of Blaydon, Jarrow and South Shields, together with most of Houghton-le-Spring and parts of Chester-le-Street.

¹ Apart from the small community of Seaton Sluice.

1983

The next change to parliamentary constituency boundaries, following the recommendations of the Third Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, reflected the change in county boundaries and reorganisation of local government authorities in 1974. The review did not come into effect for a further nine years, at the 1983 general election, and resulted in a reduction of one seat. This was achieved by effectively abolishing the existing seats of Newcastle upon Tyne Central and Gateshead West and creating a new constituency named Tyne Bridge which spanned the River Tyne.

The boundaries of Newcastle upon Tyne Central were completely redrawn with only a small part of the existing constituency retained. The majority of the old seat was incorporated into Tyne Bridge, with eastern parts transferred to Newcastle upon Tyne East. The reconstituted seat comprised the bulk of the existing Newcastle upon Tyne North seat, combined with parts of the abolished constituency of Newcastle upon Tyne West and small area transferred from Wallsend.

Newcastle upon Tyne North was also reconstituted, with no part of the existing constituency retained. The new boundaries comprised about half of the abolished Newcastle upon Tyne West seat, including Newburn, together with areas which had been absorbed into the metropolitan borough, transferred from Wallsend (South Gosforth) and Hexham (part of Castle Ward). Wallsend now included a small area transferred from Blyth (Earsdon and Backworth).

The abolished seat of Gateshead West was absorbed into Gateshead East and Tyne Bridge. Blaydon gained the former parishes of Birtley and Lamesley from the abolished constituency of Chester-le-Street. Houghton-le-Spring gained the new town of Washington, which had also been part of Chester-le-Street, and lost the town of Seaham and surrounding communities, which had been retained in County Durham (transferred to Easington). It was consequently renamed Houghton and Washington.

Parts of Jarrow were transferred to South Shields to equalise their electorates. Sunderland North, Sunderland South and Tynemouth were largely unchanged.^[1]

1997

Under the Fourth Periodic Review, the following transfers between constituencies were made:

Wards transferred	From	To
Sandyford	Newcastle upon Tyne East	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
Wallsend Northumberland	Wallsend (renamed North Tyneside)	Newcastle upon Tyne East (renamed Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Riverside	Tynemouth	North Tyneside
Deckham Saltwell	Gateshead East	Tyne Bridge
Wrekendyke	Gateshead East	Jarrow
Biddick Hall	Jarrow	South Shields
South Hylton	Sunderland North	Sunderland South
Washington South Washington West	Houghton and Washington (renamed Houghton and Washington East)	Gateshead East (renamed Gateshead East and Washington West)
Ryhope	Sunderland South	Houghton and Washington East^[2]

2010

The Fifth Review resulted in a further reduction in the county’s representation, from 13 to 12 MPs, with the abolition of the cross-river constituency of Tyne Bridge.

The part of Tyne Bridge to the north of the River Tyne was transferred to Newcastle upon Tyne Central, with eastern parts of this seat being moved back to the re-established seat of Newcastle upon Tyne East (replacing Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend). The North Tyneside borough wards of Wallsend and Northumberland were transferred back out to the North Tyneside constituency, with Valley ward moving to Tynemouth.

The majority of the Tyne Bridge constituency, south of the Tyne, was incorporated into a re-established Gateshead constituency. This also included the Gateshead borough wards in the abolished constituency of Gateshead East and Washington West, with the exception of the Pelaw and Heworth ward which was transferred to Jarrow. The South Tyneside borough ward of Whitburn and Marsden was transferred from Jarrow to South Shields.

The boundaries of the three constituencies in the city of Sunderland were radically redrawn with Sunderland North, Sunderland South, and Houghton and Washington East being replaced by Sunderland Central, Houghton and Sunderland South, and Washington and Sunderland West. The last of these included the two Washington wards which had been in Gateshead East and Washington West, thus reuniting the town of Washington.

Blaydon and Newcastle upon Tyne North were affected by ward boundary changes.^[3]^[4]

2024

For the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which redrew the constituency map ahead of the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the Boundary Commission for England opted to combine Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside with Northumberland as a sub-region of the North East Region, with the creation of two cross-county boundary constituencies comprising an expanded Hexham seat and a new seat named Cramlington and Killingworth. Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland were combined with County Durham, resulting in another cross-county boundary constituency, named Blaydon and Consett.

