Blaydon and Consett

Blaydon and Consett
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Blaydon and Consett in the North East England
CountyCounty Durham/Tyne and Wear
Electorate70,847 (2024)
Major settlementsConsett, Blaydon, Ryton, Benfieldside
Current constituency
Created2024
Member of ParliamentLiz Twist (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created from

Blaydon and Consett is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament.[1] Created as a result of the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, it was first contested at the 2024 general election and is currently held by Liz Twist of the Labour Party, who previously represented the abolished Blaydon constituency from 2017 to 2024.[2]

Constituency profile

The Blaydon and Consett constituency is located in North East England and covers rural areas to the south-west of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It stretches over parts of Tyne and Wear (specifically the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead) and County Durham. Settlements in the constituency include the towns of Blaydon and Consett, the large villages of Ryton and Crawcrook, and other smaller villages.

The constituency sits at the edge of the Pennines and is predominantly upland and rural. The towns of Blaydon and Consett have an industrial heritage, particularly in coal mining and steelmaking.[3][4] Compared to national averages, residents are generally more religious and have similar levels of wealth, education and professional employment. White people make up 98% of the population.[5]

The area around Blaydon had its most recent local council election in 2024 and all seats in the area were won by Labour Party candidates. The Consett area had its most recent local council election in 2025 and elected predominantly Reform UK councillors. In the 2016 referendum on European Union membership, an estimated 56% of voters in the constituency supported Brexit, slightly higher than the national figure of 52%.[5]

Boundaries

The constituency crosses the boundary of the ceremonial counties of Durham and Tyne and Wear and is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

  • The County of Durham electoral divisions of: Benfieldside; Burnopfield and Dipton; Consett North; Consett South; Delves Lane; Leadgate and Medomsley.
  • The Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead wards of: Blaydon; Chopwell and Rowlands Gill; Crawcrook and Greenside; Ryton, Crookhill and Stella; Winlaton and High Spen.[6]

It comprises approximately half the electorate of each of the abolished constituencies of Blaydon and North West Durham[7] and includes the following communities:

Members of Parliament

Blaydon and North West Durham prior to 2024

Election Member Party
2024 Liz Twist Labour

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Blaydon and Consett[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Liz Twist 21,160 50.1 +6.1
Reform UK David Ayre 10,007 23.7 +14.0
Conservative Angela Sterling 6,052 14.3 −20.6
Green Richard Simpson 2,589 6.1 +3.1
Liberal Democrats Vicky Anderson 2,273 5.4 +0.8
SDP Paul Topping 135 0.3 N/A
Majority 11,153 26.4
Turnout 42,216 59.9 −7.0
Labour win (new seat)

See also

References

  1. ^ Holland, Daniel (2023-06-28). "'Gutted' North East MPs set to lose seats hit out at 'ruthless' plans". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  2. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – North East | Boundary Commission for England". boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  3. ^ "Blaydon" (PDF). Newcastle City Council. 23 December 2012.
  4. ^ Steel Towns: From Boom to Bust, BBC Nation on Film.
  5. ^ a b "Seat Details - Blaydon and Consett". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 4 North East region.
  7. ^ "New Seat Details - Blaydon and Consett". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  8. ^ "General election results 2024". Gateshead Council. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Blaydon and Consett results". BBC. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.

54°54′N 1°47′W / 54.9°N 1.78°W / 54.9; -1.78