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Portsmouth North

Portsmouth North
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2010
Map of constituency
Boundary of Portsmouth North in South East England
CountyHampshire
Electorate71,844 (2023)[1]
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentAmanda Martin (Labour)
SeatsOne
Created from
19181950
SeatsOne
Type of constituencyBorough constituency
Created fromPortsmouth
Replaced by

Portsmouth North is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Amanda Martin of the Labour Party since 2024.[n 2]

Constituency profile

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BERJAYA
Epworth Road, Copnor

Portsmouth North is a constituency in Hampshire in South East England. It covers the northern half of Portsea Island and the mainland areas of the city of Portsmouth. This includes the neighbourhoods of Baffins, Copnor, Stamshaw, Hilsea, Paulsgrove, Wymering, Cosham, Drayton and Farlington.

Portsmouth is a port city with a maritime history. Its importance as a naval base and centre for shipbuilding made it the most heavily fortified city in the world in the early 19th century.[2] Within this constituency, the neighbourhoods on Portsea Island (Baffins, Copnor, Stamshaw and Hilsea) mostly feature dense Edwardian and interwar terraced housing, whilst the mainland suburbs were developed more recently as the city expanded. The neighbourhoods in the west like Stamshaw and Paulsgrove, the latter of which was built as a large council estate, are highly-deprived. The north-eastern suburbs of Drayton and Farlington are affluent in comparison, giving the constituency an average level of wealth overall.[3] House prices across the constituency are generally lower than the UK average and considerably lower than the regional average.[4]

Portsmouth North has a similar age profile to the rest of the country, although there are more middle-aged adults and a lower proportion of retirees.[5] Residents' rates of income, homeownership and child poverty are in line with UK averages.[4][6] They have below-average levels of education and a high proportion work in the health and manufacturing sectors.[4][7] The percentage claiming unemployment benefits is similar to the country as a whole.[6] White people made up 90% of residents at the 2021 census.[8]

At the local city council, the neighbourhoods closer to the city centre are represented by Liberal Democrats, the wealthy north-eastern suburbs by Conservatives and the rest of the constituency by localists and Reform UK. Voters in Portsmouth North strongly supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum; an estimated 64% voted in favour of Brexit compared to the UK-wide figure of 52%.[4]

Boundaries and boundary changes

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As its name suggests, the constituency covers the northern portion of the city of Portsmouth in Hampshire.

DatesLocal authority MapsWards
1918–1950 County Borough of Portsmouth BERJAYA Charles Dickens, Mile End, North End, and Portsea.
1974–1983 County Borough of Portsmouth BERJAYA Cosham, Farlington, Meredith, Nelson, North End, Paulsgrove, Portsea, and St Mary and Guildhall.
1983–1997 City of Portsmouth
Borough of Havant
City of Portsmouth wards of Copnor, Cosham, Drayton and Farlington, Hilsea, Nelson, and Paulsgrove, and the Borough of Havant wards of Purbrook and Stakes.
1997–2010 City of Portsmouth BERJAYA Copnor, Cosham, Drayton and Farlington, Hilsea, Nelson, and Paulsgrove.
2010–present BERJAYA Baffins, Copnor, Cosham, Drayton and Farlington, Hilsea, Nelson, and Paulsgrove.

1918–1950

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The constituency was formed from splitting the existing of constituency Portsmouth

Abolition

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After the First periodic review of Westminster constituencies, the Cosham and Meredith ward forming part of the new constituency of Portsmouth Langstone, while the rest formed the new constituency of Portsmouth West.

1974–1983

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The constituency was reformed from the abolished constituencies of Portsmouth West and Portsmouth Langstone

1983–1997

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Portsea, and St Mary and Guildhall wards were transferred to Portsmouth South with Purbrook and Stakes transferred from the abolished constituency of Havant and Waterloo.

1997–2010

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Purbrook and Stakes were transferred to Havant

2010–present

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Ward boundary changes and renaming

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies left the boundaries unchanged.[9]

History

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The constituency was created in 1918 when the two-seat Portsmouth constituency was split into three divisions: Central, North and South.

It was abolished for the 1950 general election and largely replaced by a new Portsmouth West constituency as the axis of division changed, but was re-established for the February 1974 general election.