To the north of the River Tyne, the constituency of North Tyneside was abolished; Newcastle upon Tyne East was once again largely absorbed into the re-established seat of Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend; Newcastle upon Tyne Central was expanded westwards and renamed Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West; and Newcastle upon Tyne North was completely reconfigured with less than half its previous electorate being included within its new boundaries.

To the south of the River Tyne, Blaydon was abolished, with the knock-on impact resulting in Gateshead Central and Whickham replacing Gateshead, Jarrow and Gateshead East replacing Jarrow, and Washington and Gateshead South replacing Washington and Sunderland West.

Movements between constituencies are detailed in the table below^[5]^[6]

Communities transferred	From	To
Killingworth, Camperdown, Wideopen	North Tyneside	Cramlington and Killingworth
Wallsend	North Tyneside	Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
North Shields	North Tyneside	Tynemouth
Benton, Longbenton	North Tyneside	Newcastle upon Tyne North
Shiremoor, Backworth	Tynemouth	Cramlington and Killingworth
Jesmond	Newcastle upon Tyne East	Newcastle upon Tyne North
Lemington, Denton	Newcastle upon Tyne North	Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Newburn, Throckley	Newcastle upon Tyne North	Hexham
Blaydon, Ryton	Blaydon	Blaydon and Consett
Whickham	Blaydon	Gateshead Central and Whickham
Birtley, Lamesley	Blaydon	Washington and Gateshead South
Felling	Gateshead	Jarrow and Gateshead East
South Hylton, Pennywell	Washington and Sunderland West	Houghton and Sunderland South

Maps

1974-1983
1983-1997
1997-2010
2010-2024
2024-present

Communities Timeline

The table below shows which constituencies represented selected communities within the current county from 1885 onwards.

Metropolitan borough	Community	1885-1918	1918-1950	1950-1955	1955-1974	1974-1983	1983-1997	1997-2010	2010-2024	2024-present
Gateshead	Bensham	Gateshead		Gateshead West			Tyne Bridge		Gateshead	Gateshead Central & Whickham
	Birtley	Chester-le-Street					Blaydon			Washington & Gateshead South
	Blaydon	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon							Blaydon & Consett
	Dunston	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon				Tyne Bridge		Gateshead	Gateshead Central & Whickham
	Felling	Jarrow			Gateshead East			Gateshead East &Washington West	Gateshead	Jarrow & Gateshead East
	Heworth	Jarrow			Gateshead East				Jarrow	Jarrow & Gateshead East
	Low Fell	Gateshead		Gateshead East					Gateshead	Gateshead Central & Whickham
	Ryton	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon							Blaydon & Consett
	Saltwell	Gateshead		Gateshead West			Gateshead East	Tyne Bridge	Gateshead	Gateshead Central & Whickham
	Town centre	Gateshead		Gateshead West			Tyne Bridge		Gateshead
	Whickham	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon
	Wrekenton	Chester-le-Street		Gateshead East				Gateshead East & Washington West	Gateshead
Metropolitan borough	Community	1885-1918	1918-1950	1950-1955	1955-1974	1974-1983	1983-1997	1997-2010	2010-present	2024-present
Newcastle upon Tyne	Benwell	Tyneside	Newcastle upon Tyne West		Newcastle upon Tyne Central		Tyne Bridge		Newcastle upon Tyne Central	Newcastle upon Tyne Central & West
	Byker	Newcastle upon Tyne	Newcastle upon Tyne East	Newcastle upon Tyne Central			Newcastle upon Tyne East	Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend	Newcastle upon Tyne East	Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
	City centre	Newcastle upon Tyne	Newcastle upon Tyne Central				Tyne Bridge		Newcastle upon Tyne Central	Newcastle upon Tyne Central & West
	Elswick	Newcastle upon Tyne	Newcastle upon Tyne West	Newcastle upon Tyne North			Tyne Bridge		Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	Fenham	Tyneside	Newcastle upon Tyne West				Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	Gosforth	Tyneside	Wallsend				Newcastle upon Tyne Central / North			Newcastle upon Tyne North
	Heaton	Newcastle upon Tyne	Newcastle upon Tyne North	Newcastle upon Tyne East				Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend	Newcastle upon Tyne East	Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
	Jesmond	Newcastle upon Tyne	Newcastle upon Tyne North				Newcastle upon Tyne Central		Newcastle upon Tyne East	Newcastle upon Tyne North
	Kenton	Tyneside	Wansbeck	Newcastle upon Tyne West			Newcastle upon Tyne Central			Newcastle upon Tyne North
	Newburn	Tyneside	Wansbeck	Newcastle upon Tyne West			Newcastle upon Tyne North			Hexham
	Walker	Tyneside	Newcastle upon Tyne East					Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend	Newcastle upon Tyne East	Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
	Westgate	Newcastle upon Tyne	Newcastle upon Tyne Central	Newcastle upon Tyne North			Newcastle upon Tyne Central			Newcastle upon Tyne Central & West
	Woolsington	Tyneside	Wansbeck	Hexham			Newcastle upon Tyne North			Hexham
Metropolitan borough	Community	1885-1918	1918-1950	1950-1955	1955-1974	1974-1983	1983-1997	1997-2010	2010-present	2024-present
North Tyneside	Backworth	Wansbeck		Blyth			Wallsend	North Tyneside	Tynemouth	Cramlington & Killingworth
	Dudley	Tyneside	Wallsend					North Tyneside		Cramlington & Killingworth
	Longbenton	Tyneside	Wallsend					North Tyneside		Newcastle upon Tyne North
	Monkseaton	Wansbeck		Tynemouth
	North Shields	Tynemouth							North Tyneside	Tynemouth
	Tynemouth	Tynemouth
	Wallsend	Tyneside	Wallsend					Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend	North Tyneside	Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
	Whitley Bay	Wansbeck		Tynemouth
	Willington Quay	Tyneside	Wallsend				Tynemouth	North Tyneside		Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend
Metropolitan borough	Community	1885-1918	1918-1950	1950-1955	1955-1974	1974-1983	1983-1997	1997-2010	2010-present	2024-present
South Tyneside	Cleadon	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow						South Shields
	Harton	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	South Shields
	Hebburn	Jarrow								Jarrow & Gateshead East
	Jarrow	Jarrow
	Monkton	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow
	South Shields	South Shields
	The Boldons	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow						South Shields/ Jarrow & Gateshead East
	Whitburn	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow					South Shields
Metropolitan borough	Community	1885-1918	1918-1950	1950-1955	1955-1974	1974-1983	1983-1997	1997-2010	2010-present	2024-present
Sunderland	City centre	Sunderland		Sunderland North					Sunderland Central
	Fulwell	Houghton-le-Spring		Sunderland North
	Hendon	Sunderland		Sunderland South
	Hetton-le-Hole	Houghton-le-Spring	City of Durham			Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton & Washington	Houghton & Washington East	Houghton & Sunderland South
	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring					Houghton & Washington	Houghton & Washington East	Houghton & Sunderland South
	North Hylton	Houghton-le-Spring				Sunderland North			Washington & Sunderland West	Washington & Gateshead South
	Pallion	Sunderland		Sunderland South		Sunderland North			Sunderland Central
	Ryhope	Houghton-le-Spring				Sunderland South		Houghton & Washington East	Sunderland Central
	Silksworth	Houghton-le-Spring				Sunderland South			Houghton & Sunderland South
	South Hylton	Houghton-le-Spring				Sunderland North		Sunderland South	Washington & Sunderland West	Houghton and Sunderland South
	Southwick	Sunderland		Sunderland North					Sunderland Central
	Washington (East)	Chester-le-Street					Houghton & Washington	Houghton & Washington East	Washington & Sunderland West	Washington & Gateshead South
	Washington (West)	Chester-le-Street					Houghton & Washington	Gateshead East & Washington West	Washington & Sunderland West	Washington & Gateshead South
Metropolitan borough	Community	1885-1918	1918-1950	1950-1955	1955-1974	1974-1983	1983-1997	1997-2010	2010-present	2024-present