Members of Parliament

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MPs 1918–1950

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Portsmouth prior to 1918

Election Member Party Notes
1918 Sir Bertram Falle, Bt. Conservative Member for Portsmouth (1910–1918)
1934 by-election Admiral Sir Roger Keyes Conservative Elevated to the peerage as Baron Keyes in January 1943
1943 by-election Admiral Sir William James Conservative
1945 Donald Bruce Labour Contested Portsmouth West following redistribution
1950 constituency abolished: see Portsmouth West and Portsmouth Langstone

MPs since 1974

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Portsmouth West and Portsmouth Langstone prior to 1974

Election Member Party Notes
Feb 1974 Frank Judd Labour Member for Portsmouth West (1966–1974)
1979 Peter Griffiths Conservative Member for Smethwick (1964–1966)
1997 Syd Rapson Labour
2005 Sarah McCarthy-Fry Labour Co-operative Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (2009–2010)
2010 Penny Mordaunt Conservative Secretary of State for International Development (2017–2019)
Secretary of State for Defence (2019)
Leader of the House of Commons (2022–2024)
2024 Amanda Martin Labour

Elections

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BERJAYA
Election results 1950-2024

Election in the 1910s

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General election 1918: Portsmouth North[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
C Unionist Bertram Falle 11,427 61.8
Naval and Lower-Deck Lionel Yexley* 7,063 38.2
Majority 4,364 23.6
Turnout 18,490 52.3
Registered electors 35,367
Unionist win (new seat)
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

* Yexley (real name, James Woods) was supported by the Lower-Deck Parliamentary Committee, and also the local Liberal association.

Elections in the 1920s

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General election 1922: Portsmouth North[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Bertram Falle 14,168 55.9 5.9
Labour Arthur Henderson 6,808 26.9 N/A
Liberal Thomas Lapthorn 4,368 17.2 N/A
Majority 7,360 29.0 +5.4
Turnout 25,344 71.9 +19.6
Registered electors 35,236
Unionist hold Swing N/A
General election 1923: Portsmouth North[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Bertram Falle 13,229 50.2 5.7
Labour Olaf Gleeson 9,523 36.2 +9.3
Liberal William Llewellyn Williams 3,584 13.6 3.6
Majority 3,706 14.0 15.0
Turnout 26,336 71.7 0.2
Registered electors 36,717
Unionist hold Swing 7.5
General election 1924: Portsmouth North[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Bertram Falle 17,597 63.1 +12.9
Labour Olaf Gleeson 10,279 36.9 +0.7
Majority 7,318 26.2 +12.2
Turnout 27,876 75.0 +3.3
Registered electors 37,168
Unionist hold Swing +6.1
General election 1929: Portsmouth North[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Bertram Falle 15,352 44.5 18.6
Labour Edward Archbold 12,475 36.2 0.7
Liberal Archibald Palmer 6,643 19.3 N/A
Majority 2,877 8.3 27.9
Turnout 34,470 70.8 4.2
Registered electors 48,688
Unionist hold Swing 9.0

Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1931: Portsmouth North[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bertram Falle 26,331 69.37 +24.87
Labour Kenneth Dewar 12,182 31.63 −4.57
Majority 14,149 36.74 +28.44
Turnout 38,513 74.49 +3.69
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing +14.87
1934 Portsmouth North by-election[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roger Keyes 17,582 59.6 −8.8
Labour Edward Humby 11,904 40.4 +8.8
Majority 5,678 19.2 −17.5
Turnout 29,486 55.7 −18.79
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing -8.8
General election 1935: Portsmouth North[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roger Keyes 22,956 66.62 +7.02
Labour Edward Humby 11,502 33.38 −7.02
Majority 11,454 33.24 +14.04
Turnout 34,458 64.86 −9.63
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing +7.02

Elections in the 1940s

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1943 Portsmouth North by-election[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William James 6,735 59.7 −6.9
Common Wealth Thomas Sargant 4,545 40.3 N/A
Majority 2,190 19.4 −13.8
Turnout 11,280
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1945: Portsmouth North[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Donald Bruce 15,352 51.1 +17.8
Conservative Greville Howard 14,310 47.6 –19.0
Democratic John Keast 388 1.3 N/A
Majority 1,042 3.5 N/A
Turnout 30,050 75.4 +10.5
Registered electors 39,873
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +18.9

Elections in the 1970s

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1970 notional result[12]
Party Vote %
Conservative24,00046.0
Labour21,50041.2
Liberal6,70012.8
Turnout 52,200 71.3
Electorate 73,238
General election February 1974: Portsmouth North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Judd 23,847 43.6 +2.4
Conservative Peter Griffiths 23,527 43.0 –2.9
Liberal Anthony Peaston[13] 7,304 13.4 +0.5
Majority 320 0.6 N/A
Turnout 54,678 79.9 +8.6
Registered electors 68,473
Labour gain from Conservative (Notional.) Swing +2.7
General election October 1974: Portsmouth North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Judd 24,352 45.9 +2.3
Conservative John Ward 23,007 43.3 +0.3
Liberal Eileen Brooks 5,208 9.8 −3.5
More Prosperous Britain Tom Keen 527 1.0 N/A
Majority 1,345 2.5 +2.0
Turnout 53,094 76.8 −3.0
Registered electors 69,089
Labour hold Swing +1.0
General election 1979: Portsmouth North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Griffiths 26,356 48.6 +5.3
Labour Frank Judd 24,045 44.4 –1.5
Liberal S Brewin 3,354 6.2 −3.6
National Front R Hadlow 298 0.6 N/A
Workers Revolutionary T White 122 0.2 N/A
Majority 2,311 4.3 N/A
Turnout 54,177 78.7 +1.8
Registered electors 68,870
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +3.4
1979 notional result[14]
Party Vote %
Conservative30,13951.4
Labour23,22939.6
Liberal4,9228.4
Others3810.6
Turnout 58,671
Electorate

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1983: Portsmouth North[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Griffiths 31,413 55.3 +3.9
SDP Stuart Luxon 13,414 23.6 +15.2
Labour Nigel Beard 12,013 21.1 –18.5
Majority 17,999 31.7 +19.9
Turnout 56,840 72.9 –5.7
Registered electors 77,923
Conservative hold Swing –5.7
General election 1987: Portsmouth North[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Griffiths 33,297 55.3 +0.0
SDP Elizabeth Mitchell 14,896 24.7 +1.1
Labour Co-op David Miles 12,016 20.0 –1.2
Majority 18,401 30.6 –1.1
Turnout 60,209 74.8 +1.8
Registered electors 80,501
Conservative hold Swing –0.6

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1992: Portsmouth North[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Griffiths 32,240 52.6 −2.7
Labour Alan Burnett 18,359 29.9 +10.0
Liberal Democrats Alex Bentley 10,101 16.5 −8.3
Green Helen Palmer 628 1.0 N/A
Majority 13,881 22.6 −7.9
Turnout 61,328 77.1 +2.3
Registered electors 79,592
Conservative hold Swing −6.4
1992 notional result
Party Vote %
Conservative25,36850.7
Labour16,61033.2
Liberal Democrats7,52915.1
Green5111.0
Turnout 50,018 76.2
Electorate 65,614
General election 1997: Portsmouth North[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Syd Rapson 21,339 47.1 +13.9
Conservative Peter Griffiths 17,016 37.6 −13.1
Liberal Democrats Steven Sollitt 4,788 10.6 –4.5
Referendum Shaun Evelegh 1,757 3.9 N/A
UKIP Peter Coe 298 0.7 N/A
Wessex Regionalists Colin Bex 72 0.2 N/A
Majority 4,323 9.5 N/A
Turnout 45,270 70.1 –6.1
Registered electors 64,539
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +13.5

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2001: Portsmouth North[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Syd Rapson 18,676 50.7 +3.5
Conservative Christopher Day 13,542 36.7 −0.9
Liberal Democrats Darren Sanders 3,795 10.3 −0.3
UKIP William McCabe 559 1.5 +0.9
Independent Brian Bundy 294 0.8 N/A
Majority 5,134 13.9 +4.4
Turnout 36,866 57.4 −12.8
Registered electors 64,256
Labour hold Swing +2.2
General election 2005: Portsmouth North[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Sarah McCarthy-Fry 15,412 40.9 −9.8
Conservative Penny Mordaunt 14,273 37.8 +1.1
Liberal Democrats Gary Lawson 6,684 17.7 +7.4
UKIP Mike Smith 1,348 3.6 +2.1
Majority 1,139 3.0 −10.9
Turnout 37,717 60.0 +2.6
Registered electors 62,884
Labour hold Swing −5.5
2005 notional result
Party Vote %
Labour15,89738.7
Conservative15,56437.9
Liberal Democrats8,08019.7
Others1,5633.8
Turnout 41,104 59.7
Electorate 68,872

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2010: Portsmouth North[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Penny Mordaunt 19,533 44.3 +6.4
Labour Co-op Sarah McCarthy-Fry 12,244 27.8 −10.9
Liberal Democrats Darren Sanders 8,874 20.1 +0.5
UKIP Mike Fitzgerald 1,812 4.1 +0.3
English Democrat David Knight 1,040 2.4 N/A
Green Iain Maclennan 461 1.0 N/A
TUSC Mick Tosh 154 0.3 N/A
Majority 7,289 16.5 N/A
Turnout 44,118 62.7 +3.0
Registered electors 70,329
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +8.7
General election 2015: Portsmouth North[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Penny Mordaunt 21,343 47.1 +2.8
Labour John Ferrett 10,806 23.8 −3.9
UKIP Mike Fitzgerald[24] 8,660 19.1 +15.0
Liberal Democrats Darren Sanders 2,828 6.2 −13.9
Green Gavin Ellis[25] 1,450 3.2 +2.2
TUSC Jon Woods 231 0.5 +0.2
Majority 10,537 23.2 +6.7
Turnout 45,318 62.1 −0.7
Registered electors 73,105
Conservative hold Swing +3.4
General election 2017: Portsmouth North[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Penny Mordaunt 25,860 54.8 +7.7
Labour Rumal Khan 15,895 33.7 +9.8
Liberal Democrats Darren Sanders 2,608 5.5 −0.7
UKIP Mike Fitzgerald 1,926 4.1 −15.0
Green Ken Hawkins[27] 791 1.7 −1.5
Libertarian Joe Jenkins 130 0.3 N/A
Majority 9,965 21.1 −2.1
Turnout 47,210 66.1 +4.2
Registered electors 71,374
Conservative hold Swing –1.1
General election 2019: Portsmouth North[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Penny Mordaunt 28,172 61.4 +6.6
Labour Amanda Martin 12,392 27.0 −6.7
Liberal Democrats Antonia Harrison 3,419 7.4 +1.9
Green Lloyd Day 1,304 2.8 +1.2
Independent George Madgwick 623 1.4 N/A
Majority 15,780 34.4 +13.3
Turnout 45,910 64.4 −1.8
Registered electors 71,299
Conservative hold Swing +6.6

Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Portsmouth North[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Amanda Martin 14,495 34.8 +7.9
Conservative Penny Mordaunt 13,715 33.0 –28.4
Reform Melvyn Todd 8,501 20.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Simon Dodd 3,031 7.3 –0.2
Green Duncan Robinson 1,851 4.5 +1.6
Majority 780 1.9 N/A
Turnout 41,593 59.0 –5.3
Registered electors 70,446
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +18.1

See also

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Notes

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  1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
  2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

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  1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  2. Pevsner 1967, p. 422.
  3. "Constituency data: Deprivation in England". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Seat Details - Portsmouth North". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  5. "Constituency data: Population, by age". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Constituency dashboard". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  7. "Constituency data: businesses and industries". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  8. "2021 census results: Ethnic groups in your constituency". commonslibrary.parliament.uk. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  9. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Craig, Fred W. S (1969). British parliamentary election results, 1918-1949. Political Reference Publications. ISBN 0900178019. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  11. Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1922
  12. Michael Stead. "1970 notional general election & February 1974 general election". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  13. Lionel King. "Election candidates 1945-2019: South Central region" (PDF). liberalhistory.org.uk. Liberal Democrat History Group. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  14. "BBC/ITN NOTIONAL ELECTION 1979". election.demon.co.uk. BBC/ITN. Archived from the original on 28 May 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  15. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  19. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  23. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  24. "UK Polling Report".
  25. "People - Portsmouth Green Party". Archived from the original on 11 September 2024.
  26. "Microsoft Word – Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll – Portsmouth North.docx" (PDF). portsmouth.gov.uk. 11 May 2017.
  27. "Portsmouth Green Party Candidates 2019 Local Elections". portsmouth.greenparty.org.uk.
  28. "Portsmouth North Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  29. "Portsmouth North Statement of Persons Nominated". Portsmouth City Council. Retrieved 7 June 2024.

Sources

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50°50′N 1°04′W / 50.83°N 1.07°W / 50.83; -1.07